Addiction Is Carried into the Spiritual Realm?

The impulse for this writing stems from watching a short broadcast interview of a New York Times Best Selling Author, Medium and Spiritual Counselor. I found myself frowning as his subjective viewpoints, determined through many years of personal experience, were offered to the viewers as education from the ‘other side’. One comment to catch my attention pertained to addiction. Apparently, struggles with addiction carry over into the afterlife, if not resolved here on the physical plane. As quoted, 'Addiction is a very, very common lesson. It seems we want to get rid of addictions in the physical world so that when we pass into the spirit world where we are a mental person; we carry over our mental conditions. So if you are an addict, you will bring those mental conditions with you. You’ll think, ‘I need that drink…that drug’ even though you don’t. But that mental part of you brings that idea to the other side.'

To my way of thinking, this doesn’t make sense. The concept entangles possibilities for spiritual growth to a situation that is as much medical, environmental, hereditary, and emotional as it is physical. Please stay with me for a few minutes as I attempt to unravel the knots.

First, addiction may be connected to a physical/physiological illness. When the body elements are in balance, the simplest of pleasures trigger a natural chemical release within the brain, in the form of dopamine. Basic actions such as eating, drinking and having sex all result in the release of this wonderful feel good hormone.

Now it’s possible for the human body to become biologically dependent on a synthetic substance to generate that same feel good response. When a synthetic is introduced, the body’s natural product, Dopamine recedes into the background. In fact, no longer seeing the need, the body can slow and even cease to produce Dopamine. This is why opioids are so popular. They prevent pain and stimulate the pleasure center by attaching to brain receptors and working with the central nervous system. Sadly, the body will begin to need, and expect that it will receive, that certain substance each day or even each hour. If it does not receive that substance, the brain sends an alarm message throughout the body, and the body responds by becoming ill. In addition, biological heredity increases the risk of addiction for many individuals. Medical studies have shown that the risk of substance use disorders is higher for folks who have close relatives with substance use disorders. (Glantz & Pickens, 1992)

One of the greatest triggers for addiction is physical pain. Staggering statistics report that more than 22 million Americans struggle with a drug addiction and the number 2 drug of choice is prescription painkillers! (The Canyon Substance Abuse Center/The Statistics of Drug Addiction and Abuse in US)

Now think about this…Over the course of a lifetime, the human body experiences a great deal of trauma which leaves unpleasant repercussions in its wake. Think of all those struggling with bodily impairments, disease and illness; consider impact sports, car accidents, crime, and fires. Reflect on the veterans of war with missing limbs and painful injuries and all those being diagnosed with (TBI) Traumatic Brain Injury. The Department of Defense Report to Congress, recorded 43,779 patients diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury from 2003-2007. [Section 1634 (b) of the National Defense Auth. Act for 2008, ‘The Military Health System] Plus, the Army Medical Surveillance Activity website states that in the month of March 07 alone, 47,671 soldiers had an injury that required medical attention. All in all, the possibilities to impact the lives of kind, loving humans and create suffering are endless!

With those thoughts in mind, can you imagine how many spirits are intrinsically connected to bodies which are broken for one reason or another? Do you truly believe that the painkiller, which enabled them to manage while on this earth, follows them into the afterlife as a mental imprint? Or does their spirit fly long and far from that fractured physical vessel, rejoicing in the boundlessness of a newfound freedom?

Second, addiction can be related to a psychological (mental/emotional/chemical) illness. Individuals become emotionally dependent on substances and activities that enable them to feel happy or more confident. These addictions are birthed from a need to find a coping mechanism to relieve stress, sadness, depression and more. The addiction reduces inhibitions, masks unhealed sensitivities and covers feelings of emptiness. Psychological addiction can be difficult to work through, as it includes any unresolved emotional conflicts which have become intertwined with the physical addiction itself.

Mental illness is also a factor. In fact, research shows that more than half of individuals with substance use disorders have also suffered with mental health problems, in particular anxiety or depression at some time during their lifetime. (Reiger et al., 1990) Also of concern are all the individuals who suffer from changes in brain chemistry, to include major depression, dysthymic disorder and bi-polar disorder. Cognitive therapy is often coupled with medication to assist these individuals enjoy a full life of increased wellness.

Third, science and medical knowledge has progressed in its view of addiction. Due to a lack in medical knowledge, those with addictions were previously viewed as weak or having low moral turpitude. Fortunately, science now understands that addiction can rise from more complicated physical, mental, and emotional roots.

I don’t advocate drug abuse, or addictions of any kind – they remain a grave concern. In fact, according to the SAMHSA 2006 report, 23.6 million persons over the age of 12 were in need of treatment for drug or alcohol addiction.

I’m also not attempting to portray the aforementioned author in a poor light. He, like so many others today, brings awareness to matters of spirituality during a time of great flux.

My heart lies with all the individuals out there searching to understand that which exists beyond this physical realm. My hope is that they will not accept as fact or truth, information offered by anyone simply because that individual is reported to be an authority.

Do you truly believe in your compassionate center, that those suffering with mental illness, physical pain, or emotional scars will need to reincarnate to work through the addictive bi-products? I’m reminded of a man who shared his near death experience. He described a point during which he was speaking with an angel about the complexities of physical existence and the reason for being. At one point, the angel enabled him to view a homeless man who was lying in alley, holding a bottle of cheap liquor. When the angel asked the man to describe what he saw, the human described just that. The angel urged him to look closer. After staring for a few minutes, the human was amazed to see an enormous, glowing spirit emanating from the street person. The angel explained that this homeless man was actually a highly evolved soul, with a gentle, loving heart. Unfortunately, he had experienced a difficult earth life, and lost his loved ones to tragedy. Not having the benefit of a strong earthly connection to his divinity, his will to live was shattered. The man, now listening with compassion, watched as a tear made its way across the homeless man’s nose, and down one smudged, hollow cheek. This poor human had lost his joy, and there wasn’t enough alcohol in the world to reach and numb the layers of his pain.

So, here’s my conclusion: To state that addiction is a foundation lesson carried into the spiritual realm is too simplistic by far. The root cause is NOT the addiction itself. The addiction is a sad, flimsy, mask – a mere chemical bi-product for the struggle occurring within.

Keep in mind that mediumship is yet an unregulated field. Consider that mediums are human and of varied skill levels, as well as subject to all the flaws of a human being. Though they may try very hard to separate their personal beliefs from the information communicated to them, their personal beliefs still have the ability to affect their perceptions of the messages received. And when communicating with deceased loved ones, we are communicating with humans no longer in their physical body. They are still on a path of learning, and the information they provide is no more than the perceptions they have absorbed at that point in their journey.

So, filter that which you hear. Connect the information offered, to your belief of the Source that IS. Then, decide whether the theories truly resonate. Attempting to understand any spiritual issue separated from the whole of belief, is like trying to appreciate a painting by only staring at a solitary brush stroke. So step back occasionally; allow for a widened breath, to gaze in awe-filled wonder, at the total masterpiece to which we are intrinsically linked. Then move in close to glean the manner by which the wealth of brush strokes weave together to enable that unified creation.

I believe the planes of existence to be infinite and varied…likened to an onion with unlimited layers. When not in a physical body, our ability to traverse these planes is linked to our desire to do so, as well as our personal depth of expansiveness. Our free will choice may be to remain closely affiliated to the physical plane for a period. The thicker our link with this dense manifest earth plane, the more our ethereal experiences will intertwine with matters of this plane. The greater our desire to remain connected to the dense physical, the greater our desire will be to return in body to the world of form. Wonderfully, we likewise maintain the free will choice to expand and explore the denser ‘onion layers’. As we do so, we move deeper into the worlds of spirit and away from the world of form.

I view our earth body as a sacred vessel that mingles with a spark from a larger flame. You could say the spirit is the air which brings a balloon to life. That balloon may break, but the lightness within is not affected – it is simply released from its temporary – and now broken structure - to again unite with the greater expanse. Spirit’s mission when in partnership with human form, is fundamental expansion and immersion in the human experience itself. Its goal is growth in wisdom and compassion. With focus in these quarters, it simply doesn’t make sense that biological requirements would transfer into the ethereal world of love and learning. Instead, what I believe does transfer, is the level at which we achieved understanding or resolution, pertaining to the physical or emotional struggles we faced during our physical life span.

By the way…the spotlighted recipient of the press interview has a brand new book on the market. The interviewer concluded the segment with the following statement: ‘So fascinating…I find you and this book… It’s really an interesting book… a great read! Pick it up! It’s available now, and will be on the New York Times Best Sellers List very soon!’

And I’m sure it will.