Addiction
by
Dennis Gersten, M.D.
1. Imagine what life would be like for an alcoholic if there were no more
alcohol in the world. That's exactly what this imagery does. It gives the
addict or alcoholic a view of that new world.
Imagine you are walking along a path in the countryside when suddenly
you come upon a hole in the ground . . . a hole a few feet wide that goes clear
down to the center of the earth. Imagine that you take all the alcohol or drugs
that you have and pour them down that hole.
Now imagine that all the alcohol and all the drugs in the entire world
come flying in your direction and are sucked into that hole . . . and they fall to
the center of the earth where they are burned to a crisp.
You are now living in a world with no drugs or alcohol whatsoever. What does
that feel like? Is it scary? Do you feel an emptiness . . . or a sense
of relief? Witness whatever you are feeling . . . without judging. Allow
yourself to experience the fear, the void, the emptiness, the joy, the relief now
that you are living in a world in which drugs and alcohol do no exist.
2. Check out our section on quieting the mind, and create your own
personal mantra. Meditate, using your mantra, five minutes three times a
day. Every time you have the urge to drink or use drugs, focus all of your
attention on your mantra.
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