Hate Is Addictive

Who here is tired, exhausted actually, by the political climate in which we are living?

What makes it so draining?

Addiction.

Or rather, the addictive state in which we live – needing more excitement, more drama, more novelty – that feeds our underlying need for stimulation.

I speak and write continually about this addictive process in which we are exposed to increased levels of stimulation, which leads to the Limbic System (Survival Brain) raising our baselines for how much stimulation feels normal, and then we need more.

We can get stimulation from anywhere: cocaine, shopping, smartphones, pornography, gambling, the news, and even anger and drama. The more we get, the more we want. It feels counter-intuitive because our Prefrontal Cortex (Enlightened Brain) is thinking, “I don’t want this, I want to calm down, I want to relax, I want to just think positive and happy thoughts. But the Survival Brain is not thinking, it’s just acting and reacting and so it keeps building tolerance until we are drained.

There are a lot of people in the media who are marketing hate to us. Hate stimulates the Survival Brain and shuts down the Enlightened Brain. In that state, we are easily manipulated and unable to think for ourselves. The relentless outpouring of vitriol keeps us exhausted.

So, what can we do?

The first step towards Recovery is to admit there is a problem and recognize the addictive process. Recovery is not just from addiction, it is Recovery of Connection. When we become aware of the nature of the process, we can make the conscious decision to live in Recovery. We can gradually bring our baseline back to normal so that we can feel everyday pleasures and experience quiet joy.

My Pocket Therapist: 12 Tools for Living in Connection, is a wonderful guide for Recovery.

Be In Light,

Carol