Drugs and Therapy

Drug use is one road often taken by those who crave an alternate reality. It's an artificial form of escapism.

People use drugs recreationally to feel good, to enhance sensuality or to achieve a social comfort zone. These are often moderate drug users, but even these modest motivations can lead to addiction.

Some women feel that they need reality-altering substances in order to cope with the stresses of life. It may be that anxiety or stress is interfering with sleep, so some kind of relaxant is used as a sleep aid. Neptune also rules the world of sleep.

The need for relaxation could be channeled in healthy ways by learning to paint or to work with clay, take walks or meditate, but the darker side of Neptune can make drugs seem like a quick fix: Why spend the energy to build a creative skill when you can feel better in five minutes?

Maybe you're looking for an upper and you use a stimulant. From caffeine to speed to cocaine, these substances create the illusion of not only more energy, but they lend you what feels like a more confident persona.

Illusion, delusion -- these are the side effects of drugs used to alter your reality. The reality becomes that you come down and you need more of that substance to feel that way again. Drugs are a short-term fix to take the place of deeper psychological healing.

Drugs of choice reflect generations and social strata. Alcohol seems to span the decades. Marijuana use was a favorite of the Beat poets and became widespread during the '60s and '70s, along with psychedelics, which suited the spiritual seekers wanting to "transcend" the mundane world, discover cosmic truths and live on an elevated plane. Cocaine came into more favor during the speedy, affluent '80s. The '90s brought sophisticated chemical mixes like Ecstasy, as well as the cruder forms of methamphetamines, like crack, which became widespread in the inner cities and poorer rural areas.

In the "fun" category, we have coffee, tea, cigarettes, sodas, alcohol and marijuana, which is also being used medicinally more and more, despite the controversy surrounding its use, by seriously ill patients.

Starbucks is a U.S. chain of coffee houses and a coffee brand that's rapidly gaining popularity. "Coke," the nickname for the brand Coca Cola, has become a generic term for all colas. The Coca Cola logo is recognized the world over, even in very primitive rural places. Its competitor, Pepsi, is going after a younger and younger market, from calling itself the "Pepsi Generation" to its latest slogan, "Generation Next," playing on the popular name for a whole generation of young adults, "Generation X."

Over-the-counter and prescription drugs for colds, headaches and sleep disorders are also forms of quick-fix substances.

All of the above, even those used only recreationally, can lead to serious addiction. Because these substances kill feelings, too much use can kill the person. Some women may feel that if they are not using the harder drugs commonly associated with addiction, like heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamines -- that they are not addicted. Any habitual use of substances that alter your reality may become an addiction.

Rehab and recovery are important cultural trends that acknowledge the dangers of substance abuse, yet have mitigated the stigma attached to people who are dealing with its effects. Spin-offs from programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), such as CA for cocaine addicts, OA for overeaters, and many more have helped addicts reclaim their lives. Recovery is seen as a triumph and these "twelve-step programs" are part of the most significant healing work of this century.

Therapy

We all have different reasons for seeking therapy, which is more common and carries less stigma than in previous decades.

Digging deeply to core issues is part of the Eighth House. Getting back to a problem that has become an obstacle or is tying up psychic energy, accepting it, and taking steps to make it better may be the spiritual work of most people in modern society.

By taking steps to earn better karmic points, we are creating better future lives.

Coffee Guide by Signs