Participants: Agatha Thrash (Host), Don Miller, Rhonda Clark
Series Code: HYTH
Program Code: HYTH000226
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00:01 Hello! We're studying habits
00:04 and addictions today, and I hope you will join us for these. 00:08 We'll be talking about some habits that are easy to make 00:11 and some addictions that are very difficult to break. 00:14 We hope you will be with us. 00:36 Welcome to Help Yourself to Health 00:38 with Dr. Agatha Thrash of Uchee Pines Institute, 00:41 and now here is your host Dr. Thrash. 00:45 Everybody talks about habits, everybody thinks they have 00:52 good ones, most people know that they also have some 00:55 that are not so good. 00:56 What can we do to make all of our habits good, 01:00 and if we have bad habits or we have addictions, 01:04 true addictions that we do not immediately 01:08 know how to break. 01:10 Are there things that we can do that can help us 01:13 to break these bad habits or to break addictions. 01:16 Now I would like to ask you to join me, we will work on 01:21 this matter of the study of habits, and how they come about 01:26 and how they can be broken. 01:28 I'd like to mention a couple of things on how we form habits 01:33 neurologically with a nerve we have the possibility 01:39 of sending a nerve impulse over a channel so frequently 01:45 that we develop a habit. 01:46 Let me show you on the white board just how this kind of 01:50 thing can happen, it's easy for me to show you, but as anybody 01:55 knows who has tried to form a good habit after having 02:00 been in bad habits, or to break a bad habit, 02:03 when they have it firmly ingrained, they will know 02:06 it isn't as easy to do as is it as easy to talk about. 02:09 Let us say that this represents a nerve cell, 02:13 over here are the axons, this is the nucleus of the cell, 02:20 and here we have the dendrites, nerve information is sent 02:25 in this direction, we gather information for the nerve 02:29 from this direction, so that the dendrites pick up the 02:33 information and send it along the nerve cell, 02:36 send it out along the axons to the next cell which is 02:43 over there, this being the nucleus and here are the 02:46 dendrites for the next nerve cell, down that way, 02:50 and so in this way we send a nerve impulse 02:54 across a nerve channel. 03:00 a hundred that went along this direction, multiple times, 03:06 just hundreds of times, we have had this same nerve 03:14 transaction to occur. 03:15 Then when something actually happens physically to the nerve 03:21 itself, we begin here at the synapse, which is the junction 03:26 between two nerves, we begin to build up additional substance 03:32 on these axons, so that they actually have more substance 03:39 than they had, before the nerve transition occurred, 03:44 also down here, we have additional material to build up 03:53 on the nerve cell in this way. 03:55 In studies done of nervous tissue, we find that after 04:02 training a nerve channel, many times the substance 04:08 in the brain in that area is actually greater than it is 04:13 in other areas that have not been what we might call trained, 04:17 that is having these nerve impulses go down a single chain 04:23 over and over and over again. 04:25 So as we study these things we realize that there is a 04:28 substantial change that occurs in nerve cells, 04:32 while with a good habit we're very happy that this substance 04:39 is there, because it makes it even years later, 04:42 so that if we've ever learned to ride a bicycle, years later 04:46 we still have that ability to ride the bicycle. 04:50 If we have played a piano, decades after we learned, 04:54 we may still have those same habit patterns, 04:57 may still be able to play a piece that we had learned 05:00 when we were in grade school. 05:03 Now with habits of that kind we can be very happy, 05:09 but let's say we have an addiction to something 05:11 and we can have addictions to almost anything. 05:14 To eating, to drinking alcoholic drinks, to taking drugs, 05:18 we can have addictions to sexual situations. 05:22 We can have addictions to the television or to reading books, 05:26 many different kinds of addictions can occur 05:30 so that they are true compulsions, and they have 05:33 not only a Neurologic, but a physiologic and a biochemical 05:38 change that has occurred in the person's very tissue cells. 05:44 Now I have with me today Rhonda Clark who is one of my 05:49 colleagues at Uchee Pines, welcome to the show. 05:52 - Thank you! 05:53 - And we're happy that you are here, have you had experience 05:55 with addiction, with dealing with addictions as a nurse. 06:01 - I have, you know as a nurse you have opportunity to work 06:04 with people in all kinds of manners, 06:05 and while most of my experience has been in issues relating to 06:10 trauma or injuries, or surgery always within there people 06:16 have..., some folks do struggle with addiction. 06:18 In fact a lot of people who have addictions come into a 06:21 hospital or into an Emergency Room as a result of something 06:26 stemming from their addiction, such as an accident. 06:30 - Certainly, many accidents, gunshot wounds, 06:32 begin with illicit behavior that stems from an addiction. 06:36 - How would you like to instruct us today on addictions? 06:42 What would you like to talk about? 06:43 - I would like to share a little of what I have learned 06:45 on how addictions develop. 06:47 A substance or activity begins to give us pleasure, 06:52 and so of course since that makes us feel good, 06:55 or it helps relieve stress, or ease pain, or give us more 06:59 energy, we begin doing that more frequently. 07:03 Over time we notice that we began us a tolerance building 07:07 to this activity or substance, where now it takes a little 07:10 more than it used to, to give the same relief, 07:13 or give the same amount of energy. 07:14 We also are slowly beginning to develop psychological 07:19 components of this that reinforce the addiction 07:22 and we begin having cravings for this substance. 07:25 It doesn't take long before this substance or activity 07:29 begins to rule us, it becomes our obsession, 07:33 the thing that we begin spending our time attention and 07:37 resources on, above other things that are even very 07:40 important. 07:43 - Yes, but it does seem as if there are some times when 07:47 people do successfully break an addiction. 07:51 Is there a way that we can decide who can break an 07:56 addiction, and who cannot, or who will, or who will not? 07:59 Or is it something that we have to wait and see? 08:03 - You know, I think a person who has an addiction should 08:07 always feel hope that this is not something they have to be 08:11 stuck with the rest of their life. 08:13 Some people with types of addictions are told this is a 08:16 disease and you will have this the rest of your life. 08:18 It may very well be, because of the channels that Dr. Thrash 08:22 was mentioning that have been developed in the nerve tissue, 08:25 that this is something that can be difficult to overcome, 08:28 and may be something that needs to be guarded 08:30 against the lifetime, but begin with that hope 08:33 that this is something that can truly be overcome. 08:36 I wanted to share just a simple process that many people 08:42 who have success in overcoming addictions have put 08:45 into practice, and maybe it will be a benefit to you. 08:49 The very first step in becoming successful in overcoming 08:56 an addiction or a bad habit is to recognize that 08:58 you have a need. 08:59 In the early years of smoking some people think well, 09:03 you know maybe there are some health issues but they keep 09:05 that removed from themselves, they're really not thinking 09:08 about making a change, they are not acknowledging that 09:11 this is something to make a change with. 09:14 But once you begin to recognize that I do have a need to make a 09:19 change, something isn't right here, then comes the next step 09:23 which is starting to think about it. 09:24 One beneficial step in this is to actually with pen and paper 09:29 write out a cost and benefit analysis. 09:33 - You mean how much is this costing me on this side 09:36 do I have to pay, what is it doing to me, and are there 09:41 benefits that I receive from doing this addiction. 09:44 - Yes, and to do this honestly you need to look honestly 09:48 at the benefits that you get of keeping the addiction, 09:50 don't overlook the fact that yes you may get pleasure out of 09:54 this, but be equally as honest about the ways that this is 09:57 hurting you and what it is costing you. 09:59 The next step then comes to specific planning, 10:03 tell your family and friends that you're going to be stopping 10:06 this addiction, this habit. 10:08 Start making specific plans on how that is going to happen 10:11 a list that help and support and pick your day, your start day 10:16 when you will stop this activity or behavior and just stop! 10:20 Some people feel Dr. Thrash that changes should be made 10:24 in little increments and small changes, but it's surprising 10:28 how most people who have been successful in stopping 10:30 have really made big changes, they just stopped, 10:34 they did it altogether. 10:36 - So if a person comes to the place where they say from now on 10:42 there's going to be none of this or that in this house. 10:45 - Yes! 10:46 - And they clear that out, they may do that weeks before 10:50 they start telling everybody, "I'm quitting!", 10:53 "I'm a changed person", so it's not just that all of a sudden 10:59 their co-workers say oh! have you seen the change, 11:03 he just told me today he is quitting, isn't that wonderful. 11:05 Today, what's today's date, and they make a big to do out of 11:10 that day, but actually the person's addiction has been 11:15 proceeding through a stepwise process. 11:18 - Yes it has, a lot of work goes into stopping and addiction 11:21 before everybody else seems to even know 11:23 that you have made this decision to stop. 11:25 At that first day of beginning you may have a lot of energy 11:29 and motivation going behind you, this is the day, 11:32 you have been gearing up for it, everything is set for it, 11:34 you don't have it in your house, your family is on your side, 11:37 people are praying for you. 11:40 Then you begin to enter what's known as a maintenance phase, 11:42 where now maybe it's a couple of weeks and you don't have 11:46 as much of that enthusiasm and energy and you have a bad day 11:49 and boy that addiction is really calling your name. 11:52 This is a long hard haul in overcoming an addiction 11:56 this maintenance phase, and it's this phase where people 11:59 most often slip up, and one thing I would really like to 12:02 encourage you about is, if you slip up, don't throw this 12:06 whole process away. 12:08 - Does it help if they have a support group, 12:12 or maybe a physician? 12:13 - You know it does for some people, and what is surprising 12:17 is that in a large study of individuals who have 12:20 successfully overcome addictions most of them did this 12:23 on their own. 12:24 They didn't follow a particular program, they didn't follow 12:27 a guiding from a physician or a psychiatrist. 12:29 They came up with a plan for themselves, they incorporated 12:32 their family and friends for help and support, 12:34 and one of the ways that family and friends can help 12:37 is to keep that encouragement going, and not to sabotage 12:41 the person. 12:43 For example if they are working on their weight, 12:44 it is so helpful if the family doesn't bring home those 12:47 tempting items of food that their loved one is trying 12:50 so hard to keep out of their diet. 12:51 - Or beer in the refrigerator for the alcoholic who is... 12:55 - Absolutely! 12:56 - Or inviting friends that are also friends of person 12:59 who is trying to clear an addiction from themselves 13:03 and inviting friends that they know are going to be smoking 13:06 marijuana or doing their drugs. 13:08 - And this is where the maintenance phase can be 13:11 difficult, because now comes the holidays, now comes 13:15 those times when you are having to really commit yourself 13:19 again and again, and again, I am no longer doing this 13:21 behavior. 13:22 Ultimately success can happen and it's been shown that those 13:26 who do their own plan have greater long term success 13:31 than individuals who rely on a group, or rely on a 13:34 physician to help them through. 13:36 So I just want to encourage you do your own plan making, 13:40 let your plans be very detailed and specific, 13:42 think of all of the things that can get in your way 13:45 and how you will help overcome them. 13:48 I do have in closing Dr. Thrash just a really beautiful quote, 13:51 it's from a book called My Life Today, 13:54 it is a wonderful encouraging devotional book, 13:57 and here's what this says for those who are struggling 13:59 with temptation and addiction: In Christ there is perfect and 14:04 complete help for every tempted soul, dangers beset every path 14:08 the whole universe of heaven is standing on guard that 14:11 none may be tempted above that which he is able to bear. 14:14 Some have strong traits of character that will need to be 14:18 constantly repressed, but if kept under the control of the 14:21 Spirit of God, these traits will be a blessing, but if not 14:25 they will prove a curse. 14:26 If we give ourselves unselfishly to the work of overcoming 14:30 the Lord will throw about us the everlasting arms 14:33 and will prove a mighty helper, He will never fail us. 14:37 Isn't that beautiful? Encouraging! 14:39 - That's a beautiful quote, thank you! 14:42 - You are welcome! 14:43 - And I appreciate the things that you have brought today 14:45 they are very helpful. 14:46 The addicted person may look at these things and say, 14:51 yes those are very easy, but it is so difficult for me. 14:55 That is true, and that's why a support group and 14:58 certain rules that you have put for yourself, 15:01 that these are in place and that you keep them inviolate. 15:05 Try to have someone in whom you can be responsible, 15:09 some person that you must be accountable to, 15:12 that is also very helpful. 15:15 Now I've asked Dr. Donald Miller to join me also, 15:19 Dr. Miller welcome to our program. 15:21 - Thank you very much. 15:22 - Now I know you have had a lot of experience in working 15:23 with this thing of addictions, you've been to countries where 15:26 so many people are addicted to alcohol, to tobacco, 15:30 a lot of people overweight, and with all sorts of addictions. 15:35 - Absolutely! 15:36 - What can you tell us about addictions and how we can be 15:39 helped by what you can tell us? 15:41 - Let me ask you a question first, 15:43 you started off this segment by saying that if you learned to 15:45 ride a bicycle years ago you can still ride it today. 15:49 - Yes! 15:50 - Ok, you and I share something very much in common. 15:51 - Yes! 15:53 - VFR single engine land. - Oh yes! 15:56 - Ok, we're both pilots. - Dr. Thrash- I would like to 15:58 have a little practice. - Dr. Miller-That's it! 16:00 That's the point, you and I are both pilots, 16:03 but I would feel very uncomfortable today to go out 16:06 and get into an airplane and push the throttle forward 16:09 and take off, I still think about it, but it's no longer 16:13 one of those things, let's go back to those many years ago 16:16 when we both flew. 16:17 When you thought you were going to fly, how did you feel inside? 16:20 - Oh, I enjoyed it, no anxiety, I've done it hundreds of times 16:23 go there do the run up and check, and push the throttle in 16:27 and take off. - Dr. Miller-The thrill of it. 16:29 - And I would take off run. - Dr. Miller-Yes just pulling 16:32 back and just taking off, we were in our comfort zones. 16:36 Right now today, we would be way outside of our 16:39 comfort zones. 16:40 Addictions are about comfort zones, and we comfortable 16:44 with certain things in our lifestyles and those are where 16:47 we're sort of riveted to that comfort thing, 16:49 whether it's the cigarette, it's the tobacco, 16:51 that's what the cigarette is, alcohol, eating, 16:54 many, many addictions, I'm going to call them habits 16:59 instead of addictions. 17:00 Because there are good habits, and there are bad habits, 17:03 whatever our comfort zone is. 17:05 Now let me see, I'm looking out there, let me see if I can 17:08 point out some of your bad habits ok. 17:11 How many of you are sitting up straight? 17:13 You are sitting there in a chair, sit up straight, 17:16 notice that you weren't sitting up straight, ok, you four were 17:19 but the rest of you were sort of hunched over, 17:21 and that's a bad habit, we get used to that habit, 17:24 it's in our comfort zone. 17:26 Now I want you to try an experiment for the rest of this 17:28 program, I want you to throw your shoulders back, 17:31 just work them back a few times, let them stay back there, 17:35 and sit up straight in your chair, don't lean back in that 17:37 thing that's made for worms sit up like a human being, 17:40 and sit there, and see if you can hold that posture 17:44 for the rest of the meeting. 17:45 I suspect what is going to happen is, before long, 17:48 you are going to start getting a little bit tired, 17:50 and maybe even a little bit sore, because your muscles are 17:54 outside of their comfort zone. 17:56 You have learned to be stoop shouldered, bent over, 17:59 and that's not healthy, so what we have to do is strengthen 18:02 those things which will make us strong in the right direction. 18:06 When I think about addictions the first thing, 18:09 and I really appreciated Rhonda's steps there, but to me 18:13 the one most important one is, you make up your mind 18:17 you are going to do this thing, you make a choice, 18:19 say I am going to quit smoking, I am going to quit drinking, 18:23 I'm going to quit these problems. 18:25 And you have to continue to repeat that thought in your mind 18:30 and out loud, matter of fact doing it out loud strengthens 18:34 your resolve to do that thing. 18:36 - Now let me ask you, let's say you make that decision, 18:39 I am not going to, I am not going to, and yet your 18:44 resolutions are like ropes of sand, are you all lost? 18:49 No you are not lost, as a matter of fact this is a very important 18:51 point, you have to understand that falling is not failure, 18:54 being tempted is not failure, you've got to keep on 18:58 the course, If at first you don't succeed try try again. 19:01 I find that when trying to overcome things and helping 19:05 other people overcome things, working a lot in Eastern Europe 19:08 and other parts of the world, where we are now sending 19:10 all of our cigaretts, there are many many addictions over there. 19:13 The most important thing is to get them linked up with the 19:16 power, now we have will power but of ourselves, 19:22 like Dr. Thrash you just said ropes of sand, 19:25 but we have some power in the Bible, Philippians 4:13, 19:28 I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me 19:34 to overcome these things which are pulling me down. 19:37 If we could step back and see what they are doing to my life 19:40 now make a confession, I used to smoke, and I remember 19:45 every morning when I smoked I would have a sore throat, 19:49 and I got tired of the sore throat, now I didn't 19:51 quit smoking for the right reasons, and sometimes we quit 19:54 smoking or quit a bad habit for the wrong reason, 19:57 and have to come back later and find out what 19:59 the right reason was. 20:00 My wrong reason, although I am still thankful that I quit, 20:04 I was a sergeant in the Marine Corp, 20:06 I had applied for the enlisted commissioning program, 20:08 got accepted, April 1, 1973, and on that date, I quit smoking 20:14 because they said OCS is ten times worse than Boot Camp. 20:18 I thought Oh ho, ho, ho! Boot Camp! 20:20 That's tough stuff, I just quit right there, 20:23 It was after I came back into the church a few years later 20:26 that I realized that I needed to quit this thing, 20:28 because my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, 20:31 and the Holy Spirit does not want to live in a smoke house, 20:34 nor bar, nor a meat locker, or anything else that defiles 20:39 the mind, the body, or the spirit. 20:41 - So it's a pure body that the Holy Spirit wants to occupy. 20:46 - Absolutely! 20:47 - Yes, so it's a spiritual matter it's not just a 20:50 physiologic one it's also spiritual. 20:53 - We wrestle not against flesh and blood. 20:54 - That's for sure. 20:55 - And Satan would love to see us embroiled into these habits 20:59 that drag us down. 21:01 - Now can you break these habits better if you clear up a 21:05 number of things in your body, or in your habits, like diet. 21:11 - Yes! Because everything that we do our diet affects our 21:14 frontal lobe, this is where our will power is, 21:16 what we eat and drink, what we view on the television, 21:19 what we listen to, what goes into our senses, these things 21:23 all have a profound effect upon the frontal lobe. 21:25 If we are eating something that dulls the frontal lobe, like 21:29 refined carbohydrates, lots of meat we're told makes our 21:34 bodies less willing, or what we're eating we become, 21:39 and so as we clean up our lifestyles, 21:42 it does make it easier. 21:43 - And if we start adding things that we know can be building to 21:46 the body like lots of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains 21:50 and avoiding refined grains, lots of sugar, lots of refined 21:56 fats, all of which dull the mind, it's going to be very 22:00 helpful in breaking an addiction. 22:01 - And I think if many people think about when you've had 22:04 some of your biggest falls, your biggest falls have 22:07 many times have come late at night. 22:10 So this late night business is when you should be in bed 22:13 asleep, not out there doing whatever you do. 22:15 We go to bed early, and it's going to be a whole lot better, 22:18 so we have to protect the mind, make sure that this mind 22:21 has all the senses, we have to guard the portals to the soul, 22:26 our ears, our eyes and even our taste, our noses sometimes, 22:30 smells are very intoxicating, 22:32 we have to be careful with these things. 22:34 - Now you mentioned that temptation is not failure 22:37 can you elaborate a bit on that, how does a person who is really 22:43 struggling, they get up in the morning they are thinking 22:45 of their addiction, all day long they are thinking of their 22:48 addiction, what can you say for them? 22:50 This is the key, don't think about your addiction, 22:53 there is a law called the law of reciprocal influence 22:57 as you speak a word, or the Bible says as a man thinketh 23:04 in his heart, so is he. 23:05 If you could get up in the morning and say thank you Lord 23:08 for this victory, thank you Lord that I've got the victory, 23:10 the next five minutes if you have to, but you think about the 23:13 victory not the failure. 23:15 As we focus on failure, you will become what you are beholding 23:18 so we've got to all day long keep this in our mind, 23:22 that I am getting the victory, and if you do fall, get back up 23:25 and go forward, Satan loves to get us down by saying Ha! Ha! 23:29 you failed, but don't listen to him, you should say 23:32 I might have fallen down but I'm going to get back up, 23:35 and go forward, and I think that is one of the real keys. 23:38 - Yes! I quite agree with you, thank you so much Dr. Miller, 23:42 you got another point. Certainly! 23:44 - This is not so much a point but it's a saying, 23:46 to try is to risk failure. 23:49 - To try! 23:51 - To try anything is to risk failure, 23:53 Not to try is to guarantee it. 23:56 So if you have an addiction, matter of fact let me have a 23:59 test are you still sitting up straight out there? 24:02 You know if you are not sitting up straight, 24:04 you see you've got a bad habit, start working on this, 24:06 say I'm going to sit up straight for the next 24:08 five minutes, and as we realize that our habits are deep grained 24:13 one last example, I worked many years ago with a man 24:17 who was a body paint man in an auto shop, and he had not smoked 24:22 for twenty years and he told me this story one day, 24:25 he had been working on this boat in his yard for months, 24:28 and maybe a couple of years, and just try to get it ready 24:30 to get it out on the Ohio River because I'm from Cincinnati 24:34 and one day he got it done, it was completely done, 24:38 he had polished the last piece of brass, and done whatever 24:40 he had to do, he said he took a step back and he reached 24:44 for a cigarette, had not smoked for twenty years. 24:48 There is a neuromuscular part of the habit pattern, 24:52 and that's not failure, it's just one of these things 24:55 that we have to recognize that it's best not to form 24:58 the bad habit just like we talked about, 24:59 it's best not to get a disease. 25:01 But if we do don't worry about the things that sit there 25:04 and you remember, and say oh that would taste good, 25:06 put it out of your mind and go on with your life. 25:09 I'm one of those kind that say if you have a habit stop it 25:13 right now, they don't cut a Rottweiler tail off 25:17 an inch at a time, they just clump that thing off 25:20 all at one time, and let him get on with scooting around 25:24 and it's over with. 25:25 - Best way to do it. 25:26 Thank you so much. - My pleasure. 25:28 - I really appreciate it. 25:29 Now I have a lot of people who have addictions who want to come 25:35 to Uchee Pines for us to help them, we can usually help them 25:40 if they follow exactly what they say, and here is the routine: 25:43 You may come to Uchee Pines and we'll be happy to try to 25:47 help you, we will kneel with you and pray with you, 25:50 but there are certain things we require or we do not take 25:54 the person who is addicted. 25:56 One thing is they cannot come with an automobile, 25:59 if they do come with an automobile, then they surrender 26:00 the keys when they arrive. 26:05 Another thing is they cannot go to town by themselves 26:09 they always have to go with somebody, another thing is 26:13 they have to accept what work assignment we give them, 26:16 and it is usually hard labor, we describe that ahead of time, 26:20 it's going to be hard labor. 26:21 The last thing is, we will not take your case unless you agree 26:25 to stay for a year, usually it's a year, sometimes we will take 26:29 a lesser period of time, pending on what it is. 26:33 If it's an addiction to food, we need a minimum of three weeks 26:38 we may need a whole year for them as well, 26:41 it depends on just how deeply engrained the habit is, 26:45 if it's an addiction to serious drugs, then it may be a year 26:49 maybe two, if fact we may explain to the person that 26:53 there may never come a time when the can expect to be an 26:57 over comer on certain really addictive drugs, 27:01 unless they put themselves in some kind of controlled 27:06 or regimented type of atmosphere, such as on a 27:11 college campus where they have certain commitments that they 27:14 have to do, such as being a guard or a watchman, 27:18 or taking care of the parking lots or whatever it may be that 27:22 requires a regularity of what they do and a repitition of 27:26 of what they do, and they can live in a sort of protected 27:30 and regimented type of environment all the time, 27:35 having someone to whom they can give their sense of 27:41 accountability to on a regular basis, we can certainly say this 27:46 the tempted ones say I am powerless from the snare to go, 27:51 keep me with you do not let me out of your sight 27:53 until I am strong enough to stand alone. |
Revised 2014-12-17