What is a Gateway Drug(s)? Are Alcohol or Cannabis Gateway Drugs? Are Nicotine or Caffeine Gateway Drugs?
I started work in the Chemical Dependency Field over thirty years ago. At the time the client’s drug of choice was considered the enemy. Whether a client came in for issues of addiction to Alcohol, Cannabis, Heroin, Nicotine, or even sugar, the substance of choice was considered the enemy, and the client was instructed that they could never touch the substance again.
The program AA, (Alcoholics Anonymous), gave the message, once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. This message remained the same, although the success rate of AA was being recorded as around 25%.
Soon a new idea began to emerge, and that idea was called Harm Reduction. Despite the fact that Harm Reduction had seen so much success in things like seat belts, nicotine cessation programs, and diets, the people who joined and eventually became leaders in the AA movement refused to even consider that a harm reduction approach might work. (It is interesting to note that the founder of AA, Dr. Bill, always said that a drug is a drug is a drug. In the mid 1950(s) Dr. Bill came out in the newspapers claiming that LSD had helped cure him of his alcoholism)
Move ahead several years, and such leaders in the field, such as Gabor Matte, continued to research in the field, that lead to the idea that using addictive substances, Gateway Drugs, is a coping mechanism. The coping mechanism helped the addict deal with such things as Trauma, Childhood Abuse, and Neglect.
When a client comes to me with issues of addiction, I help them to understand that their use of substances, such as Alcohol, Heroin, Meth, Cannabis, started out as a smart idea. They were simply trying to cope with some form of stress or trauma, but the tool, (their substance of choice), has to many negative consequences, and negative repercussions. Using Hypnosis, and Mindfulness, I am going to teach the client new coping mechanisms, such as Self Hypnosis, Vagus Nerve Breathing, Mindfulness, and Awareness. The consequences and repercussions of these types of coping mechanisms produce no negative consequences or ramifications.
The substances and behaviors that the client has been using as a response are definitely physically addicting and often times require a period of withdrawal, sometimes with medical guidance, but once the client starts to detox from their drug of choice, they realize that they are creating a new path, a new course in life. This new course can allow them to develop responses and coping mechanisms that are very beneficial and positive.
One client that I worked with, came in with complaints of Alcohol Addiction. He was about to loose his job, and his wife, and he had been warned that if he did not stop using, he would surely loose both of these things. After just one session of Hypnosis with Foundations Medical Hypnosis, and Life Coaching, he never picked up another drink.
Another client had a similar experience, but he eventually decided to have a glass of wine with dinner, (what he was once told was his Gateway Drug(s)), while he was out eating with friends. The client was amazed that he slowly drank the wine and went back to comfortably having an occasional glass of wine, the Gateway Drugs. while he ate, and has not been drinking addictively since he went through this program.
People have jokingly said that wine was the glue that held 2020 together as we maneuvered through the early days of the Pandemic. Has the joke taking over, do find that Wine, or other addictive substances have become a problem in your life? TAKE charge of your life, learn to use hypnosis, meditation, mindfulness, and awareness, to regain control of your life.
Call Now: Foundation Medical Hypnosis, and Life Coaching, at (206) 417-4900. You will be so happy and amazed at how you can Master and Take control of your life.