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Addictions
Addictions
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Identify Habits that are Undermining Your Health
I would challenge you to look seriously at your lifestyle and the habits that are undermining your health.
You may identify areas where abrupt changes need to be made in your life, yet you have no desire to make
such drastic changes. Your lack of desire may be related to the pleasure that the habit gives, or your
fear of failure. As you read the remainder of this chapter, however, you will learn that changing even
your most cherished habits will actually give you more pleasure in the long run. Furthermore, regardless
of how many times you have failed in the past, the material that follows can help you be successful this time.
I want to give you one other encouragement as you think about addressing areas that need changing in
your life and the root causes of your problems. Let me illustrate with an example. Let us say that
you have two problems: overeating and lack of exercise. As you analyze these problems, you find there
is a third addiction that is the root cause which is contributing to the other two. You realize that
you are one of the individuals whose biggest obstacle between you and a regular exercise program is the
time spent with television. You also recognize that the TV provides the setting for your biggest problem
with overeating junk food. Your lifestyle goal then may be to address your television addiction.
If you are in complete control of your viewing habits, it may be a matter of setting some specific
guidelines as to when, what, and how much you will watch. However, if TV has taken the role of an
addiction in your life, a firm and complete break may be necessary. It would allow you time for
daily exercise and destroy the setting for overeating.
Do not underestimate the addictive elements of television viewing. Those who are addicted may or may
not be aware of the addiction. Television viewing is linked to many bad habits and deleterious
behaviors, including violence. Chapter 12, "The Frontal Lobe, the Crown of the Brain," and Chapter 13,
"Stemming the Tide of Violence," presents more information on this subject. Television is also a
"time-robber." Many individuals cannot control their television viewing sufficiently to allow time for
other areas of lifestyle that need to be addressed. For those, an uncompromising break with TV
is in order.
For some individuals, simply recognizing the need to completely discontinue a lifestyle habit is
all the insight they need. Once they embrace this concept and put it into action, success is
ensured. However, addictions and other habits often hold enormous control over us. Many feel
powerless to stop them although they know that it is necessary. Take the example of Ralph
Jones,5 a patient of mine who is in his early 50's. Ralph is a nicotine addict--a cigarette
smoker--and he knows that smoking is bad for him. Ralph also has bad coronary artery disease,
and has already had bypass surgery and angioplasty. The angiogram shows that his disease has
become so advanced that the blockage has extended to the most distant parts of the arteries
that cannot be bypassed. We cannot angioplasty him because the disease is so widespread: his
heart arteries are narrowed virtually throughout their entire length. Ralph needs to quit
smoking and he knows it. He has told me several times, "I know I am killing myself, but I just
cannot seem to quit." Clearly Ralph needs more than the intellectual acceptance; he needs to
break from the habit completely. He needs a source of power.
The above article is presented here courtesy of Dr. Neil Nedley, M.D., excerpted from his "Proof
Positive" CD (Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000 by Neil Nedley, M.D. All Rights Reserved.) Any duplication
or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited without consent of the author.
For more information or to order "Proof Positive", contact Neil Nedley, M.D., 1010 14th St. N.W. Ardmore,
OK 73401 (580-226-8007).
References
5.Not his real name.
Notice of Credit
The article above is compliments of the Uchee Pines Institute, Seale, Alabama, a teaching and
treatment facility devoted to natural remedies. For mor information, call 334-855-4781,e-mail:
ucheepine@csi.com, or visit their Website:
http://www.ucheepines.org.
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