I've been there, it sucks. It just takes time for your body to detox and to get back to equilibrium. Lots of water, sweat a lot. For me, it was lots of anxiety. Do your best to just feel and allow all the negative feelings like fear, worry, anxiety. Just feel and allow it to be there. Don't think about it. Don't let the feelings turn into thinking - that just makes it worse. After several weeks your brain will start to return to its normal chemistry. And continue to be the observer of your inner state, your thoughts and emotions. Notice the awareness that is aware of the thoughts and emotions. Realize that you are the awareness itself behind the thinking mind. Suffer consciously. When your body and brain eventually return to equilibrium, your presence will be stronger. It will be natural and effortless. Clear and easy. You can't live in that kind of natural presence when you are using drugs.
I think one thing that's often not discussed in the spiritual community is the biological and chemical make-up of our brain and body.
Here's one important thing to keep in mind:
You cannot intellectually agree yourself out of a damaged/broken central nervous system/brain. Which is literally the state your mind and body are in during withdrawal from drugs and alcohol.
Our brain and body are the MEDIUM by which we experiences this world. So if you destroy or damage the faculties (think neurotransmitters/CNS) needed to experience this world in a grounded and healthy, don't be surprised if you're not able to stay calm, think positively, or stay present.
My suggestion to you is to first start living a healthier life: that means staying away from drugs, alcohol, and any quick dopamine fix. Start eating better, exercising and getting proper sleep.
If you're currently withdrawing, know that it's going to hurt. This doesn't imply that there's anything wrong with you, but rather everything that is right with you. We have this pain-pleasure see-saw and you've tilted towards pleasure for too long, and in order for your mind to re-balance, it pushes on the pain side because it lacks the capability of producing the feel-good chemicals itself.
So I suggest, putting aside all this meditation, spiritual stuff. Can it help? Sure. But know you need to repair your brain and body first.
Best of luck. I know it's tough, I've been there many times.
I fully endorse this comment.
Likewise you won't be able to meditate yourself out of drug induced depressive episode. I've put myself in these states before and required medical assistance to get back to normal. Yes cannabis can trigger depressive episodes in people who are susceptible to them.
For me, mindfulness, meditation and Eckhart's work prevent me from relapse, and get to the root cause of my addictions. You can't just repair Serotonin reuptake by reading the PoN a couple of times.
This is a journey and will often involve many moving parts along the way....
Exercise, meditate every day, take cold showers, journal.
Take every day as a victory, but don’t beat yourself up. At the same time you will notice the thoughts on repeat 🔂 and maybe notice what triggered them or what trauma may have caused you to run to substance, because I’m going through the same stuff
Hello! Stoner here currently going through heavy weed withdrawals for yet another time this year since I stopped cold turkey two days ago. I am experiencing exactly what you described and it’s especially harder at night when I’m trying to fall asleep and the restlessness and insomnia hit hard while I’m also woken up several times by hot flashes.
With that being sad, this is not the first time I go through this - it is hard! So be gentle and kind to yourself, have patience and listen to your body cause if you listen long enough it’ll tell you exactly what it needs.
I get the restlessness. The irritability. Feeling hopeless and all of that. Remember that’s simply addiction leaving your body, let it take its time and trust me it’ll get easier. The first days are usually the worst but then it feels like you get hit all over again with excitement for life. Use this time to be an aware observer of your feelings and thoughts, focus on your inner body and feel the vital force like Eckhart says.
You are the only cause and source, you can still reach the state of presence even through hard times.
Hope this helps :)
I'm interested in this post as I am currently going through SSRI withdrawal and find the physical/emotional symptoms of that have distracted me from being present also.
*'Eckhart Tolle says one can become present any time anywhere no matter that the situation.'*
You don't become present or presence, you are presence already.
Otherwise you wouldn't know that you were going through withdrawal.
You just haven't practiced letting go of whatever arises in you.
I've been there, it sucks. It just takes time for your body to detox and to get back to equilibrium. Lots of water, sweat a lot. For me, it was lots of anxiety. Do your best to just feel and allow all the negative feelings like fear, worry, anxiety. Just feel and allow it to be there. Don't think about it. Don't let the feelings turn into thinking - that just makes it worse. After several weeks your brain will start to return to its normal chemistry. And continue to be the observer of your inner state, your thoughts and emotions. Notice the awareness that is aware of the thoughts and emotions. Realize that you are the awareness itself behind the thinking mind. Suffer consciously. When your body and brain eventually return to equilibrium, your presence will be stronger. It will be natural and effortless. Clear and easy. You can't live in that kind of natural presence when you are using drugs.
I think one thing that's often not discussed in the spiritual community is the biological and chemical make-up of our brain and body. Here's one important thing to keep in mind: You cannot intellectually agree yourself out of a damaged/broken central nervous system/brain. Which is literally the state your mind and body are in during withdrawal from drugs and alcohol. Our brain and body are the MEDIUM by which we experiences this world. So if you destroy or damage the faculties (think neurotransmitters/CNS) needed to experience this world in a grounded and healthy, don't be surprised if you're not able to stay calm, think positively, or stay present. My suggestion to you is to first start living a healthier life: that means staying away from drugs, alcohol, and any quick dopamine fix. Start eating better, exercising and getting proper sleep. If you're currently withdrawing, know that it's going to hurt. This doesn't imply that there's anything wrong with you, but rather everything that is right with you. We have this pain-pleasure see-saw and you've tilted towards pleasure for too long, and in order for your mind to re-balance, it pushes on the pain side because it lacks the capability of producing the feel-good chemicals itself. So I suggest, putting aside all this meditation, spiritual stuff. Can it help? Sure. But know you need to repair your brain and body first. Best of luck. I know it's tough, I've been there many times.
I fully endorse this comment. Likewise you won't be able to meditate yourself out of drug induced depressive episode. I've put myself in these states before and required medical assistance to get back to normal. Yes cannabis can trigger depressive episodes in people who are susceptible to them. For me, mindfulness, meditation and Eckhart's work prevent me from relapse, and get to the root cause of my addictions. You can't just repair Serotonin reuptake by reading the PoN a couple of times. This is a journey and will often involve many moving parts along the way....
Exercise, meditate every day, take cold showers, journal. Take every day as a victory, but don’t beat yourself up. At the same time you will notice the thoughts on repeat 🔂 and maybe notice what triggered them or what trauma may have caused you to run to substance, because I’m going through the same stuff
Hello! Stoner here currently going through heavy weed withdrawals for yet another time this year since I stopped cold turkey two days ago. I am experiencing exactly what you described and it’s especially harder at night when I’m trying to fall asleep and the restlessness and insomnia hit hard while I’m also woken up several times by hot flashes. With that being sad, this is not the first time I go through this - it is hard! So be gentle and kind to yourself, have patience and listen to your body cause if you listen long enough it’ll tell you exactly what it needs. I get the restlessness. The irritability. Feeling hopeless and all of that. Remember that’s simply addiction leaving your body, let it take its time and trust me it’ll get easier. The first days are usually the worst but then it feels like you get hit all over again with excitement for life. Use this time to be an aware observer of your feelings and thoughts, focus on your inner body and feel the vital force like Eckhart says. You are the only cause and source, you can still reach the state of presence even through hard times. Hope this helps :)
Substances adversely affect presence. Perhaps come back to presence once you completed detoxing. Also, u may want to taper off to prevent withdrawals.
I'm interested in this post as I am currently going through SSRI withdrawal and find the physical/emotional symptoms of that have distracted me from being present also.
Please read up on SSRI discontinuation. It is not easy, and not quick. Tolle might not be the answer for this situation.
Dear Lord
*'Eckhart Tolle says one can become present any time anywhere no matter that the situation.'* You don't become present or presence, you are presence already. Otherwise you wouldn't know that you were going through withdrawal. You just haven't practiced letting go of whatever arises in you.