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Medication and meditation
blu3ree
Veteran
ALot of my buddies take things like adderol to help with concentration. Adderol is really bad for the mind as it has similar effects that cocaine does jittery boost of energy increased focus increased heart rate and probably a bung more things.
I would like to help the people in my community by teaching them meditation rather than them using things like adderol to increase their concentration.
no one really cares and that is what really grinds my gears. how can I help them without turning them away? Can some people just not be helped? Why don't people look for natural ways for answers? Are we that reliant on science in these modern days?
I would like to help the people in my community by teaching them meditation rather than them using things like adderol to increase their concentration.
no one really cares and that is what really grinds my gears. how can I help them without turning them away? Can some people just not be helped? Why don't people look for natural ways for answers? Are we that reliant on science in these modern days?
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Anyway, I use valium daily for anxiety and it really is harder to meditate on for 2 reasons, firstly motivation is hard to find as you are too chill and 'meh', secondly it fogs up your mind even more than normal and makes it hard to concentrate.
Zen has helped me with the anxiety I have.
In this situation you are goal orientated, trying to change unskilful behaviour overnight. It might be sufficient to say you do not require the drug as you meditate. In the future it might click with someone.
The alternative is 'Buddha Squad' a team of highly realized zen ninjas. Kidnapping the terminally ignorant and forcing them to practice zazen under threat of decapitation.
"In Japan a crack meditation unit was sent to practice by a zen master for a vow they didn't commit. These men promptly awoke from a maximum security zendo to the Buddhist underground. Today, still wanted by the hierarchy, they survive as Bodhisatvas of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire: THE A*-TEAM."
*Arahat
In this situation you are goal orientated, trying to change unskilful behaviour overnight. It might be sufficient to say you do not require the drug as you meditate. In the future it might click with someone.
The alternative is 'Buddha Squad' a team of highly realized zen ninjas. Kidnapping the terminally ignorant and forcing them to practice zazen under threat of decapitation.
"In Japan a crack meditation unit was sent to practice by a zen master for a vow they didn't commit. These men promptly awoke from a maximum security zendo to the Buddhist underground. Today, still wanted by the hierarchy, they survive as Bodhisatvas of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire: THE A*-TEAM."
*Arahat
Wow dude good answer!
We spent 4 years of different things before we were willing to admit our kid needed to be on medication to be successful in school. He cannot function in school without it. He doesn't take it on holiday breaks or in the summer. But for structured environment his impulse control is so poor he cannot participate in a classroom without meds. But they do not excite and stimulate him. Because he is over stimulated already, they have the opposite effect of slowing him down and calming him so that he can participate in school. He already meditates, so far it helps him calm himself but it does not allow him to gain control of his impulses (at this point, I am hoping as he continues those things will start to improve as well). I would love nothing more than for him to be off meds (he's 10) but he cannot function in a school setting without them.
I'm just going to put this out there... Not everyone is meant to be successful in all things that society puts a high level of importance on. But everyone can be successful at something, they just need the freedom to find it. A freedom that's not clouded by medications, a freedom from a blind expectation on how an individual should be.
I truly believe in the middle path and that there is a balance to all things, and in this belief there is an understanding that the balance I find within myself is different from all other beings. I am working on removing the blind expectations in order to see things as they really are, instead of the way I feel they should be.
Personally I believe when one is in a market to "help" others they shouldn't be able to make profit to avoid the greedy people from developing addictive drugs/foods.
I too truly believe the middle way puts an end to all mental sufferings.
From personal use of adderol in previous years I took like a 40mg and I was up for 20+ hours not able to sleep.
How does a doctor know how to diagnose the right amount? Does he go by what the patient says mixed with their weight age and metabolism?
Alot of people have blind faith in their doctors. My father for example just trusts our doctor who is supposed to be helping him with his blood pressure and gout. The doctor gave him blood pressure pills then it made his gout extremely bad. Rather than going to the root of the problem which are caused by imbalanced emotions and breathe/mind/body awareness to fix the blood pressure.
I've tried explaining the circulatory system to my dad and how oxygen goes into the blood via the lungs pumped by the heart and I just have a hard time getting through to him. Any advice?
End rant.
From the Mayo Clinic:
Taking diuretics may raise uric acid levels in your blood (hyperuricemia). In some people, over time, hyperuricemia leads to gout. For this reason, people with a history of gout are frequently advised to avoid diuretics.
Many medications other than diuretics are available to control blood pressure.
With other classes of blood pressure medications, it's usually possible to control high blood pressure without triggering gout or gout flares.
Are you sure your dad is actually explaining to the doctor that the gout is getting worse? I'm sure the doctor would be willing to switch up the BP meds if he is clearly made aware that it's causing (more) issues with the gout.
I know that my mom (83) is very often forgetful when it comes to telling her doctor/s how things are going between appointments. Especially if she is feeling particularly "good" for a while before her appointment. This is why I go with her to the doctor, (and into the exam room with her); to remind her about any issues or problems I've heard her mention.
By the way, I agree there are many ways to HELP lower BP- eating healthy, exercise, etc. Yes, even meditation can HELP. But once someone already has high BP and is set in their ways, medication is usually the best route.
I mean, are you going to get your dad to start meditating at this stage? Change his diet completely? Start emotional therapy?
In the meantime, while waiting for all these new natural and holistic measures to work (assuming he does them all) damage to his heart, blood vessels, etc could be happening every day.....
I meant to ask; how old is your dad? (I know you are pretty young, so your dad probably is MY age - or younger!) LOL I may have a whole other perspective if your dad is only in his 30's or 40's.
If you stimulate an area of the brain that is the brains 'brakes' then you calm the person down.
I've tried to get him to and he gives reasons as to why he won't like it's not easy. Of course something new won't be easy but it will grow. Alot of it is how society conditions people to think "I'm mean" no your not mean only the root of anger is mean. another thing is diet maybe it's where I live but the majority of things on the menu are meat with a mostly meat diet many vital nutrients get left out. Seems like most people ive talked to believe protein to be the most important thing in ones diet without knowledge of knowing vegetables give a bunch of protein.
He watches alot of tv and with the tv talking 24/7 when is there time to reflect? Thats the major issue is there are things wrong he admits them and yet takes no measures to ensure they get improved which makes me feel like a failure.
He's explained to the doctor it makes it worse but science isn't engrained with good morals. Who knows if the doctor gets paid by companies to provide guinea pigs for their drugs.
My dad is almost 60. The job he works at makes paint for cars and the job creates huge health concernes.
I've tried to get him to and he gives reasons as to why he won't like it's not easy. Of course something new won't be easy but it will grow. Alot of it is how society conditions people to think "I'm mean" no your not mean only the root of anger is mean. another thing is diet maybe it's where I live but the majority of things on the menu are meat with a mostly meat diet many vital nutrients get left out. Seems like most people ive talked to believe protein to be the most important thing in ones diet without knowledge of knowing vegetables give a bunch of protein.
He watches alot of tv and with the tv talking 24/7 when is there time to reflect? Thats the major issue is there are things wrong he admits them and yet takes no measures to ensure they get improved which makes me feel like a failure.
He's explained to the doctor it makes it worse but science isn't engrained with good morals. Who knows if the doctor gets paid by companies to provide guinea pigs for their drugs.
OK, Your dad is 60... that's not too old, and yet certainly isn't too young to be in charge of his own health and well-being. He's a grown adult, mentally competent, and as a friend of mine always says (and makes me laugh every time) "Let him be the boss of his own underpants".
In other words- your concern is fine, your suggestions are with the best intent, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty- he can choose to live his life in any manner he wishes. He really doesn't owe anyone any explanations unless he wishes to give them. We are not the boss of others. We can only be our own boss....
Let it be, Blu... let it be.
Ahh the suffering....
WRONG! Dad chose, and it was Dad's life to live or die.
Yeah, we all suffer, but do not let your Dad's suffering kill you too. Your Dad would not want that. Been there, almost killed me, so I can sympathize some and be compassionate towards you and others.
But here's the thing, @blu3ree -- Even people with perfectly healthy eating habits, who exercise regularly, and yes, even meditate, can have health issues such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
Even life-long vegetarians can get these diseases and a whole bunch of others, including cancer. No one lifestyle chosen over another makes one immune.
Doing all the positive, wonderfully healthy things merely lowers one's risk of developing disease (and not by very much in most instances) ... there is nothing one can do to prevent illness of any kind 100% of the time. Nothing.
So while you may think you have all the right answers and "easy to do" solutions to your father's health issues, and you may believe these health problems can all be "easily fixed" without the use of pharmaceuticals, that is simply not the reality of health vs illness in our world.
Upon re-reading your previous comments, I noticed that they appear to be more critical of your dad's day to day lifestyle - and your veiled disapproval of it - than actually critiquing (his) meds and their usefulness.
You think he watches too much TV; you think he eats too much meat; you think he should be more vegetarian; you think he should manage his anger and emotions better.... and if he would just DO these things, you think it will fix his health issues without using pharmaceutical drugs.
That's all well and good, and as I said before, your intentions may be well meant and out of true concern for your dad, but I think maybe you should reconsider micro-managing or critiquing someone else's life/lifestyle, no?
Oh it's hard to 'let it go' as you said... but you have to let it go. For your own sake as well as out of respect for your dad. It's a good lesson in detachment with love, or "skillful attachment" as was discussed in another thread about parents and kids.
:thumbup: Peace, Blu.