This is Eric McCoy and I am happy, stable and of course high but always clean. Welcome back to high while clean.

Jason Cupp is the author of a new book called “The Naked Guy in the Attic.” It is an autobiographical account of his life as a recovering crystal meth abuser. He is also that someone who did not experiment with drugs until later in life.

It is a memoir describing his life and the significant experiences leading up to his drug addiction. A history of his childhood, adolescence, college years, and adult life as a gay man in a long-term relationship. It continues with a description of the breakup with that partner, the trauma that ensued, his subsequent introduction to crystal meth, and descent into the darkness of addiction.

The second part of the book is an “in-the-moment” journaling of my ninety meetings in ninety days of early recovery. As the writing for this section was done in real time while he was still a newcomer in sobriety, it is a depiction of one who is gradually discarding the clouded effects of crystal meth drug use. Throughout the ninety entries, he describes lessons learned from the messages of various speakers and how he began to apply the suggestions of twelve-step recovery to his everyday life.

He concludes the book with a brief epilogue that summarizes his recovery journey after that initial ninety days. The epilogue is divided into two parts, the first describing how he got to his first-year milestone. The second discusses the unique circumstances of 2020 and how he stayed sober during the pandemic.

The book’s objective is to provide a story of addiction from someone who did not experiment with drugs until later in life to offer the reader an understanding that addiction can happen to anyone. It is also intended as inspiration for the newcomer to recovery, evidence that it is indeed possible to get and stay clean. His message of hope is to convey that sobriety is more than just abstinence from alcohol and drugs; it is a shift in perspective that brings gratitude and an appreciation of life for the once struggling but now recovering addict.

He brings the interesting story of a well-educated man with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from UC-Santa Cruz, a Master of Arts in psychology from Pepperdine University, and a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from California Lutheran University. He served as Vice President of Financial Aid & International Relations of an entertainment media college in Los Angeles for over thirteen years before he was terminated for reasons directly related to his drug use.

During his four and a half years in active addiction, he lost everything and lived on food stamps, general relief, and disability while trying to survive. It was not until he had nine months of sobriety that he was hired as Director of Financial Aid by another college in Los Angeles, a position he still holds today. Addiction can hit anybody.

Jason Cupp: Author of “The Naked Guy in the Attic.” Well Educated, Successful, and Throws It Away

The book is called “About Natalie, A Daughter’s Addiction, a mothers love, finding their way back to each other.” CHRISTINE NAMAN is the author of Faces of Hope: Babies Born on 9/11, Faces of Hope: Ten Years Later,

Faces of Hope at Eighteen, Caterpillar Kisses, Christmas Lights, The Novena, and The Believers.

She then took her abilities as an author to write a book about her struggles in dealing with a daughter who abused drugs. Her daughter, Natalie, participated in writing poems that are included in the book.

Love is very unique in terms of defining it. Is it a feeling defined as an emotional state or reaction. Maybe an emotion as a state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood. The problem with those are that they come and go and change and aren’t factually based. But love can’t work the same otherwise I could love you today, maybe tomorrow and then lose it later. We know that the part of the brain where our emotional control center is located which is in the limbic system. Which is a piece of the old part of our brain.

We tend to identify love most often with euphoria, but that isn’t the only emotion we feel that is tied to love. We do know that other feelings are created based on love

Ecstasy, compassion, surprise, anxiety, anger, jealousy, despair: we can fly all over the place as we swing from high to low all within this love.

Love almost has bi-polar qualities as a cyclic mood disorder.

What about love being defined as a drive?

There have been studies within brain scans that have shown where they believe this motivational drive comes from. Love is a need, and a drive. Like all drives, love is orchestrated in the reward system, in the old brain where the limbic system is, but also further back in the brain stem.

This is involuntary reflexes like breathing and heart rate.

The part of the brain that has no cognitive function which may be why it’s nearly impossible to control this primitive passion.

Maybe this insight can actually help us understand why love gets removed from the equation when we are abusing drugs. It also can cause us to see the real correlation with a dependency on the need for love.

If that part of the brain sounds familiar, its because it should.

The Primitive and old part of our brain is where drugs and alcohol and all behavioral addictions have their effect.

If drugs hijack that part of the brain, that drug almost seems to become love and since our brain has limits, love for others may get tossed aside.

Please check out her website at:

https://aboutnatalieaddictioncomfort.com/

Janey Lee Grace is an author, commentator, and is the popular holistic co-host on Steve Wright in the afternoon on BBC Radio 2.

She is the author of five books on Holistic living including the #1 Amazon best seller Imperfectly Natural Woman and currently writes columns for many magazines, and runs training workshops and consultations on Media Breakthrough for holistic businesses.

She hosts a podcast called "Alcohol free life," and gave a TED talk called "Sobriety rocks-who knew!" She runs "The Sober Club" inspiring others to focus on optimum health and wellbeing underpinned by sobriety.

Her newest book is "Happy Healthy Sober: Ditch the booze and take control of your life."

Sobriety refers to a decision to stay away from alcohol but in the context of the recovery world today is used interchangeably with any substance use.

The reasons why people make this decision varies across the board and as a counselor in the substance abuse field, I am always curious on those reasons because that motivation will literally make them or break them.

Whatever brought you to that decision is perfect in the beginning but as I have said many times that people get sober because of what they do not want but stay sober because of what they do want.

Join me as we reach out to the U.K. and discuss the substance problem in other areas of the world.

Janey Lee Grace: Author, Commentator, Singer, Radio Personality, and Podcast Host

https://www.thesoberclub.com/

Radio Station

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1LMy9nL32P7QmQBHdT1bbn9/janey-lee-grace

https://twitter.com/janeyleegrace?lang=en

Dr. Jeff Skolnick: Is the Creator of the SatoriWest Method. It joins together Buddhist wisdom with modern brain, behavioral and wellness sciences. It brings all the areas of your life together in a way that guides you to happiness and peace. He is a 40 year zen budhist meditator and senior zen teacher. He is a Psychiatrist, has a PhD in natural health science, and is an author.

The SatoriWest Method© is a revolutionary new approach to mental health and substance use disorders. It’s also about how to deal with life stress and dissatisfaction.

The SatoriWest Method consists of 5 points

•Fact:

Everyone faces crises and emotional struggles.

•Reason:

“Tunnel Vision” is the true cause of life dissatisfaction and struggle.

•Aim:

“Perspective” leads to inner peace, contentment, and fulfillment.

•Journey:

The SatoriWest Method© is a journey from Tunnel Vision to Perspective using BrainShifting skills enhanced with life wellness. The below diagram of the method outlines the areas of wellness and shows how we take participants from Tunnel Vision to Perspective.

•Shortcut:

Crises can be opportunities for the highest Perspectives.