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Quieting The Hungry Ghost: Mindfulness for

Recovery & Relapse Prevention

Richard Fields, Ph.D.Author, Drugs in Perspective, 8th Edition, McGraw Hill,

2012Editor, Co-Author, A Year of Living Mindfully: 52 Quotes

& Weekly Mindfulness Practices, FACES Conferences Publishing, 2012

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Mindfulness

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JOYISNOWHERE

JOY IS NOW HERE

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AA Dharma

Denial Delusion

One Day at a Time Being in the Now

The Serenity Prayer Being More Reflective than Reactive

Progress not Perfection Letting go of attachment to outcome

Shit Happens Life includes suffering

Let Go & Let God Forgiveness & Loving Kindness

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Grant me the serenity to accept the people I

cannot change,

Courage to change the one I can,And the wisdom to know it’s me.

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Clinical Psychology Psychology of Buddhism

Focus on pathology Focus on living and freedom

25 states of depression 25 states of rapture

A list of anxiety disorders

A list of states of extreme trust and

contentmentEmphasis on

independenceEmphasis on

interdependence

“The awareness that emerges through paying attention on

purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmental to the unfolding of experience, moment by

moment.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2003)

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Grasping Letting Go Kindness

Flexibility

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Delusion AwarenessClarityWisdom

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Resisting Open -

HeartednessLoving -Kindness

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Alcohol/Drug

Recovery&

Relapse Prevention

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3 C’s of Addiction• Compulsion/Obsession

• Inability to Control• Continued use despite “significant”

negative Consequences

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Reasons for Using Alcohol/Drugs

4th Drive “Alter

Consciousness”

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B O R E D O M

Leisure TimeInterpersonal

Existential Life

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Most researched area: Tension and stress

reduction

Self-Medication Motive – Khantzian, Edward (1985)

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Reasons for Using Alcohol/Drugs

• Passive activity – it is easy• Disease model – genetic model• Personality issues, traits, and

disorders• Mood, depression, anxiety• Family systems

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Reasons for Using Alcohol/Drugs

• At-risk factors – poverty, adolescence, socio-economic, feelings of inadequacy, trauma, violation• Social learning• Psychological reasons• Alcohol/drugs as power, seduction,

sexuality, self-harm• Existential issues

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Reasons for Using Marijuana

• Stimulation of thought• Relieve boredom• Enhance senses & sensations• Relieve anxiety & dysphonia• Stimulate appreciation, creativity, &

artistry• Increase enjoyment• Completing mundane tasks

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• Stimulate interest, different perspective

• Improving self-confidence & quieting pessimism

• Enhancing conversations & social interactions

• Increasing fun, joy, & happiness• Quieting anger, frustration• Enjoying nature• Entertainment

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Alcohol/Drug Relapse• Negative Emotional States –

Reactivity• Abstinence Violation Effects• Shame - Disconnection

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Stages of Recovery

Withdrawal (0-15 days)Honeymoon (15-45 days)The Wall (45-120 days)Adjustment (120-180 days)Resolution Stage (180-360 days)

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Mindfulness

Practices

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H A L T S• HUNGRY – feed the hunger• ANGRY – quiet anger & regain compassion• LONELY – “cool” loneliness• TIRED – rest, relax, recreate, renew• SICK – heal and nurture back to wellness

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S O B E R Breathing Space

S top O bserve B reath E xpand R espond (instead of Reacting)(MBPR Exercise)

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R A I N R ecognize A ccept I nvestigate N ot identify/personalize

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A Mindful AttitudeI. Developing Mindful

AwarenessII.Developing Mindful

AttentionIII.Being Present & In the NowIV.Having Compassion for Self

& OthersV. Important Mindfulness

PracticesVI.Being in Difficult Life

Situation, Stress & SufferingVII.Discovering Happiness &

JoyVIII.Interconnectedness &

“Loving Kindness”

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The BIG Three

Anger

Criticism

Impatience

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ANGRY

“If you get angry easily, it may be because the seed of anger in you has been watered frequently over many years, and unfortunately you have allowed it or even encouraged

it to be watered.”Thich Nhat Hanh, Taming the Tiger Within, (Riverhead Books, 2004)

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CRITICAL of OTHERS

to what is happening right here and now.”

Healing Zen, Ellen Birx, 2002

“Paying attention to another’s faults is just a distraction from paying attention

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“Your fondest dreams will be transformed into fruitful

realities if you just know the

secret of growing the

patience-tree in your heart.”

Sri Chimnoy, The Wisdom of Sri Chimnoy, Blue Dove Press, (2000)

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P a t i e n c e"It is the

feeling of calm practice in the face of life's disruptions."

Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living, Allan Loko, 2012

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“I am the cause of most of my suffering

because of the habits

of my own mind.”His Holiness The Dalai Lama

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“Your mind is all stories.”

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“Love and compassion are necessities,

not luxuries, without them

humanity cannot survive.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

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“Wherever you are

thatis

the entry point.”Kabir, 15th Century Indian Poet

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“The essence

of bravery is being without

self-deception.

”

Pema Chodron

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“What you resist, persists.”

Attributed to Carl Jung

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“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that

we do not see the one that has been opened for us.”

Helen Keller, We Bereaved, 1929

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“If you knew as I did the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing something.”

The Buddha

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Resting in Uncertainty

• Awareness of awareness• Attention to intention

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The Power of Purpose: Find Meaning, Live Longer, Better

2nd Edition, 2010Richard J. Leider

“Purpose, when it is clear, is the aim around which we structure our lives.”

“Each transition to a new phase of purpose is accompanied by a crisis of uncertainty, a

chaotic period of time in which we are organizing ourselves around a new core

question.”

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FLOW“When consciousness

is harmoniously ordered, and you

pursue what you are doing for the sheer

sake of doing it.”Mihalyi Csikzentmihalyi

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“May all beings, omitting none,

feel safe, and content, and happy,

and live with ease.”Metta Sutta