Addiction Two Step

Research shows us that individuals born into anxiety-prone families of origin, continue to have the same experiences and seem to have genetic links to certain addictions. It's interesting to note that addictions appear to be connected, with the physiological reaction to sugar and sensitivity to refined carbohydrates being the underlying addiction. It is common for individuals to migrate between different addictive substances and behaviors, especially when stress becomes unbearable.

Going towards and participating in excess or addiction is how the individual releases the stress. Therefore it is very important to understand the self- addictive mechanism and how it works before one can work to disassemble it. It's also good to know that one can become fully addiction-free, if they are willing to partake in the disassembling and the building and execution of new stress-reduction systems. Each person will need their own tools and systems of support to stay free over the long haul.

The desire to consume sugar and junk foods is a multi-faceted problem that needs addressing in each and every one of these. The actual desire can be so strong that the individual experiencing it may experience a total lack of control or compulsion to act. Some report this as an "out of body experience" and may even joke about it, but there is nothing funny about a body physiology that is out of hormonal balance. In fact, this imbalance closely resembles an impaired drunken-state.

Patients of mine have described this condition as the big unsolvable mystery of their lives. They question how it is possible to manage work, home, family, but not the compulsion for a candy bar? The answers to this mystery are hidden in these areas:

• Family medical history
• Personal medical history including addictions
• Food preferences and patterns
• Beverage preferences and patterns
• Times of eating, disorderly eating or not eating
• Certain medications including anti-depressants, hormones, cortisone and others.
• Stress-managing behavioral choices and patterns

Knowledge is key in placing your body and mind back in balance. Once the reasons for an imbalanced physiology are uncovered the path is clearer and intervention is possible. Often times, once all nutritional areas are improved, medication dosage can be changed or even withdrawn, but certainly do not make any changes in your medications without discussing this first with your physician.

Many need to be withdrawn slowly and should only be done under medical supervision. It's also a good idea to have a full medical examination and blood work before changing eating habits, especially if you have certain medical conditions or a family medical history that is prone to diabetes and heart disease. Good blood studies also provide a benchmark for your health progress.

Caffeine Addiction

Caffeine is an addictive substance. Even a small amount stimulates the production of insulin and other stress hormones including cortisol. It is so important to understand the concept that what you put in your mouth causes a chemical response inside your body and that these responses also effect the working of your mind. Some responses work for you and others work against you. Some are noisy and others are silent, but they all count, just as if you deposited them in a bank account.

Your skin is a good indicator for certain toxins including caffeine and tobacco. Pay attention to the internal and external messages sent by your skin and other organs as you work to place healthy choices in your body. Saying good-bye to caffeine is important. You may question if you are addicted. Your initial response to the first sentence in this paragraph is a good indicator.

• What was your inner level of resistance?
• What sort of thoughts can up?
• How about the emotions that were triggered?

If your goal is high level health and performance and at the very least you should be looking for ways to decrease your caffeine intake. It's a good idea to keep a daily caffeine log for a week or so. You may be shocked at what you place in your body. Also pay attention to the foods and beverages you are ingesting that have caffeine. Coffee, tea, soda, chocolate are common ones, but be sure to read labels and look for those hidden ingredients.

You already know that we tend to live mindlessly and carelessly. It's time to pay very good attention and to be self-responsible. Start to consider what changes might truly benefit you. Do this even if you sense resistance or blocking, for these are the areas where you need change the most.

Mind Exercise

Decide to take some quiet time for yourself right now or make an appointment with yourself to relax deeply into this exercise. Most of us rush from one thing to another and do not allow ourselves to experience deep stillness or purposeful stress-release. Relaxing in front of the television does not release stress, but actually builds it. Make certain that you will not be disturbed for the next 10 minutes or so. You will decide what is truly sufficient for you in this moment, remembering that all moments are different. When you are ready, tilt your eyes up about 20 degrees and locate your mind screen.

Ask your addictive tendencies to come forward and present themselves. Notice they each have a backpack filled with stressors that were experienced today, as well as old pattern books. Ask one of your tendencies to step forward and to share these stressors with you. Notice how easy it is to pay good attention to what is being presented, as you are now truly detached and willing to see clearly. Notice how many stressors or negative mind-states were self-imposed and therefore, could have been better managed. Let your addictive tendencies know that you are in the process of making changes and their backpacks will be lessened from now on. Continue to be still in this knowing until you are ready.

This mind exercise is one of "intention." It is setting the stage for high expectation and future change. This is a very valuable part of self-hypnotic suggestion, as it builds motivation based on understanding and desire while engaging the subconscious mind in active planning. Your subconscious mind already knows what to do and just needs you to have intention and to relax deeply. Help is on the way.

A NOTE TO NEW READERS:

This experiential blog/workshop is based on my new book, "How Many Cookies Will It Take to Make Me Happy?" This book is not published as yet, but you have the opportunity to read it in it's unpublished state. If you are new to my writing, you might want to read the earlier mini-chapters. They are available on FaceBook, The PublishersMarketPlace & at the following link. Remember to scan down to find the earliest chapters & work your way up. http://beyonddisorderlyeating.blogspot.com/
A bit of background.... we are working with creative Interactive Self-Hypnosis imagery, planting suggestions directly into the creative subconscious mind as you read along. What appears like a story is a series of self-hypnotic sessions, designed to bring about desired lifestyle changes. The inner mind is creative & rather child-like, loving to play with images, especially when they are emotionalized. Just like the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words", well-planted mind images, can be worth hours of therapy. We can actually change or motivate in 1/200th of a second. So come along & look forward to some lifestyle-changing events.

Copyright 2009 Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht
May not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It. She is also the writer/producer of over 350 mp3/CD programs in the areas of medicine, health, prevention, addictions, self-development & sports for adults & children.

http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.bohorquez
http://www.twitter.com/elizRN

http://www.hypnosis-audio.com
http://www.sugar-addiction.com
http://www.international-medical-health-writers

Send author a comment on this post

Family Album

Most of us are familiar with the horrors of abuse that can occur in childhood and can understand how such experiences could inflict serious damage in adult life. Hopefully you were fortunate not to have experienced such horrific experiences, but every life story has ups and downs that effect current goals and so it is still very important to review how you were parented. The box at the top contains some family of origin "flavors." If we were to generalize, most parenting styles are mixed bags. I know this is the way things happened in my childhood home. During happy times, life was joyful. When stressful experiences entered our home, it was like the lights went out. There was enormous tension and as a child, I thought if "I tried hard enough", I could keep the environment stress-free & happy. Of course, this was an illusion, but one that cemented itself to me, feeding my need to stay addicted to whatever was the drug of choice of the moment....candy, cookies, chocolate pudding and as I became older...caffeine, amphetamines, downers, alcohol and shopping to name just a few. Keeping my secrets became an important facet of my addictions, making it all the more difficult to become healthy. And, when one's own parent's skills are imbalanced, the child does not learn how to manage her own emotions in a healthy way. So, in order to recover and stay well, one must learn to self-parent those unhealthy behaviors and emotional imbalances.

We now understand that there are two sides to the coin. Unhealthy parenting styles, along with genetic tendencies are closely related to the development of addictions. You already know that certain disease states run in families and are connected to the over-production of insulin that is the physiological under-pinning of physical addiction. It's the old chicken and egg question, but whatever it is, do know that it is possible to become addiction free if you know what to do, have hot desire and willingness to work through the moments, both easy and difficult. We must always be willing to pay the price for optimum health and high level performance. And, nothing happens over-night. We wake up, become aware of what is, own our reality, devise a multi-faceted plan and go forward. On occasion we fall off the bicycle, but each fall wakes us up even further, helping us to become more cognizant of where we have been and what we've collected along the route. Then we can decide to either let things go or keep them. We are now in charge of our own lives.

CLAIRE'S QUESTION

"Just about everyone in my family of origin, as well as my extended family had unhealthy behaviors. Everyone was addicted to something. Since this was all I learned during my growing up years, is it possible for me to change now at the age of 36?"

While Claire had many unhealthy mentors, she certainly can change how she parents herSelf. It will take some new learning and a dedication to the process. Claire needs to understand that if she doesn't choose to change, things will not stay the same. The body and mind are always progressing, either towards health or illness.

MIND EXERCISE

Relax deeply and go inward easily as before. Take time to look closely into the many childhood chapters and notice the health issues of family members, yourself, as well as the emotional clothing worn by others and your child-self as you travel the time line. You might see the name of the emotion on the clothing label. Remember, awareness is key. Once you see something, you get to choose to keep it OR release.

• Were there family members with diseases related to addictions?
• Was there any fear either physical or emotional?
• Look at the labels in your emotional coats and make some notes about
them. They will be useful later on in your work with your
Therapeutic Self.
• What sort of emotional coats were worn by those responsible for your
care?
• Now look to the emotions/behaviors of your parents. Was there
alcoholism, abuse,cruel or unusual punishment, emotional neglect or
psychological abuse?
• Were you nurtured on your time-line?
• Did anyone teach you how to manage your emotions and stress?

Observe if the parenting style included anxiety, criticism, rigidity, over-protectiveness, reversal of parent/child roles, performance related approval, denial of feelings or perhaps family secrets. These are all important keys to the unfolding of your present and future life and you may want to do some hypnotic editing in these areas, either with the help of a psychotherapist or by yourself if you feel you comfortable.

• Just as if you were reading a book about you, notice how you managed
when things were not going your way or when you were fearful?
• Were there any compulsive behaviors or addictions that were
utilized?
• What was the response of your caregivers to your stress management
tools?
• Allow your pen to flow the subconscious messages onto your paper.

This is a good moment to make some notes about your thoughts. Your subconscious mind is very involved in what you are learning and is busy bringing your attention to things that are especially important to you. Pay attention to your thoughts as you read through this material.

A NOTE TO NEW READERS:

This experiential blog/workshop is based on my new book, "How Many Cookies Will It Take to Make Me Happy?" This book is not published as yet, but you have the opportunity to read it in it's unpublished state. If you are new to my writing, you might want to read the earlier mini-chapters. They are available on FaceBook, The PublishersMarketPlace & at the following link. Remember to scan down to find the earliest chapters & work your way up. http://beyonddisorderlyeating.blogspot.com/
A bit of background.... we are working with creative Interactive Self-Hypnosis imagery, planting suggestions directly into the creative subconscious mind as you read along. What appears like a story is a series of self-hypnotic sessions, designed to bring about desired lifestyle changes. The inner mind is creative & rather child-like, loving to play with images, especially when they are emotionalized. Just like the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words", well-planted mind images, can be worth hours of therapy. We can actually change or motivate in 1/200th of a second. So come along & look forward to some lifestyle-changing events.

Copyright 2009 Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht
May not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It. She is also the writer/producer of over 350 mp3/CD programs in the areas of medicine, health, prevention, addictions, self-development & sports for adults & children.

http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.bohorquez
http://www.twitter.com/elizRN

http://www.hypnosis-audio.com
http://www.sugar-addiction.com
http://www.international-medical-health-writers

Send author a comment on this post

Inner Gardening

We all have beliefs and behavioral patterns that work for us and those that don't. Once again, if we don't see them OR want to see them, we can't see them and if we don't see them, then we can't change. During your review of your childhood & teen years, you probably found many beliefs and behavioral patterns that never received any special scrutiny. If a parent or mentor didn't intervene, then there was no one to teach you anything different, but as you came into your early adult years, these behaviors should have had red flags. Unfortunately, disorderly eating patterns often have a high level of enjoyment and so the desire to pay attention to the red flags was often missing. But nothing can go on for ever, for the "piper must be paid." One cannot go on abusing the body by filling it with junk, and not giving the body systems what they need for growth and repair. Quite simply, the body and mind will break down.

I'm a good example of this. For years I lived my life eating whatever I wanted, even eating what I didn't want. Wanting had nothing to do with it. My subconscious mind had developed a very strong pattern that connected eating with the release of stress. There was no rhyme or reason to my eating behaviors. There were no rules, boundaries or limitations. I rarely thought about what I was doing, only thinking about when I could eat something again. For me, eating was a true compulsion leading me towards the development of body breakdown and adult onset diabetes. Unfortunately my story isn't unusual and that is why we, as a society, are faced with an epidemic of obesity and related diseases.

Once I woke up to my disorderly eating I needed some help and since I was a hypnotherapist, all I needed to do was to know exactly what my body needed and then to motivate my new, healthy behaviors with emotional imagery. I'm sharing some of that with you here.

Here we are imaging beliefs and behaviors as plants, for plants know all seasons and they can, indeed, be helped to grow and change. Just like eating behaviors, some plants have both positive and negative aspects. Others are completely positive and some completely negative. Understanding this concept, allows the subconscious mind to give-up whatever doesn't work, or to edit/change it in such a way as to make it healthy. In the beginning, like many other people with eating issues, I tried dieting or limiting my intake and then over-exercising. This pattern made me very ill and actually pushed me down the path towards the diagnosis of pre-diabetes. What works is a healthy, balanced eating plan...one that is organized and disciplined, which of course, I was not. But, planting a garden to represent this new pattern, allowed my subconscious mind to grow towards that.

In our work here, we spend a good part of our day planting and weeding. As we work with inner assessment, it becomes easier to know what plants need to stay and which ones need to go. Sometimes it is difficult to release or let go of things, especially certain aspects of our disorderly life. We think that we want something, such as losing weight or clearing out an unhealthy eating behavior, but may find it difficult to move from the "wanting", into the action of "doing it." Working inside imagery helps us to bridge the gap. "Pulling out the weeds" connected to choosing sugar or junk foods when we shop, makes it easier to walk down certain aisles. On a side note, I did not walk down the cereal aisle ( aisle 5 ) in our supermarket for five months. I remember the child part of me screaming and yelling inside my head for a favorite cereal that was not on my eating plan. So, yes it does take work along with the imagery and hypnotherapy, but quite honestly, if you want to experience health, then there is no choice. You must do what your body and mind require. No secrets.

Here we are working with the time-line, allowingyou to see where old beliefs were planted, as well as where and how behaviors were developed. Some of these are in the past, but many are actively being planted in the future. Yes, you are planning and planting your future on many different levels. Every time you think about a future happening, you are planting in that time-frame. So, if you are thinking about what you are going to eat for lunch, then you are future-planting. Think about how many times you do this, not only about today, but about next weekend, holidays, shopping, visiting friends, going to restaurants, and so forth. This can be either good for you or not so good! You already know from your assessment that as a young child or teen, you developed volumes of coping mechanisms and behavioral patterns. Some of them continue to follow you right through life. Some help and some impede. Some we learned from our parents, other mentors or teachers and some came by way of experience. It is only by being aware, then reviewing and editing them, that permanent change is possible. It is important for us to know that we can alter any behavioral program simply through the tools presented here. Interactive Awareness and Interactive Self-Hypnosis give us the means for going into these past files. We can then re-edit or reframe memories and associated programs, so as to make them healthy and useful to us in our present and future life.

LEARNING TO RE-FRAME

Re-framing beliefs or memories or any mind programs is just like deciding that a particular photograph would look better in a different frame, and then actually changing it; only frames for mind programs are those of perception. You choose to see your mind program differently, through “new eyes.” Suppose that you have a memory or mind program that is framed in anger or distrust. This is how it is stored in your subconscious mind, so whenever you review it consciously, it will come up framed in anger or distrust. In fact, the way the subconscious mind works, every time it comes up the frame will be stronger in perception. Now suppose you have a mind program or memory file about managing an addiction framed in failure. I’m sure you get the idea!

MIND EXERCISE

Now we are spending time assessing and locating areas for concentrated attention later on. Take some time to deeply relax, in fact even deeper than before. Perhaps close your eyes after reading this, knowing that everything shown to you will be useful in your recovery.

Each day of your life you are presented with learning experiences. Some appear pleasant and others are not, but all are learning experiences. Significant people may have or currently be demonstrating anxiety, panic, depression, compulsive or obsessive behaviors to you. You may find yourself mirroring these or wanting to, perhaps later in the day. Go to work on your time-line. For example, notice if anyone demonstrated addictions to you in the past, including yourSelf. Yes, you observe yourSelf from disassociating and being outside of yourSelf. Addictions and related behaviors travel through families of origin and extended social circles. Also look for specific emotional teaching or patterns that may or may not work for you. All hold importance for now, as well as for your future. You can go ahead and re-frame these. For negative behaviors, take some diminishing frames that will actually shrink the images down. When images are smaller, they are interpreted as being less important and therefore have less power. Now do just the opposite. Take some positive demonstrations or behaviors and place these in "power frames". These frames will not only make the images personally powerful for you, but you can actually enter them and sense the energy they produce, now available in your own body and mind.

Think of the world as a great big school where you begin your formal schooling at birth, continuing along until death. Every experience you have is an actual learning experience. Every person you meet, or that attracts you in some way becomes a teacher of sorts, including parts of yourSelf.

Copyright 2009 Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht
May not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It. She is also the writer/producer of over 350 mp3/CD programs in the areas of medicine, health, prevention, addictions, self-development & sports for adults & children.

http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.bohorquez
http://www.twitter.com/elizRN

http://www.hypnosis-audio.com
http://www.sugar-addiction.com
http://www.international-medical-health-writers

Send author a comment on this post

All Grown Up or Am I?

If you're following along, you have already re-visited your childhood, teen years & young adult. More than likely you've located the origins of some current day issues & have started to release or edit them. Now it's time to catch up with yourSelf, focusing in on your more mature & current adult years. Sometimes it's easier to practice regression than to work in one's current life, but here we'll go about this review in the same way as the others, by detaching & observing yourSelf from the outside position. Perhaps you might like to enter your Higher or Therapeutic Self, making it easier to forgive yourSelf as you face your reality. The above box contains some suggestions for a self-review. Of course, you & your own subconscious mind may suggest others, but do know that you are completely self-responsible for your self-care and health. Each of you working through this assessment will be playing different mind pictures, depending on where you are in your own life and experiences. If you could all meet, you would find that you have much in common. We all seem to get lost in the same places.

When we haven't been awake, things tend to stay the same. Depending on your age and life experiences, you might like to work with each decade separately. You can start at any age you choose. You will intuitively know where to begin. Take time to look carefully at your subconscious book covering these years. Note your health states, any illnesses or surgery. The adult health pictures are very important ones as they often show tendencies towards either continued health or illness. Look at your decisions related to nutrition, exercise and stress management. Can you spot any self-care negligence?

As you move up the time-line perform a new body scan. The body and mind are always changing, so it is important to stay in close contact so as not to miss anything. Scanning through different years allows you to experience these changes. The subconscious mind often takes this as a quest for more information. Information is Key, for without it one cannot see and therefore cannot change.

• Find an area where you changed and locate the motivators.
• What kinds of things tend to get in your way?
• Make some detailed notes about what you see and feel as you review this part of
your life.
• Once again, if this were a book you were writing, is there anything you would
change?
• How would you edit it? Be very specific.
• Has any additional information been provided that would apply to your earlier
years? If so, go back and make additional notes in the area above.

TIME LINE WORK PAYS OFF

Working on the time-line allows you to see more clearly. Everything we need is found inside us. Let's practice with just one example of the power of your subconscious mind. There is a book on the library shelf about the last time you felt physically well. Take a moment to deeply relax and notice that your subconscious librarian knows where that book is located. Observe the effortlessness in locating the book. Notice that you can enjoy observing the lack of struggle. The book is given to you now, so go ahead and take some time to review and describe some of the important details.

• Notice your age and what was going on in your life at this time.
• Who was there with you?
• What stressors were present and how were they handled?
• Have a look at your internal and external motivation system in action?

MIND EXERCISE.

Later in this book you will be learning how to interview your emotional states. This is a good time to practice this, so here is a short exercise. Relax deeply as before and summon your subconscious librarian. Ask to meet with a member from your internal motivation team and one from your external team. See them in front of you and now go ahead and ask them some direct questions such as what do you need to be so successful? Find out how you can summon them in the future and what they would need from you. Sometimes you will be given this information right in the moment, but other times the answers will come as free thoughts known as free associations.

Relax again and ask the librarian to bring the book about the last time you felt really emotionally well. Once again notice how easily this is accomplished. It's almost as if the book finds the librarian. Open the book, noting that you are the author and take some time to review it and describe some of the details. Notice the particular time of your life and what sorts of experiences were playing out. It's interesting to note that emotional wellness is not only experienced when one is free from stress. Often times it is when one has been successful at accomplishing something of importance. Relax into the scenes that are brought to your consciousness.

You might want to relax into these files several different times, rather like canoeing through small waves. This type of repetition often brings deeper awareness to the surface. Try it. Remember what you experience in one moment can be very different from what the next moment has to bring. Decide to be a true inner explorer and expect to receive important gifts. You will not be disappointed for the Law of Expectation has been well proven through the ages.

Copyright 2009 Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht
May not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It. She is also the writer/producer of over 350 mp3/CD programs in the areas of medicine, health, prevention, addictions, self-development & sports for adults & children.

http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.bohorquez
http://www.twitter.com/elizRN

http://www.hypnosis-audio.com
http://www.sugar-addiction.com
http://www.international-medical-health-writers

Send author a comment on this post

I'm An Adult Already?

Life moves along quite quickly and before you know it.... the childYOU grows into the teenYOU, and the teenYOU transitions into a young adult. Sometimes not all areas of the Self grow up, so let’s go ahead and check this out. Early adult years are a time for experiencing self-responsibility for your health and well-being. In the above list, you will find some areas to visit subconsciously. Of course, these are not all of the areas available, but it's a good beginning. Once you are in the "library of the mind", ask your subconscious librarian to bring forth additional "mind folders", both positive and negative. Keep in mind that everything you get to "see & review" becomes a resilience resource. As you visit inside the different folders, you are once again free to continue writing your own "StoryBook."

MIND EXERCISE

Begin by relaxing deeply. Find the quiet area of your mind and take a few moments to enjoy how pleasant it is to be in the quiet mind space. Spend time noticing how your body areas respond to the request for internal quieting. Practice going to a deeper part of your quiet mind space by counting backwards slowly and allowing the numbers to come towards you and then flow away gently. Now go back and look closely at your tension areas, and place flowers on them. Open the flowers and allow these areas to relax even deeper than before. The Goal-den Path is now available, welcoming you to regress back to your transition from teen to young adult. As you locate this area, notice that you are simply an interested observer, here to learn and to edit, for everything here is yours. Go ahead and choose to open some of the areas. Your "young adult Self" will show you around.

Early adult and the years that follow are total self responsibility years in self-care and health. For some reason people think that age makes a difference, but if you didn’t develop self-discipline or know what you should do and why should do it, perhaps you missed doing it. In adult life you are totally responsible for what you do, what you don't do, and for all outcomes. . Ask your subconscious librarian to bring forth your health books by decades. If you have had "busy decades" health-wise, ask for these books separately. Some books need more attention or noticing than others. Be sure to look at good books, as well as those that have some negative connotations. We will be taking things from both, transferring some and editing out others.

The adult health books and pictures are very important ones because they often show tendencies towards either continued health or illness. It's important to notice your emotions and attitudes as they relate to your beliefs about what is possible and what is not. Sometimes we allow emotions to lock areas that could otherwise take us to higher levels of health and wellness. For example, if one has a fear of dentists, and believe that they will lose their teeth anyway, the opportunities to correct the current situation are locked up and teeth that could be saved are then lost. Or one may believe that it is impossible to change eating behaviors because of age. In other words, the belief that old dogs can't be taught new tricks is blocking the goal. The belief that middle-aged women have to experience middle age spread is also blocking goals!

Take your early adult health book off the shelf . Begin with body scanning and observation of your total self. Look at your beliefs and decisions related to nutrition, exercise and stress management choices. Are there any emotions holding keys to locked doors? Be sure to keep journal entries when doing this work. Ask your subconscious mind librarian to show you the important entries and especially those related to health, illness and surgery if any. Notice how you took care of yourself nutritionally. Were you self-responsible or were you careless in this regard. Next visit the areas of exercise and stress management. Once again, notice how you look and how you feel about yourself health-wise.

• Were you self-responsible about caring for yourself?
• Can you see any negligence or self-abuse?
• Did you lose yourself in others?
• Was your fantasy broken?
• Begin looking at your hidden motivators. What motivated you to change and persevere?
What got in your way? Make some notes about these memories.
• If this were a book you were writing, is there anything you would change?
• How would you edit it? Be very specific.
• Has any additional information been provided that would apply to your earlier years? If
so, go back and make additional notes in the area above.

Remember we are just assessing in this area. Before we can change we must SEE. This is like a medical diagnosis! We need all the facts before we can set up a treatment plan. So, stay opened to the process and enjoy this time you are taking for yourself. Everything about this work is positive and designed to take you to a high level of health and performance on your life journey.

CLAIRE'S QUESTION

" It has really helped me to visit my transition from teen to young adult. I can understand how much pressure I put on myself and how much I pretended to be mature. This was very stressful and also set the stage for the years that followed. I truly lost my essence here in this very place. Now I'm looking forward and have a question. Every woman in my family became obese in middle age. Are you telling me that I have a chance to have different outcomes?"

While you have family genetic wallpaper, you also have the ability to make better choices in how you care for yourself. More than likely the other women in your family did not have this information available to them, but you do. Keep in mind that everything you do has a consequence, and so if you keep doing the same things as they did, you will have the same consequences, but if on the other hand you choose to change, so will your outcomes.

A NOTE TO NEW READERS:

This experiential blog/workshop is based on my new book, "How Many Cookies Will It Take to Make Me Happy?" This book is not published as yet, but you have the opportunity to read it in it's unpublished state. If you are new to my writing, you might want to read the earlier mini-chapters. They are available on FaceBook, The PublishersMarketPlace & at the following link. Remember to scan down to find the earliest chapters & work your way up. http://beyonddisorderlyeating.blogspot.com/
A bit of background.... we are working with creative Interactive Self-Hypnosis imagery, planting suggestions directly into the creative subconscious mind as you read along. What appears like a story is a series of self-hypnotic sessions, designed to bring about desired lifestyle changes. The inner mind is creative & rather child-like, loving to play with images, especially when they are emotionalized. Just like the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words", well-planted mind images, can be worth hours of therapy. We can actually change or motivate in 1/200th of a second. So come along & look forward to some lifestyle-changing events.

Copyright 2009 Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht
May not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It. She is also the writer/producer of over 350 mp3/CD programs in the areas of medicine, health, prevention, addictions, self-development & sports for adults & children.

http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.bohorquez
http://www.twitter.com/elizRN

http://www.hypnosis-audio.com
http://www.sugar-addiction.com
http://www.international-medical-health-writers

Send author a comment on this post

Addictive Mentors
originally posted: October 25, 2009

It's important to know that even when you were a toddler, your earliest teachers may have been placing potential addictive programs into your subconscious mind. If addictions were present in your early environment, you were also learning how to manage stress with these substances. What did your hero’s teach you?

• Was anyone in your family an addictive eater?
• Did you ever see or know anyone who had binge behaviors?
• Was food or beverage ever utilized to manage stress?
• Were there members of your family or social circle or smoked ?
• Where there members of your family or social circle who consumed alcohol?
• Was coffee a regular a beverage of choice?
• Did you have soft drinks available?
• We you offered any of these substances?
• Were you offered water as a beverage or was it not considered a beverage?
• Was there evidence of other addictions such as drugs, medications, gambling or shopping?

There are many other areas to view in relation to any disorderly eating programs you may be entertaining. In fact, sometimes, these negative habits can't be seen as "disorderly" because they have become "normalized." There is also the issue of NOT WANTING to see them, because seeing means believing or knowing your truth & often times, that is hard to take. It also means that you are now self-responsible for taking care of these behaviors & you may be reluctant to do so. In some instances, individuals, especially addicts, deny their truths for decades, etching them further into their subconscious.

If you are reading this book, I'm assuming that you do want to accept a healthy lifestyle. Even if you are "not quite there", pretend that you are. Your subconscious mind does not know the difference between what is real & what is imagined. This may be exactly what you need, because with your emotional kids or ego out of the way, you can change things without dealing with "resistance." So, looking at the above list, are there any areas that need editing here? Simply relax deeply into the moment and bring up the images you would like to change. Remember, even though they may have really happened in the past, you can still change the subconscious mind programming or inner files. Perhaps you would like to stand next to your child as an adult mentor and point out that one can love or like someone even if they participate in dangerous habits. Let the child know that it is not healthy to binge or smoke. Let the child know that you can truly enjoy a healthy lifestyle, even when others who are around you are participating in some unhealthy behavior. This is your life & you direct it in the way that you choose, going towards the outcomes that you want to experience.

You may be wondering IF you will need to completely abstain from potentially addictive substances. In truth, there are some people who can enjoy a drink of alcohol on occasion, but it truly isn't a good idea to get used to it. Certainly, it should not be utilized as a stress releaser & if you are not sure if you are doing this or not, simply relax into the moment & contact your Therapeutic of Higher Self. Ask the question & it will be answered. As for managing stress, you now know how to go about doing this, not only when you find yourSelf in a high stress situation, but throughout your day. Releasing, letting go, eating a balanced & healthy diet are all ways to keep stress hormones at bay.

THOSE TEEN YEARS AS CURRENT TRIGGERS

During our self-exploration, the teen years often stand-out as some of the most difficult ones in relation to the development of nasty lifestyle behaviors. This is the time when the self-image & self-esteem tend to take a beating. Severe dieting, junk food bingeing, exploring with addictive substances, following the wrong role models, people pleasing, home stress & the struggle for independence can be overwhelming. Take your teen health book off the library shelf and open to the early teen pages. Begin reviewing your history as in your childhood book. Revisit your body through mental biofeedback. Notice you can stay in your adult self while visiting your teen body and mind. Look at the complete you.

• Were you under-weight or over-weight?
• What was your perception of yourself?
• Looking at it from where you stand now, was it factual or a false image?
• What did people tell you?
• Were you involved in any addictions such as smoking or drinking?

Notice if there are any meaningful doctor visits or surgery and if so, spend some time relaxing into those files to see if any messages come forward from your subconscious mind. If you are a woman, look at the information concerning your menses. Did you have any difficulties such as PMS or irregular periods?
Now, go to visit the nutritional areas including regular meals, school eating, social eating and family preferences, as well as behaviors at meal times. Spend some time studying the details of the pictures, one by one.

• What were your favorite foods?
• Were there any indications of eating disorder or bingeing?
• Any secret eating?
• Did your family eat together at a table, or did you eat alone or in front of the television?
• Were mealtimes happy or stressed?
• Did you use food as a stress-releaser?
• Were there any rituals around this such as hidden or middle of the night eating?

You might like to open these files and relax into them before editing.. I suggest you visit as a mature adult and take a few moments to re-introduce yourself. No need to rush.. Remember, it's been a long time since your last visit. Your teen self has much to share with you and will be willing to do so as long as you are non-judgmental. Indicate that you care deeply about helping and making things better. As with your young child-self, gently point out what would be good to change and why. Invite your subconscious librarian to gift you with further information.

You are now beginning to become familiar with the origins of some of your disorderly eating patterns. The more you acknowledge, the more you can correct at this level of origin & the easier it will become to change old, unhealthy cemented behaviors.
A NOTE TO NEW READERS:

This experiential blog/workshop is based on my new book, "How Many Cookies Will It Take to Make Me Happy?" This book is not published as yet, but you have the opportunity to read it in it's unpublished state. If you are new to my writing, you might want to read the earlier mini-chapters. They are available on FaceBook, The PublishersMarketPlace & at the following link. Remember to scan down to find the earliest chapters & work your way up. http://beyonddisorderlyeating.blogspot.com/
A bit of background.... we are working with creative Interactive Self-Hypnosis imagery, planting suggestions directly into the creative subconscious mind as you read along. What appears like a story is a series of self-hypnotic sessions, designed to bring about desired lifestyle changes. The inner mind is creative & rather child-like, loving to play with images, especially when they are emotionalized. Just like the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words", well-planted mind images, can be worth hours of therapy. We can actually change or motivate in 1/200th of a second. So come along & look forward to some lifestyle-changing events.

Copyright 2009 Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht
May not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It. She is also the writer/producer of over 350 mp3/CD programs in the areas of medicine, health, prevention, addictions, self-development & sports for adults & children.

http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.bohorquez
http://www.twitter.com/elizRN

http://www.hypnosis-audio.com
http://www.sugar-addiction.com
http://www.international-medical-health-writers

Send author a comment on this post

Meeting Up With SuperBaby
originally posted: October 24, 2009

We all know how to bring up memories. Here you will be exploring the past in a light interactive self-hypnotic state. This is called regression, or working the time-line and is a very important tool for self-assessment. Just like getting on a bus and going down a particular road, it is an easy way to turn the clock back while reviewing particular areas of interest. In this exercise you are going to regress for the purpose of reviewing your health files from your childhood years. You will be going back to the beginning and them reviewing forward up to the present. This method of regression and self-examination will allow your subconscious librarian to present information in an orderly way. Later on you will have time to work with these mind files.

All food issues that you are experiencing today are connected to past health files. When working with disorderly eating, bingeing or addictions, it helps to see the early connections. This allows for the removal of guilt and shame, as well as any mind confusion about these disorders.

MIND EXERCISE
Time-line work begins in the same way you relaxed earlier on, so go back to the deep relaxation exercise, inviting your mind and body to deeply relax. Once again, make certain you will not be disturbed. Tilting your eyes slightly upwards about twenty degrees, begin your bus journey back to the time you were a young child. Find the quiet area in your mind and take a few moments to enjoy how pleasant it is to be in the quiet mind space. Notice you are in a big library. The shelves are filled with books. Go to the area marked "early works" and take your childhood health book off the shelf. Notice your name is on the cover and that you are the author. Don't be surprised if your baby picture is on the cover. Be sure to notice how beautiful you are.

Open the book at the beginning. It doesn't matter if these memories are vague or even absent. Let your subconscious librarian lead you without efforting. Just allow it to happen. Now ask to see any and all information about your birth health status. You will be conversing with your subconscious mind through imagery, so beginning at the top of the baby's head scan slowly downwards and notice any areas that seem to beckon you to stay a moment longer. Notice you are doing this exercise as the observer of the baby. This allows you to stay in your adult self and manage a good assessment.

Truly get re-acquainted with your young self. Step back and look at the infant or young child as a whole. Notice that you can communicate with your self at any and all ages.

• Do you appear healthy?
• Were you happy?
• Were you stressed?
• Can you identify the source of your stress?
• How did you manage your stress?
• Were you under-weight or over-weight ?
• Did anyone tell you that you were?
• Were there any surgeries or hospitalizations?
• Were there any serious illnesses or chronic problems?
• Does your subconscious librarian have any special messages for you from the child?

Make some notes in your journal about images that presented themselves to you. It's rather like remembering aspects of a dream. They may not make much sense right now, but the images were triggered for a purpose and they will make themselves clear either now or later.

Weight issues in childhood, even if only perceptions of others, can cause scarring. Past illness or surgery can also hold scars, both physical and emotional, well beyond what the eye can see. Sometimes these highly charged memories get in the way of current or future goals and even non-health related ones. Remember we are always learning and some lessons may not be in our best interest and can interfere with the development of belief systems. It is important to work without judgment and evaluation. Open your mind to trust for everything presented has value.

Nutrition: The Early Years

I'd like you to open your subconscious mind book to the nutritional area. This is where all of your early eating behaviors are noted. You might like to read this paragraph first and then go deeper down into relaxation before exploring this chapter in the book. Notice if you were breast- fed or bottle fed. Once you were weaned look at the following areas in ascending years of your life. Notice your family at dinner and the kinds of foods you were offered. See this as a toddler, and then early childhood to middle and late childhood. If nothing comes forward simply relax deeper into the picture. You may get the answers now, or later, but they will come. When we bring a picture up on our mind screen and then relax into it, the subconscious mind will add more detail. You may be surprised at what is served to you!
Also look to notice the ongoing attitudes during meal times.

• Were they quiet or noisy?
• Was the atmosphere friendly, loving or stress-filled? What else can you see or intuit
here?
• What were your favorite meal- time foods?
• Can you taste them now?
• How about snacks?
• Were there lots of starches or sugars?
• Were snacks controlled or did you have the open cupboard policy?
• What sorts of beverages were offered?

Be sure to visit many different years in your life to get a good over-view. If there were major stress events such as divorce, illness, deaths, view these separately. This will give you good insight as to how your family handled food in relation to stress. You might see where some of your early stressful eating was born. Once this is clear, you can edit these subconscious programs later on with interactive self-hypnosis.

If you were the Producer/Director of any of these memories or mind- scenes you are exploring, is there anything you would change? How would you edit it? Be very specific. Mind-editing is a positive experience. Even through you remember something happening in a particular way, remember this only a perception and therefore it can be changed. Even if you are quite sure that it happened in the way you remember, you mind files will still benefit from editing. The reason for this is that memory files are coded with chemical emotion and if the chemical emotions do not work in your behalf, mind-editing gives you the opportunity to change this coding. What a great gift to yourself!

Practice with one memory. Just as if you were looking a page in your file that holds this memory, go ahead and re-write it. Perhaps you will diminish some of the emotions, or see your baby as very strong….. super baby! Even though you are planting fiction, and in this instance very humorous fiction, the subconscious mind will love it and the re-editing will be successful. This particular memory now has a healthier emotional code.

A NOTE TO NEW READERS:

This experiential blog/workshop is based on my new book, "How Many Cookies Will It Take to Make Me Happy?" This book is not published as yet, but you have the opportunity to read it in it's unpublished state. If you are new to my writing, you might want to read the earlier mini-chapters. They are available on FaceBook, The PublishersMarketPlace & at the following link. Remember to scan down to find the earliest chapters & work your way up. http://beyonddisorderlyeating.blogspot.com/
A bit of background.... we are working with creative Interactive Self-Hypnosis imagery, planting suggestions directly into the creative subconscious mind as you read along. What appears like a story is a series of self-hypnotic sessions, designed to bring about desired lifestyle changes. The inner mind is creative & rather child-like, loving to play with images, especially when they are emotionalized. Just like the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words", well-planted mind images, can be worth hours of therapy. We can actually change or motivate in 1/200th of a second. So come along & look forward to some lifestyle-changing events.

Copyright 2009 Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht
May not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It. She is also the writer/producer of over 350 mp3/CD programs in the areas of medicine, health, prevention, addictions, self-development & sports for adults & children.

http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.bohorquez
http://www.twitter.com/elizRN

http://www.hypnosis-audio.com
http://www.sugar-addiction.com
http://www.international-medical-health-writers

Send author a comment on this post

Re: Learning Self-Hypnosis - blogRADIO - Mountain Climbing (October 13, 2008)

Good post. It's interesting that you mention the impostor syndrome.

Over 20-years ago, I saw Paul Newman in an interview say that he always had the
feeling that someone was going to come through the crowd, take him by the arm and
say, "It's over Newman. It's all been a mistake. You're coming back to paint
houses."

When he said that, I immediately understood the feeling. Later I learned that he was
describing the impostor syndrome. The Impostor Syndrome is the feeling that you are
not as smart, talented, or skilled as people think you are. It's the feeling that you
are a fake and have been getting away with something and are about to be found out.
It affects 70% of adults and is especially prevalent in high achieving women.

I've spent the past two decades living with and learning about this common
condition.

The Impostor Syndrome is a fascinating topic and the subject of my new book, "The
Impostor Syndrome: How to Replace Self-Doubt with Self-Confidence and Train Your
Brain for Success."

You can download Chapter One, "Paul Newman and I" at
http://www.JohnGraden.com

Re: Clearing Clutter... Inside & Out (December 16, 2007)

Hi Elizabeth:

When I was a behavioral health case manager for a major hospital in Florida, I had
the occassion to view many peoples homes; and many of these people were very ill.
Some of them were more able than others, to allow the clutter in thier lives to fall
away or be removed.

A fellow nurse case manager once said to me: "I can't be sick or die yet ..... I
haven't cleaned my house" Sometimes I wonder, if I became ill today - would I
feel okay having others judge the inside of my house and closets and drawers?

Perhaps the greatest gift that we can give to ourselves is simplicity and a clean
clutter free environment. There is a freedom and a quality of energy enhancement in
room that is free from excess or accumulation.

Freedom from accumulation allows the psyche to be less burdoned as well. It is a
shedding of a skin and a purging of the unused, that will release us. Release is
freedom and freedom is like the breeze through a tree - flowing and natural.

Releasing objects and clutter give me a place and a space to be more natural and
flowing.

Christina Hyland R.N. PhD

Re: Working Through Self-Anxiety (December 5, 2007)

Thanks for this post. I have the added challenge in my life of anxiety and panic
disorder. I just heard yesterday that I need to go back after a mammogram for further imaging, due to a "thickening" in my breast. Talk about feeling
overwhelmed by anxiety! I take a lot of comfort from your writings and it's especially helpful to see your
personal fears and concerns shared via the journal entry.
May we all live in saftey, be happy, be healthy and live with ease, Suzanne

I enjoy each and every one of your blogs. Particularly
today, because the ability to speak up for ones self and set boundaries is empowering and enlivening. We are all faced with particular situations when we hesitate or second guess ourselves .... "should I speak up or just hold the peace" There are great lessons in becoming assertive in a balanced sort of way! I thank you for reminding me this morning in your blog.

I too am an R.N. and a certified hypnotherapist. I am new
to hypnotherapy, but have studied holistic psychology for
quite some time.

Again, I really enjoy your work! Thank you.

Sincerely,
Christina Cameron Hyland R.N. Ph.D.
www.globalintegrativehealth.org

Re: mindART - Working with Imagery (August 26, 2007)

Eliz, I am glad that I am able to comment on this post. In my ongoing psychotherapy,my therapist has told me that it is good to put down ANYTHING that I FEEL during the course of the week. Examine it, see if I can make changes and objectively observe any results be it positive or negative. Today is Tuesday August 28 and I have a session with him at 10:00. I am very excited in this session in such a way that I have created a scenario where I can be on the offensive or the defensive. I mention both of these areas in a positive way. I am sure that you are familiar in hockey,the position of goalie and that of either the offensive right or left wing or center. If I am the goalie I am trying to stop the offensive from scoring. I use this analogy because(I love hockey in the first place)which I think has a very positive outcome on what happens during this analogy that I play out in my mind. Trying to find ways to either stop the offensive from scoring or...if I am on the other side of the puck I am trying to find ways to score. I mention both of these scenarios because of the different things that come up during the course of life. Writing this down is helping me greatly. Attaching scenarios that I am familiar with that affect me in a positive manner I believe helps me a great deal. I thought I would mention these two images because I have been using them as of late and I also LOVE to work with imagery. This is a bit of a lengthy comment here but I am very upbeat on results. Thanks for this post.

Re: Inside Secret Eating (July 5, 2007)

That could have been me! How do I break this habit?

Re: The Creative Body Connection (July 26, 2006)

Seeing everything in a drawing like you put it in this article here makes me get in touch with everything a heck of a lot more clearly, Eliz. It appears that I have PLENTY of work to do since I have been diagnosed with GAD. That was about 5 years
ago and it has been going up and down with me as well as my seizures ever since. I also believe that I am identical with Jennifer here in that I do not talk about what is bothering me, ever, except to a psychotherapist that I see weekly. I am sure that I have plenty of points within me that are storing a hell of a lot of tension. It is no wonder that I am trying to deal with all my s

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht has been working & writing in the field of mindbody health, self-hypnosis, addictions, creativity & optimum performance for over 30 years. She is a graduate of Rockland Psychiatric Center, SUNY; Graduate Nurse Intern, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, N.Y. She is President & Program Designer, Sarasota Medical & Sports Hypnosis Institute, Sarasota, FL & online at http://www.hypnosis-audio.com & http://www.sugar-addiction.com

She has written & produced +350 audio CD programs for adults, children, students & athletes, as well as several books in original Interactive Self-Hypnosis. She specializes in the food connection to addiction, optimum health & performance. She is the author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It, as well as Beyond Disorderly Eating...the Truth About Sugar & Binging & How to Stop