Hello! We're studying habits
00:00:01.98\00:00:04.00
and addictions today, and I
hope you will join us for these.
00:00:04.03\00:00:08.19
We'll be talking about some
habits that are easy to make
00:00:08.22\00:00:11.51
and some addictions that
are very difficult to break.
00:00:11.54\00:00:14.55
We hope you will be with us.
00:00:14.58\00:00:16.80
Welcome to Help
Yourself to Health
00:00:36.67\00:00:38.64
with Dr. Agatha Thrash
of Uchee Pines Institute,
00:00:38.67\00:00:41.96
and now here is
your host Dr. Thrash.
00:00:41.99\00:00:45.13
Everybody talks about habits,
everybody thinks they have
00:00:45.16\00:00:52.24
good ones, most people
know that they also have some
00:00:52.27\00:00:55.43
that are not so good.
00:00:55.46\00:00:56.49
What can we do to make
all of our habits good,
00:00:56.52\00:01:00.31
and if we have bad
habits or we have addictions,
00:01:00.34\00:01:04.01
true addictions that
we do not immediately
00:01:04.04\00:01:08.85
know how to break.
00:01:08.88\00:01:10.30
Are there things that
we can do that can help us
00:01:10.33\00:01:13.28
to break these bad
habits or to break addictions.
00:01:13.31\00:01:16.42
Now I would like to ask
you to join me, we will work on
00:01:16.45\00:01:21.04
this matter of the study of
habits, and how they come about
00:01:21.08\00:01:26.78
and how they can be broken.
00:01:26.81\00:01:28.72
I'd like to mention a couple
of things on how we form habits
00:01:28.75\00:01:33.63
neurologically with a
nerve we have the possibility
00:01:33.66\00:01:39.83
of sending a nerve impulse
over a channel so frequently
00:01:39.86\00:01:44.97
that we develop a habit.
00:01:45.00\00:01:46.48
Let me show you on the white
board just how this kind of
00:01:46.51\00:01:50.61
thing can happen, it's easy for
me to show you, but as anybody
00:01:50.64\00:01:55.68
knows who has tried to
form a good habit after having
00:01:55.71\00:02:00.22
been in bad habits,
or to break a bad habit,
00:02:00.25\00:02:03.46
when they have it firmly
ingrained, they will know
00:02:03.49\00:02:06.25
it isn't as easy to do as
is it as easy to talk about.
00:02:06.28\00:02:09.41
Let us say that this
represents a nerve cell,
00:02:09.44\00:02:13.12
over here are the axons,
this is the nucleus of the cell,
00:02:13.15\00:02:20.38
and here we have the dendrites,
nerve information is sent
00:02:20.41\00:02:25.47
in this direction, we
gather information for the nerve
00:02:25.50\00:02:29.36
from this direction, so
that the dendrites pick up the
00:02:29.39\00:02:33.95
information and send
it along the nerve cell,
00:02:33.98\00:02:36.47
send it out along the
axons to the next cell which is
00:02:36.50\00:02:43.62
over there, this being
the nucleus and here are the
00:02:43.65\00:02:46.53
dendrites for the next
nerve cell, down that way,
00:02:46.56\00:02:50.18
and so in this way
we send a nerve impulse
00:02:50.21\00:02:54.18
across a nerve channel.
00:02:54.21\00:02:56.61
a hundred that went along
this direction, multiple times,
00:03:00.71\00:03:06.90
just hundreds of times,
we have had this same nerve
00:03:06.93\00:03:13.98
transaction to occur.
00:03:14.01\00:03:15.77
Then when something actually
happens physically to the nerve
00:03:15.80\00:03:21.08
itself, we begin here at the
synapse, which is the junction
00:03:21.11\00:03:26.59
between two nerves, we begin
to build up additional substance
00:03:26.62\00:03:32.65
on these axons, so that they
actually have more substance
00:03:32.68\00:03:39.27
than they had, before the
nerve transition occurred,
00:03:39.30\00:03:44.40
also down here, we have
additional material to build up
00:03:44.43\00:03:53.45
on the nerve cell in this way.
00:03:53.48\00:03:55.74
In studies done of nervous
tissue, we find that after
00:03:55.77\00:04:02.35
training a nerve channel,
many times the substance
00:04:02.38\00:04:08.92
in the brain in that area
is actually greater than it is
00:04:08.95\00:04:13.83
in other areas that have not
been what we might call trained,
00:04:13.86\00:04:17.74
that is having these nerve
impulses go down a single chain
00:04:17.77\00:04:23.01
over and over and over again.
00:04:23.04\00:04:25.15
So as we study these things
we realize that there is a
00:04:25.18\00:04:28.39
substantial change
that occurs in nerve cells,
00:04:28.42\00:04:32.58
while with a good habit we're
very happy that this substance
00:04:32.61\00:04:39.51
is there, because it
makes it even years later,
00:04:39.54\00:04:42.16
so that if we've ever learned
to ride a bicycle, years later
00:04:42.19\00:04:46.23
we still have that
ability to ride the bicycle.
00:04:46.26\00:04:49.97
If we have played a
piano, decades after we learned,
00:04:50.00\00:04:54.90
we may still have
those same habit patterns,
00:04:54.93\00:04:57.17
may still be able to play
a piece that we had learned
00:04:57.20\00:05:00.51
when we were in grade school.
00:05:00.54\00:05:03.01
Now with habits of that
kind we can be very happy,
00:05:03.04\00:05:09.23
but let's say we have
an addiction to something
00:05:09.26\00:05:11.66
and we can have
addictions to almost anything.
00:05:11.69\00:05:14.05
To eating, to drinking alcoholic
drinks, to taking drugs,
00:05:14.08\00:05:18.91
we can have
addictions to sexual situations.
00:05:18.94\00:05:22.50
We can have addictions to the
television or to reading books,
00:05:22.53\00:05:26.59
many different kinds
of addictions can occur
00:05:26.62\00:05:30.00
so that they are true
compulsions, and they have
00:05:30.03\00:05:33.50
not only a Neurologic, but a
physiologic and a biochemical
00:05:33.53\00:05:38.85
change that has occurred in
the person's very tissue cells.
00:05:38.88\00:05:44.11
Now I have with me today
Rhonda Clark who is one of my
00:05:44.14\00:05:49.06
colleagues at Uchee
Pines, welcome to the show.
00:05:49.09\00:05:52.07
- Thank you!
00:05:52.10\00:05:53.07
- And we're happy that you are
here, have you had experience
00:05:53.08\00:05:55.63
with addiction, with dealing
with addictions as a nurse.
00:05:55.66\00:06:01.38
- I have, you know as a nurse
you have opportunity to work
00:06:01.41\00:06:04.41
with people in
all kinds of manners,
00:06:04.44\00:06:05.90
and while most of my experience
has been in issues relating to
00:06:05.93\00:06:10.11
trauma or injuries, or surgery
always within there people
00:06:10.14\00:06:15.11
have..., some folks do
struggle with addiction.
00:06:16.06\00:06:18.00
In fact a lot of people
who have addictions come into a
00:06:18.03\00:06:21.78
hospital or into an Emergency
Room as a result of something
00:06:21.81\00:06:26.29
stemming from their
addiction, such as an accident.
00:06:26.32\00:06:30.61
- Certainly, many
accidents, gunshot wounds,
00:06:30.64\00:06:32.89
begin with illicit behavior
that stems from an addiction.
00:06:32.92\00:06:36.76
- How would you like to
instruct us today on addictions?
00:06:36.79\00:06:41.79
What would you
like to talk about?
00:06:42.02\00:06:43.04
- I would like to share a
little of what I have learned
00:06:43.07\00:06:45.38
on how addictions develop.
00:06:45.41\00:06:47.74
A substance or activity
begins to give us pleasure,
00:06:47.77\00:06:52.79
and so of course since
that makes us feel good,
00:06:52.82\00:06:55.61
or it helps relieve stress,
or ease pain, or give us more
00:06:55.64\00:06:59.41
energy, we begin
doing that more frequently.
00:06:59.44\00:07:03.03
Over time we notice that we
began us a tolerance building
00:07:03.06\00:07:06.98
to this activity or substance,
where now it takes a little
00:07:07.01\00:07:10.20
more than it used to,
to give the same relief,
00:07:10.23\00:07:13.08
or give the same
amount of energy.
00:07:13.11\00:07:14.95
We also are slowly beginning
to develop psychological
00:07:14.98\00:07:19.05
components of this
that reinforce the addiction
00:07:19.08\00:07:22.19
and we begin having
cravings for this substance.
00:07:22.22\00:07:24.98
It doesn't take long before
this substance or activity
00:07:25.01\00:07:29.58
begins to rule us, it
becomes our obsession,
00:07:29.61\00:07:33.82
the thing that we begin
spending our time attention and
00:07:33.85\00:07:37.64
resources on, above
other things that are even very
00:07:37.67\00:07:40.95
important.
00:07:40.98\00:07:43.01
- Yes, but it does seem as
if there are some times when
00:07:43.04\00:07:47.74
people do
successfully break an addiction.
00:07:47.77\00:07:51.38
Is there a way that we
can decide who can break an
00:07:51.41\00:07:56.68
addiction, and who cannot,
or who will, or who will not?
00:07:56.71\00:07:59.74
Or is it something that
we have to wait and see?
00:07:59.77\00:08:03.96
- You know, I think a person
who has an addiction should
00:08:03.99\00:08:07.00
always feel hope that this
is not something they have to be
00:08:07.03\00:08:11.29
stuck with the
rest of their life.
00:08:11.32\00:08:13.44
Some people with types of
addictions are told this is a
00:08:13.47\00:08:16.26
disease and you will have
this the rest of your life.
00:08:16.29\00:08:18.63
It may very well be, because
of the channels that Dr. Thrash
00:08:18.66\00:08:22.13
was mentioning that have been
developed in the nerve tissue,
00:08:22.16\00:08:25.11
that this is something that
can be difficult to overcome,
00:08:25.14\00:08:28.13
and may be something
that needs to be guarded
00:08:28.16\00:08:30.45
against the lifetime,
but begin with that hope
00:08:30.48\00:08:33.40
that this is something
that can truly be overcome.
00:08:33.43\00:08:36.75
I wanted to share just a
simple process that many people
00:08:36.78\00:08:42.30
who have success in
overcoming addictions have put
00:08:42.33\00:08:45.07
into practice, and maybe
it will be a benefit to you.
00:08:45.10\00:08:49.23
The very first step in becoming
successful in overcoming
00:08:49.27\00:08:56.04
an addiction or a bad
habit is to recognize that
00:08:56.07\00:08:58.38
you have a need.
00:08:58.41\00:08:59.50
In the early years of
smoking some people think well,
00:08:59.53\00:09:03.41
you know maybe there are
some health issues but they keep
00:09:03.44\00:09:05.36
that removed from themselves,
they're really not thinking
00:09:05.39\00:09:08.30
about making a change,
they are not acknowledging that
00:09:08.33\00:09:11.21
this is something
to make a change with.
00:09:11.24\00:09:14.24
But once you begin to recognize
that I do have a need to make a
00:09:14.27\00:09:19.04
change, something isn't right
here, then comes the next step
00:09:19.07\00:09:23.30
which is starting
to think about it.
00:09:23.33\00:09:24.90
One beneficial step in this is
to actually with pen and paper
00:09:24.93\00:09:29.13
write out a cost
and benefit analysis.
00:09:29.16\00:09:33.05
- You mean how much is
this costing me on this side
00:09:33.08\00:09:36.50
do I have to pay, what is
it doing to me, and are there
00:09:36.53\00:09:41.62
benefits that I receive
from doing this addiction.
00:09:41.65\00:09:44.93
- Yes, and to do this honestly
you need to look honestly
00:09:44.96\00:09:48.78
at the benefits that you
get of keeping the addiction,
00:09:48.81\00:09:50.88
don't overlook the fact that
yes you may get pleasure out of
00:09:50.91\00:09:54.39
this, but be equally as honest
about the ways that this is
00:09:54.42\00:09:57.50
hurting you and
what it is costing you.
00:09:57.53\00:09:59.59
The next step then
comes to specific planning,
00:09:59.62\00:10:03.11
tell your family and friends
that you're going to be stopping
00:10:03.14\00:10:06.24
this addiction, this habit.
00:10:06.27\00:10:08.33
Start making specific plans
on how that is going to happen
00:10:08.36\00:10:11.49
a list that help and support and
pick your day, your start day
00:10:11.52\00:10:16.22
when you will stop this activity
or behavior and just stop!
00:10:16.25\00:10:20.84
Some people feel Dr. Thrash
that changes should be made
00:10:20.87\00:10:24.05
in little increments and small
changes, but it's surprising
00:10:24.08\00:10:27.98
how most people who have
been successful in stopping
00:10:28.01\00:10:30.68
have really made big
changes, they just stopped,
00:10:30.71\00:10:34.67
they did it altogether.
00:10:34.70\00:10:36.39
- So if a person comes to the
place where they say from now on
00:10:36.42\00:10:41.98
there's going to be none
of this or that in this house.
00:10:42.01\00:10:45.00
- Yes!
00:10:45.03\00:10:46.09
- And they clear that out,
they may do that weeks before
00:10:46.12\00:10:50.64
they start telling
everybody, "I'm quitting!",
00:10:50.67\00:10:53.64
"I'm a changed person", so it's
not just that all of a sudden
00:10:53.67\00:10:59.89
their co-workers say oh!
have you seen the change,
00:10:59.92\00:11:03.16
he just told me today he is
quitting, isn't that wonderful.
00:11:03.19\00:11:05.77
Today, what's today's date,
and they make a big to do out of
00:11:05.80\00:11:10.32
that day, but actually the
person's addiction has been
00:11:10.35\00:11:15.30
proceeding through
a stepwise process.
00:11:15.33\00:11:18.39
- Yes it has, a lot of work
goes into stopping and addiction
00:11:18.42\00:11:21.79
before everybody
else seems to even know
00:11:21.82\00:11:23.93
that you have made
this decision to stop.
00:11:23.96\00:11:25.51
At that first day of beginning
you may have a lot of energy
00:11:25.80\00:11:29.47
and motivation going
behind you, this is the day,
00:11:29.50\00:11:32.31
you have been gearing up for
it, everything is set for it,
00:11:32.34\00:11:34.41
you don't have it in your house,
your family is on your side,
00:11:34.44\00:11:37.12
people are praying for you.
00:11:37.15\00:11:40.57
Then you begin to enter what's
known as a maintenance phase,
00:11:40.60\00:11:42.43
where now maybe it's a couple
of weeks and you don't have
00:11:42.46\00:11:46.69
as much of that enthusiasm and
energy and you have a bad day
00:11:46.72\00:11:49.84
and boy that addiction
is really calling your name.
00:11:49.87\00:11:52.76
This is a long hard haul
in overcoming an addiction
00:11:52.79\00:11:56.43
this maintenance phase, and
it's this phase where people
00:11:56.46\00:11:59.08
most often slip up, and one
thing I would really like to
00:11:59.11\00:12:02.85
encourage you about is, if
you slip up, don't throw this
00:12:02.88\00:12:06.37
whole process away.
00:12:06.40\00:12:08.01
- Does it help if
they have a support group,
00:12:08.04\00:12:12.24
or maybe a physician?
00:12:12.27\00:12:13.71
- You know it does for some
people, and what is surprising
00:12:13.74\00:12:17.16
is that in a large
study of individuals who have
00:12:17.19\00:12:20.35
successfully overcome
addictions most of them did this
00:12:20.38\00:12:23.25
on their own.
00:12:23.28\00:12:24.25
They didn't follow a particular
program, they didn't follow
00:12:24.28\00:12:27.18
a guiding from a
physician or a psychiatrist.
00:12:27.21\00:12:29.43
They came up with a plan for
themselves, they incorporated
00:12:29.46\00:12:32.72
their family and
friends for help and support,
00:12:32.75\00:12:34.61
and one of the ways that
family and friends can help
00:12:34.64\00:12:37.78
is to keep that encouragement
going, and not to sabotage
00:12:37.81\00:12:41.96
the person.
00:12:41.99\00:12:42.96
For example if they are
working on their weight,
00:12:42.97\00:12:44.60
it is so helpful if the
family doesn't bring home those
00:12:44.63\00:12:47.15
tempting items of food
that their loved one is trying
00:12:47.18\00:12:49.98
so hard to keep
out of their diet.
00:12:50.01\00:12:51.50
- Or beer in the refrigerator
for the alcoholic who is...
00:12:51.53\00:12:54.98
- Absolutely!
00:12:55.01\00:12:56.02
- Or inviting friends
that are also friends of person
00:12:56.05\00:12:59.53
who is trying to clear
an addiction from themselves
00:12:59.56\00:13:03.12
and inviting friends that they
know are going to be smoking
00:13:03.15\00:13:06.26
marijuana or doing their drugs.
00:13:06.29\00:13:08.61
- And this is where the
maintenance phase can be
00:13:08.64\00:13:11.13
difficult, because now
comes the holidays, now comes
00:13:11.16\00:13:15.32
those times when you are
having to really commit yourself
00:13:15.35\00:13:19.29
again and again, and
again, I am no longer doing this
00:13:19.32\00:13:21.85
behavior.
00:13:21.88\00:13:22.85
Ultimately success can happen
and it's been shown that those
00:13:22.86\00:13:26.77
who do their own plan
have greater long term success
00:13:26.80\00:13:31.92
than individuals who
rely on a group, or rely on a
00:13:31.95\00:13:34.59
physician to help them through.
00:13:34.62\00:13:35.99
So I just want to encourage
you do your own plan making,
00:13:36.03\00:13:40.53
let your plans be
very detailed and specific,
00:13:40.56\00:13:42.70
think of all of the
things that can get in your way
00:13:42.73\00:13:45.13
and how you will
help overcome them.
00:13:45.16\00:13:48.17
I do have in closing Dr. Thrash
just a really beautiful quote,
00:13:48.20\00:13:51.35
it's from a book
called My Life Today,
00:13:51.38\00:13:54.11
it is a wonderful
encouraging devotional book,
00:13:54.14\00:13:57.26
and here's what this says
for those who are struggling
00:13:57.29\00:13:59.81
with temptation and addiction:
In Christ there is perfect and
00:13:59.84\00:14:04.06
complete help for every tempted
soul, dangers beset every path
00:14:04.09\00:14:08.32
the whole universe of
heaven is standing on guard that
00:14:08.35\00:14:11.39
none may be tempted above
that which he is able to bear.
00:14:11.42\00:14:14.83
Some have strong traits of
character that will need to be
00:14:14.86\00:14:18.22
constantly repressed, but if
kept under the control of the
00:14:18.25\00:14:21.83
Spirit of God, these traits
will be a blessing, but if not
00:14:21.86\00:14:25.35
they will prove a curse.
00:14:25.38\00:14:26.51
If we give ourselves unselfishly
to the work of overcoming
00:14:26.54\00:14:30.61
the Lord will throw
about us the everlasting arms
00:14:30.64\00:14:33.49
and will prove a mighty
helper, He will never fail us.
00:14:33.52\00:14:37.18
Isn't that
beautiful? Encouraging!
00:14:37.22\00:14:39.90
- That's a
beautiful quote, thank you!
00:14:39.93\00:14:42.14
- You are welcome!
00:14:42.17\00:14:43.14
- And I appreciate the things
that you have brought today
00:14:43.15\00:14:45.56
they are very helpful.
00:14:45.59\00:14:46.56
The addicted person may
look at these things and say,
00:14:46.57\00:14:51.75
yes those are very easy,
but it is so difficult for me.
00:14:51.78\00:14:55.44
That is true, and
that's why a support group and
00:14:55.47\00:14:58.75
certain rules that
you have put for yourself,
00:14:58.78\00:15:01.39
that these are in place and
that you keep them inviolate.
00:15:01.42\00:15:05.64
Try to have someone in
whom you can be responsible,
00:15:05.67\00:15:09.52
some person that you
must be accountable to,
00:15:09.55\00:15:12.60
that is also very helpful.
00:15:12.63\00:15:14.98
Now I've asked Dr.
Donald Miller to join me also,
00:15:15.01\00:15:19.01
Dr. Miller
welcome to our program.
00:15:19.04\00:15:20.99
- Thank you very much.
00:15:21.02\00:15:21.99
- Now I know you have had a
lot of experience in working
00:15:22.00\00:15:23.94
with this thing of addictions,
you've been to countries where
00:15:23.97\00:15:26.94
so many people are
addicted to alcohol, to tobacco,
00:15:26.97\00:15:30.15
a lot of people overweight, and
with all sorts of addictions.
00:15:30.18\00:15:35.67
- Absolutely!
00:15:35.70\00:15:36.67
- What can you tell us about
addictions and how we can be
00:15:36.68\00:15:39.37
helped by what you can tell us?
00:15:39.40\00:15:41.68
- Let me ask you
a question first,
00:15:41.71\00:15:42.97
you started off this segment
by saying that if you learned to
00:15:43.00\00:15:45.92
ride a bicycle years ago
you can still ride it today.
00:15:45.95\00:15:49.27
- Yes!
00:15:49.30\00:15:50.27
- Ok, you and I share
something very much in common.
00:15:50.28\00:15:51.25
- Yes!
00:15:51.26\00:15:53.59
- VFR single
engine land. - Oh yes!
00:15:53.62\00:15:56.56
- Ok, we're both pilots. -
Dr. Thrash- I would like to
00:15:56.59\00:15:58.87
have a little practice.
- Dr. Miller-That's it!
00:15:58.90\00:16:00.57
That's the point, you
and I are both pilots,
00:16:00.60\00:16:02.98
but I would feel very
uncomfortable today to go out
00:16:03.01\00:16:06.07
and get into an airplane
and push the throttle forward
00:16:06.10\00:16:09.21
and take off, I still think
about it, but it's no longer
00:16:09.24\00:16:12.98
one of those things, let's
go back to those many years ago
00:16:13.01\00:16:16.36
when we both flew.
00:16:16.39\00:16:17.36
When you thought you were going
to fly, how did you feel inside?
00:16:17.37\00:16:20.00
- Oh, I enjoyed it, no anxiety,
I've done it hundreds of times
00:16:20.03\00:16:23.93
go there do the run up and
check, and push the throttle in
00:16:23.96\00:16:27.83
and take off. - Dr.
Miller-The thrill of it.
00:16:27.86\00:16:29.46
- And I would take off run.
- Dr. Miller-Yes just pulling
00:16:29.49\00:16:32.58
back and just taking off,
we were in our comfort zones.
00:16:32.61\00:16:36.01
Right now today, we
would be way outside of our
00:16:36.04\00:16:39.40
comfort zones.
00:16:39.43\00:16:40.69
Addictions are about comfort
zones, and we comfortable
00:16:40.72\00:16:44.21
with certain things in our
lifestyles and those are where
00:16:44.24\00:16:47.30
we're sort of riveted
to that comfort thing,
00:16:47.33\00:16:49.00
whether it's the
cigarette, it's the tobacco,
00:16:49.03\00:16:51.32
that's what the
cigarette is, alcohol, eating,
00:16:51.35\00:16:54.60
many, many addictions,
I'm going to call them habits
00:16:54.63\00:16:59.75
instead of addictions.
00:16:59.78\00:17:00.81
Because there are good habits,
and there are bad habits,
00:17:00.84\00:17:03.51
whatever our comfort zone is.
00:17:03.54\00:17:05.34
Now let me see, I'm looking
out there, let me see if I can
00:17:05.37\00:17:08.51
point out some of
your bad habits ok.
00:17:08.54\00:17:11.25
How many of you are
sitting up straight?
00:17:11.28\00:17:13.67
You are sitting there in
a chair, sit up straight,
00:17:13.70\00:17:16.41
notice that you weren't sitting
up straight, ok, you four were
00:17:16.44\00:17:19.79
but the rest of you
were sort of hunched over,
00:17:19.82\00:17:21.69
and that's a bad habit,
we get used to that habit,
00:17:21.72\00:17:24.51
it's in our comfort zone.
00:17:24.54\00:17:26.66
Now I want you to try an
experiment for the rest of this
00:17:26.69\00:17:28.89
program, I want you to
throw your shoulders back,
00:17:28.92\00:17:31.75
just work them back a few
times, let them stay back there,
00:17:31.78\00:17:35.04
and sit up straight in your
chair, don't lean back in that
00:17:35.07\00:17:37.90
thing that's made for
worms sit up like a human being,
00:17:37.93\00:17:40.47
and sit there, and see
if you can hold that posture
00:17:40.50\00:17:44.04
for the rest of the meeting.
00:17:44.07\00:17:45.41
I suspect what is going
to happen is, before long,
00:17:45.44\00:17:48.66
you are going to start
getting a little bit tired,
00:17:48.69\00:17:50.82
and maybe even a little bit
sore, because your muscles are
00:17:50.85\00:17:54.18
outside of their comfort zone.
00:17:54.21\00:17:56.12
You have learned to be
stoop shouldered, bent over,
00:17:56.15\00:17:59.62
and that's not healthy, so
what we have to do is strengthen
00:17:59.65\00:18:02.87
those things which will make us
strong in the right direction.
00:18:02.90\00:18:06.15
When I think about
addictions the first thing,
00:18:06.18\00:18:09.54
and I really appreciated
Rhonda's steps there, but to me
00:18:09.57\00:18:13.56
the one most important
one is, you make up your mind
00:18:13.59\00:18:17.49
you are going to do this
thing, you make a choice,
00:18:17.52\00:18:19.87
say I am going to quit smoking,
I am going to quit drinking,
00:18:19.90\00:18:23.41
I'm going to
quit these problems.
00:18:23.44\00:18:25.38
And you have to continue to
repeat that thought in your mind
00:18:25.41\00:18:30.16
and out loud, matter of fact
doing it out loud strengthens
00:18:30.19\00:18:34.32
your resolve to do that thing.
00:18:34.35\00:18:36.67
- Now let me ask you, let's
say you make that decision,
00:18:36.70\00:18:39.80
I am not going to, I am
not going to, and yet your
00:18:39.83\00:18:44.67
resolutions are like
ropes of sand, are you all lost?
00:18:44.70\00:18:49.40
No you are not lost, as a matter
of fact this is a very important
00:18:49.43\00:18:51.75
point, you have to understand
that falling is not failure,
00:18:51.78\00:18:54.81
being tempted is not
failure, you've got to keep on
00:18:54.84\00:18:57.98
the course, If at first you
don't succeed try try again.
00:18:58.58\00:19:01.89
I find that when trying to
overcome things and helping
00:19:01.92\00:19:05.71
other people overcome things,
working a lot in Eastern Europe
00:19:05.74\00:19:08.68
and other parts of the
world, where we are now sending
00:19:08.71\00:19:10.87
all of our cigaretts, there are
many many addictions over there.
00:19:10.90\00:19:13.55
The most important thing is
to get them linked up with the
00:19:13.58\00:19:16.58
power, now we have
will power but of ourselves,
00:19:16.61\00:19:22.22
like Dr. Thrash you
just said ropes of sand,
00:19:22.25\00:19:25.15
but we have some power in
the Bible, Philippians 4:13,
00:19:25.18\00:19:28.80
I can do all things through
Christ which strengthened me
00:19:28.83\00:19:34.83
to overcome these things
which are pulling me down.
00:19:34.86\00:19:37.90
If we could step back and see
what they are doing to my life
00:19:37.93\00:19:40.78
now make a confession, I
used to smoke, and I remember
00:19:40.81\00:19:45.64
every morning when I smoked
I would have a sore throat,
00:19:45.67\00:19:49.07
and I got tired of the
sore throat, now I didn't
00:19:49.10\00:19:51.52
quit smoking for the right
reasons, and sometimes we quit
00:19:51.55\00:19:54.20
smoking or quit a bad
habit for the wrong reason,
00:19:54.23\00:19:57.52
and have to come back
later and find out what
00:19:57.55\00:19:59.75
the right reason was.
00:19:59.78\00:20:00.77
My wrong reason, although I
am still thankful that I quit,
00:20:00.80\00:20:04.45
I was a sergeant
in the Marine Corp,
00:20:04.48\00:20:06.19
I had applied for the
enlisted commissioning program,
00:20:06.22\00:20:08.89
got accepted, April 1, 1973,
and on that date, I quit smoking
00:20:08.92\00:20:14.83
because they said OCS is
ten times worse than Boot Camp.
00:20:14.86\00:20:18.29
I thought Oh ho,
ho, ho! Boot Camp!
00:20:18.32\00:20:20.67
That's tough stuff, I
just quit right there,
00:20:20.70\00:20:23.16
It was after I came back into
the church a few years later
00:20:23.19\00:20:25.98
that I realized that I
needed to quit this thing,
00:20:26.01\00:20:28.49
because my body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit,
00:20:28.52\00:20:31.06
and the Holy Spirit does not
want to live in a smoke house,
00:20:31.09\00:20:34.35
nor bar, nor a meat locker,
or anything else that defiles
00:20:34.38\00:20:39.20
the mind, the
body, or the spirit.
00:20:39.23\00:20:41.81
- So it's a pure body that
the Holy Spirit wants to occupy.
00:20:41.84\00:20:46.00
- Absolutely!
00:20:46.03\00:20:47.00
- Yes, so it's a
spiritual matter it's not just a
00:20:47.01\00:20:49.58
physiologic one
it's also spiritual.
00:20:50.81\00:20:53.01
- We wrestle not
against flesh and blood.
00:20:53.04\00:20:54.75
- That's for sure.
00:20:54.78\00:20:55.91
- And Satan would love to see
us embroiled into these habits
00:20:55.94\00:20:59.54
that drag us down.
00:20:59.57\00:21:01.30
- Now can you break these
habits better if you clear up a
00:21:01.33\00:21:05.47
number of things in your body,
or in your habits, like diet.
00:21:05.50\00:21:11.16
- Yes! Because everything
that we do our diet affects our
00:21:11.19\00:21:14.12
frontal lobe, this is
where our will power is,
00:21:14.15\00:21:16.29
what we eat and drink,
what we view on the television,
00:21:16.32\00:21:19.05
what we listen to, what goes
into our senses, these things
00:21:19.08\00:21:23.40
all have a profound
effect upon the frontal lobe.
00:21:23.43\00:21:25.79
If we are eating something that
dulls the frontal lobe, like
00:21:25.82\00:21:29.81
refined carbohydrates, lots
of meat we're told makes our
00:21:29.84\00:21:34.57
bodies less willing, or
what we're eating we become,
00:21:34.60\00:21:39.46
and so as we
clean up our lifestyles,
00:21:39.49\00:21:42.12
it does make it easier.
00:21:42.15\00:21:43.38
- And if we start adding things
that we know can be building to
00:21:43.41\00:21:46.74
the body like lots of fruits
and vegetables, and whole grains
00:21:46.77\00:21:50.88
and avoiding refined grains,
lots of sugar, lots of refined
00:21:50.91\00:21:56.79
fats, all of which dull
the mind, it's going to be very
00:21:56.82\00:22:00.08
helpful in
breaking an addiction.
00:22:00.11\00:22:01.86
- And I think if many people
think about when you've had
00:22:01.89\00:22:04.61
some of your biggest
falls, your biggest falls have
00:22:04.64\00:22:07.53
many times have
come late at night.
00:22:07.56\00:22:10.04
So this late night business
is when you should be in bed
00:22:10.07\00:22:13.58
asleep, not out there
doing whatever you do.
00:22:13.61\00:22:15.86
We go to bed early, and it's
going to be a whole lot better,
00:22:15.89\00:22:18.82
so we have to protect the
mind, make sure that this mind
00:22:18.85\00:22:21.91
has all the senses, we have to
guard the portals to the soul,
00:22:21.94\00:22:26.84
our ears, our eyes and even
our taste, our noses sometimes,
00:22:26.87\00:22:30.67
smells are very intoxicating,
00:22:30.70\00:22:32.95
we have to be
careful with these things.
00:22:32.98\00:22:34.51
- Now you mentioned that
temptation is not failure
00:22:34.54\00:22:37.21
can you elaborate a bit on that,
how does a person who is really
00:22:37.24\00:22:43.47
struggling, they get up in
the morning they are thinking
00:22:43.51\00:22:45.34
of their addiction, all day
long they are thinking of their
00:22:45.38\00:22:48.18
addiction, what
can you say for them?
00:22:48.21\00:22:50.47
This is the key, don't
think about your addiction,
00:22:50.50\00:22:53.37
there is a law called the
law of reciprocal influence
00:22:53.40\00:22:57.66
as you speak a word, or the
Bible says as a man thinketh
00:22:57.69\00:23:04.19
in his heart, so is he.
00:23:04.22\00:23:05.56
If you could get up in the
morning and say thank you Lord
00:23:05.59\00:23:08.11
for this victory, thank you
Lord that I've got the victory,
00:23:08.14\00:23:10.74
the next five minutes if you
have to, but you think about the
00:23:10.77\00:23:13.46
victory not the failure.
00:23:13.49\00:23:15.00
As we focus on failure, you will
become what you are beholding
00:23:15.03\00:23:18.72
so we've got to all day
long keep this in our mind,
00:23:18.75\00:23:22.21
that I am getting the victory,
and if you do fall, get back up
00:23:22.24\00:23:25.77
and go forward, Satan loves
to get us down by saying Ha! Ha!
00:23:25.80\00:23:29.25
you failed, but don't
listen to him, you should say
00:23:29.28\00:23:32.76
I might have fallen down
but I'm going to get back up,
00:23:32.79\00:23:35.33
and go forward, and I think
that is one of the real keys.
00:23:35.36\00:23:38.41
- Yes! I quite agree with you,
thank you so much Dr. Miller,
00:23:38.44\00:23:42.59
you got another
point. Certainly!
00:23:42.62\00:23:43.96
- This is not so much a
point but it's a saying,
00:23:44.00\00:23:45.99
to try is to risk failure.
00:23:46.02\00:23:49.57
- To try!
00:23:49.60\00:23:51.15
- To try anything
is to risk failure,
00:23:51.18\00:23:53.17
Not to try is to guarantee it.
00:23:53.20\00:23:56.14
So if you have an addiction,
matter of fact let me have a
00:23:56.17\00:23:59.89
test are you still
sitting up straight out there?
00:23:59.92\00:24:02.25
You know if you are
not sitting up straight,
00:24:02.28\00:24:04.49
you see you've got a bad
habit, start working on this,
00:24:04.52\00:24:06.58
say I'm going to sit
up straight for the next
00:24:06.61\00:24:08.03
five minutes, and as we realize
that our habits are deep grained
00:24:08.06\00:24:13.45
one last example, I
worked many years ago with a man
00:24:13.48\00:24:17.31
who was a body paint man in an
auto shop, and he had not smoked
00:24:17.34\00:24:22.39
for twenty years and he
told me this story one day,
00:24:22.42\00:24:25.21
he had been working on this
boat in his yard for months,
00:24:25.24\00:24:28.41
and maybe a couple of years,
and just try to get it ready
00:24:28.44\00:24:30.78
to get it out on the Ohio River
because I'm from Cincinnati
00:24:30.81\00:24:34.16
and one day he got it
done, it was completely done,
00:24:34.19\00:24:38.26
he had polished the last piece
of brass, and done whatever
00:24:38.29\00:24:40.56
he had to do, he said he
took a step back and he reached
00:24:40.59\00:24:44.01
for a cigarette, had
not smoked for twenty years.
00:24:44.04\00:24:48.78
There is a neuromuscular
part of the habit pattern,
00:24:48.81\00:24:52.24
and that's not failure,
it's just one of these things
00:24:52.27\00:24:55.89
that we have to recognize
that it's best not to form
00:24:55.92\00:24:58.21
the bad habit just
like we talked about,
00:24:58.24\00:24:59.95
it's best not to get a disease.
00:24:59.98\00:25:01.27
But if we do don't worry
about the things that sit there
00:25:01.30\00:25:04.54
and you remember, and
say oh that would taste good,
00:25:04.57\00:25:06.62
put it out of your mind
and go on with your life.
00:25:06.65\00:25:09.21
I'm one of those kind that
say if you have a habit stop it
00:25:09.24\00:25:13.52
right now, they don't
cut a Rottweiler tail off
00:25:13.55\00:25:17.95
an inch at a time, they
just clump that thing off
00:25:17.98\00:25:20.30
all at one time, and let
him get on with scooting around
00:25:20.33\00:25:24.01
and it's over with.
00:25:24.04\00:25:25.01
- Best way to do it.
00:25:25.02\00:25:25.99
Thank you so
much. - My pleasure.
00:25:26.00\00:25:28.09
- I really appreciate it.
00:25:28.12\00:25:29.09
Now I have a lot of people who
have addictions who want to come
00:25:29.12\00:25:35.96
to Uchee Pines for us to help
them, we can usually help them
00:25:35.99\00:25:40.10
if they follow exactly what they
say, and here is the routine:
00:25:40.13\00:25:43.78
You may come to Uchee Pines
and we'll be happy to try to
00:25:43.81\00:25:47.70
help you, we will kneel
with you and pray with you,
00:25:47.73\00:25:50.80
but there are certain things
we require or we do not take
00:25:50.83\00:25:54.78
the person who is addicted.
00:25:54.81\00:25:56.13
One thing is they
cannot come with an automobile,
00:25:56.16\00:25:59.68
if they do come with an
automobile, then they surrender
00:25:59.71\00:26:00.68
the keys when they arrive.
00:26:00.71\00:26:05.40
Another thing is they
cannot go to town by themselves
00:26:05.43\00:26:09.65
they always have to go
with somebody, another thing is
00:26:09.68\00:26:13.79
they have to accept what
work assignment we give them,
00:26:13.82\00:26:16.65
and it is usually hard labor,
we describe that ahead of time,
00:26:16.68\00:26:20.12
it's going to be hard labor.
00:26:20.15\00:26:21.12
The last thing is, we will not
take your case unless you agree
00:26:21.15\00:26:25.92
to stay for a year, usually it's
a year, sometimes we will take
00:26:25.95\00:26:29.78
a lesser period of
time, pending on what it is.
00:26:29.81\00:26:33.29
If it's an addiction to food,
we need a minimum of three weeks
00:26:33.32\00:26:38.66
we may need a whole
year for them as well,
00:26:38.69\00:26:41.04
it depends on just how
deeply engrained the habit is,
00:26:41.07\00:26:45.27
if it's an addiction to serious
drugs, then it may be a year
00:26:45.30\00:26:49.84
maybe two, if fact we may
explain to the person that
00:26:49.87\00:26:53.94
there may never come a time
when the can expect to be an
00:26:53.97\00:26:57.31
over comer on certain
really addictive drugs,
00:26:57.34\00:27:01.27
unless they put themselves
in some kind of controlled
00:27:01.30\00:27:06.00
or regimented type of
atmosphere, such as on a
00:27:06.03\00:27:11.09
college campus where they have
certain commitments that they
00:27:11.12\00:27:14.73
have to do, such as
being a guard or a watchman,
00:27:14.76\00:27:18.42
or taking care of the parking
lots or whatever it may be that
00:27:18.45\00:27:22.47
requires a regularity of
what they do and a repitition of
00:27:22.50\00:27:26.41
of what they do, and they
can live in a sort of protected
00:27:26.44\00:27:30.78
and regimented type of
environment all the time,
00:27:30.81\00:27:35.52
having someone to whom
they can give their sense of
00:27:35.55\00:27:41.66
accountability to on a regular
basis, we can certainly say this
00:27:41.69\00:27:46.42
the tempted ones say I am
powerless from the snare to go,
00:27:46.45\00:27:51.09
keep me with you do not
let me out of your sight
00:27:51.12\00:27:53.63
until I am strong
enough to stand alone.
00:27:53.66\00:27:57.70