Meditation by Habit

Meditation is a positive habit that everyone should adopt. America is facing a drug abuse epidemic whose rates of addiction, dependency, and overdosing is escalating at alarming rates. Seeking to alleviate this crisis will involve more than just a war on drugs. An understanding of why people take drugs and what safe alternatives can meet the need for drugs would go a long way in alleviating the drugs menace in America (Cheng, 2016). Recently, a team of experts which included medical practitioners invented a means of using music to create a high equivalent or congruent to the one attained through the use of commonly abused hard drugs (Deflin, 2016). Research has revealed that the use of meditation can achieve or even improve on the level of homeostasis that those who use hard drugs seek to achieve (Trottier & Oken, 2017). Unlike narcotics, hard drugs or opioids, meditation and music neither have adverse physiological effects nor cause addiction, dependency, or overdoses. Alternatives to drug abuse can, therefore, provide a means of escaping the vagaries and adverse effects of drug abuse thus, saving America tens of thousands of lives annually and billions of dollars being lost to drug addiction and related issues. This research paper looks at meditation alongside other safe alternatives for drug abuse as a means of alleviating the drug abuse menace currently facing America. 

The Biopsychology of Using Drugs

Commonly used recreational drugs target the brain, which is the most complex organ in the human bodies to create either feeling of pleasure or homeostasis. The brain is a complicated organ, weighing about one and a half pounds that are divided into several parts, mainly based on functionality. Among the parts affected by drugs are the brainstem, the cerebral cortex, and the limbic system (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). 

The brain stem control critical functions some of which are passive including breathing, heartbeat, and sleeping. The cerebral cortex is divided into many parts which control cognitive processes such as sight, hearing, and touch. The limbic systems are perhaps the part of the brain that most drug users actively target as it controls the reward circuit. Feelings of pleasure and the determination between right and wrong are controlled by the limbic system. 

The brain communicates through a combination of electronic and chemical means both of which are intertwined. Electronic communication takes place within nerve cells while chemical communication takes place between nerve cells. The chemicals involved in brain and nerve cell communication are known as neurotransmitters (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). Drugs affect the chemical processes that control communication between nerve cells. One class of drugs such as opioids and marijuana have chemical structures that are congruent to neurotransmitters which mimic the activities of natural neurotransmitters thus, creating a false impression within the brain. Another class of drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine interferes with the natural production of neurotransmitters causing overproduction or underproduction. In most cases, the drugs will flood the brain with dopamine which affects the rewards circuit of the brain thus creating feelings of euphoria, joy, and happiness. 

The feeling created by the presence of high levels of dopamine is similar to the pleasant feeling that comes with great success or a great positive event. Taking drugs, therefore, causes the user to have an artificial feeling of joy, happiness, and a sense of achievement (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). Dopamine also increases feelings of motivation and productivity even as it augments focus. It numbs negative feelings such as stress and sadness which will be overcome by the euphoric feeling. Drug abuse will also affect the brain stem, creating adverse consequences that the user may not even be aware of. From the perspective of the psyche, therefore, the use of drugs transforms the natural reactions of the human system to what is happening to the environment. For a start, drug use will create a feeling of joy and celebration when there is nothing to elicit joy or bring about celebration. In most cases, this is the only form of interference that drug users pursue. By affecting the limbic system, the use of drugs also create confusion on what is right and wrong hence, leading to irrational behavior. Further, drug use affects the cerebral cortex leading to an exaggeration or misinterpretation of stimuli through sight, hearing or touch and this may appear as hallucination or manifestations of psychosis. Finally, the effect on the brain stem may lead to feeling of superhuman strengths and over or underfeeding. As indicated above, the drug abuser is primarily only seeking for a euphoric feeling such as the one that is produced by dopamine thus all the other manifestations are unwanted side effects. If a means to provide the feeling created by dopamine and related neurotransmitters is developed, then the feeling pursued by most drug users will be attained (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). 

The similarity between the Altered High of Marijuana and Alternative Therapies

Marijuana helps create a feeling of euphoria through the mimicking of a massive release of dopamine and this feeling can be replicated through therapy by causing the actual release of dopamine. A person who takes marijuana will feel happy, motivation, focused, and devoid of feelings of stress, and depression. It is this status that combines the positive feelings with the absence of negative feelings that is being referred to as a high. Research has established that meditation has the capacity to increase the release of dopamine into the body in elevated levels (Trottier & Oken, 2017). Whereas research has not been able to establish how meditation causes the release of dopamine, available evidence has made it definitive that when done properly, meditation leads to increased release of dopamine. Similarly, music can also be used therapeutically to trigger the release of high volumes of dopamine into the nervous system (Deflin, 2016). Another common therapy used for dopamine deficiency and related problems is participating in competitive activities where the chances of losing are minimized. This includes activities such as filling the crossword and Sudoku. In most of these activities, the player will always win because there is no opposing party. The win also triggers a release of high levels of dopamine. Once dopamine is released, it will lead to increased feelings of happiness, heightened meditation and focus, even as it numbs any feelings of stress and depression (Trottier & Oken, 2017). 

Indeed, the effect of dopamine being released into the body accurately mirrors and even improves on the feeling that one gets when they get marijuana in the body, yet without the negative effects that accompany taking marijuana. 

Yoga and Meditation With or Without Using Drugs

Available research about the impact of marijuana on meditation is inclusive but research on meditation as an alternative to opioid use as a pain reliever suggests that drugs do not enhance the effect of meditation on the human psyche. In states such as California and Colorado, recreational use of Marijuana has been legalized, a fact that has allowed marijuana to be sued for many recreational activities including Yoga (Rice, 2018). The practice of Yoga is a form of meditation that begun in India and involves the combination of meditation and mysticism. The primary difference between Yoga and meditation lies in the belief in spirituality within Yoga. From the perspective of the effect of drugs in meditation, therefore, Yoga and meditation can be considered interchangeable. Many Yoga teachers in California and Colorado have created the argument that smoking marijuana helps in relaxation and connection to the inner self and, therefore, enhances the Yoga experience. However, Yoga experts such as Dr. John Douillard whose specialty is Ayurveda argues that Marijuana has an adverse effect on Yoga thus the two should not be combined (Rice, 2018). Dr. Douillard argues that Yoga is all about a pure mind and body which cannot be achieved when the mind and body have been mixed with drugs such as cannabis. Careful evaluation of the Yoga with or without Marijuana argument will reveal that it is a near impossible debate. Yoga is meant to increase the production of dopamine and other neurotransmitters into the nervous system. The introduction of Marijuana into the systems acts as an introduction of synthetic dopamine into the body. The expected outcome of a good Yoga session has seemingly already been achieved when marijuana has been ingested. It would, therefore, not be possible for a Yoga practitioner to tell if the Yoga is effective or not since the means, which is taking Marijuana, has already guaranteed the end, which is the release of dopamine. Anyone claiming that taking marijuana improve on Yoga is thus at best misinformed and at worst propagating a fallacy for commercial purposes. The best way to scientifically test the relationship between meditation and drugs is to use meditation in a scenario where drugs would have been used. Marijuana is in the same class of drugs as opioids since the two have chemical components that mimic neurotransmitters. According to Cheng (2017), research was undertaken with a view to using meditation as a replacement for opioids as a pain reliever as a means of mitigating the runaway opioid epidemic in America. The research was conducted by Dr. Fadel Zeidan and members of the Wake Forest School of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Cent. As per the research, the form of meditation referred to as Mindfulness was used as an alternative to opioid-based pain relief medication. The results revealed that meditation activated the same segments of the brain that is activated by opioids when used in pain relief. Further, meditation had a higher potential than opioids because the use of naloxone did not interfere with meditation as it interferes with opioids (Cheng, 2016). Based on the foregoing, meditation is superior to opioids and marijuana when it comes to impacting the human mind. Meditation or Yoga does not need assistance from marijuana or opioids to function thus, the use of marijuana or opioids does not enhance the impact of meditation. Indeed, it can be said that when drugs are combined with meditation, they reduce the impact of the meditation thus making it less effective. 

Meditation as Therapy for Drug Addiction

Meditation is an effective cure for drug addiction as it both replaces drugs by providing what addicts look for in drugs and reverses the damage caused by drugs. There are a cause and effect relationship between drugs and stress. Many people are driven to take drugs by stress but eventually get addicted. Drug addiction changes their lives leading to a greater demand for drugs, resulting in a vicious cycle of drug dependency (EOC Institute, 2018). Meditation enables an individual to come to terms with life’s stresses and stress factors including the stresses that come with drug use, abuse, addiction, and dependency. Focusing on meditation using approaches such as Mindfulness will eliminate the constant need that an addict has to take drugs to escape from the ordinary stresses of life. Secondly, drug addicts also take drugs not just because they are addicted but because they are looking for the high feeling that drugs produce (EOC Institute, 2018). Meditation is able to replicate this feeling of high thus, eliminating yet another reason for taking drugs. Another reason for taking drugs would be issues such as chronic unhappiness, doubts about life and living, family problems and other chronic and deep-rooted issues. Meditation enables the addict to sort out this issues and have real meaning in life. Having meaning in life creates a motivation to overcome drug dependency to be able to live the meaningful life so realized. Meditation is also able to replicate the expensive and complicated addiction treatment process of brainwaves. Research has established that meditation is capable of producing alpha and theta brainwaves which have a similar effect to the brainwaves used in advanced addiction treatment. Finally, meditation enables the creation of a firm and definitive character that enables an individual to say no to drugs and mean it (EOC Institute, 2018). Based on the totality of the above, meditation is an effective, valuable, and cost-effective solution to the problem of addiction and drug dependency. 

Homeostasis through Meditations

Nature tends to chaos, and so does the human body systems whose constant activity creates a need for a moment to stop and recover thus regaining homeostasis. By definition, homeostasis is the state at which the human body system is performing at optimum level (Jerath, Barnes & Crawford, 2014). It is easy to assume that the human body is performing at an optimum level all the time unless the body is looked at as the complex system that it is. The human body is a combination of over 10 systems which all interact and operate contemporaneously. Important examples of these systems include the digestive system, the respiratory system, and the reproductive all of which are in constant activity doing different things yet affecting one another. The body is normally either in active fight or flight format or at rest. If the body system gets regular rest, then it would be possible for it to regularly reset into a mode of homeostasis ready for the next moment of intense activity. For example, a little child alternates between moments of intense activity and moments of rest hence the ability to regain homeostasis regularly. For most modern adults, however, flight or fight is the order of the day and rest only comes intermittently and only in deep sleep. The few moments spent after waking up are used to worry about the new day while the few moments spent before sleep are spend worrying about how the day was spent. For many people, a moment of physical fight or flight is more relaxing than moments spent in physical rest. Without formally taking time off for relaxation and return to homeostasis, the human body systems will keep on getting warped until they result in physical and psychological damage. Attainment of homeostasis can best be attained through meditation. Under meditation, a human can actively place the body in absolute relaxation where there is no physical or mental flight or fight (Cahn et al., 2017). The state of relaxation will enable the body and mind to work on the over ten systems aforementioned and bring them in tune with one another leading to homeostasis. In the absence of meditation or other modes of getting the body to a complete rest while still awake, homeostasis can seldom be achieved. In this regard, meditation which is mainly a mental exercise is perceived to also have physiological benefits. 

Discussion: Quality of Life; Meditation versus Drugs

The need to unwind and relax is primary, and different people take different approaches towards it with each approach having an impact on quality of life. For example, many people take hard drugs for the same reason that other people undertake meditation. Marijuana and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) are a common means of unwinding in America. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the recreational use of Marijuana is now legal in the USA. Many people are currently also abusing prescription drugs as a means of unwinding and seeking for relaxation. It is important to state that taking drugs such as opioids, marijuana or MDMA as a means of finding relaxation and unwinding does work. These drugs enable or mimic the production of positive neurotransmitters such as dopamine thus producing a high elevating happiness and enabling relaxation. However, this form of relaxation comes at a cost to quality of life instead of improving it. Hard drugs do not stop at the production of dopamine as they also adversely affect brainstem, the cerebral cortex, and the limbic system. The adverse effects, which can be considered as the side effects of drug usage are detrimental to the drug user as they lead to negative behavior. Further, drug users get addicted resulting in a very poor quality of life. 

Whatever relaxation and unwinding that drug users are looking for in drugs are available in meditation in greater levels and without adverse effects to quality of life. Meditation enables the production of dopamine naturally thus, producing the high feeling and stress-killing effects that drugs produce. However, meditation is also either free or cost-cost effective hence it does not inordinately affect the finances of the user as drugs do. Most importantly, meditation does not have any adverse side effects (Tang, 2017). Instead, it has positive effects over and above creating a high as it enables attainment of homeostasis and also enables the building of strong characters. Meditation is legal, as opposed to most drugs. Further, meditation does not result in feelings of guilt or the need to hide as the use of hard drugs does. Based on the foregoing, meditation carries all the benefits that drug users seek alongside many other benefits without having the adverse consequences that drugs carry. Meditation thus exponentially increases the quality of life for those who practice it. Other safe means of unwinding such as music, sports and games can be used as a supplement to meditation for further improvement of the quality of life (Deflin, 2016). 

Conclusion

Having meditation as a habit and doing it regularly can increase the quality of life for any individual in many different ways including avoiding hard drugs or getting over a drug addiction. Different forms of meditation exist including Mindfulness and Yoga but they are all geared towards enabling the relaxation of the mind thus, all have similar positive effects. Among these positive effects include the physiological attainment of homeostasis. The human body is a combination of several systems that work in different ways, and affecting one another. Like any complex system, the body will sometime get out of tune and require a moment of extreme relaxation to get back. Meditation avails this opportune moment thus enabling the regular attainment of homeostasis. Furthermore, meditation is an effective alternative to drug abuse and also a means of treating drug addiction. Drug abusers are usually in search of a high which is attained through release or mimicking of dopamine and related neurotransmitters. Meditation is able to replicate the feeling of high by triggering production of dopamine but without the adverse side effects of drugs. Further to making drug abuse unnecessary, meditation is also able to provide an effective cure for addiction and hard drug dependency. In this regard, meditation provides a means to mitigate the massive drug abuse, dependency, an epidemic that the US is currently facing. The government could benefit, save lives and money, and create a better nation by investing on meditation as a means of improving the quality of life for its citizens and also as a means of solving the current drug abuse crisis. 

References

Cahn, R., Goodman, S., Peterson, T., Maturi, R., & Mills, J. (2017). Yoga, meditation and mind-body health: increased BDNF, cortisol awakening response, and altered inflammatory marker expression after a 3-month yoga and meditation retreat.  Frontiers in Human Neuroscience ,  11 , 315. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00315/full  

Cheng, G. (2016, March 17). Mindfulness meditation reduces pain, bypasses opioid receptors. Retrieved from https://nccih.nih.gov/research/blog/mindfulness-meditation-pain  

Deflin, K. (2016, September 01). Someone designed headphones to replace drugs at music festivals. Retrieved from https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/new-headphones-designed-to-replace-drugs-at-music-festivals/  

EOC Institute. (2018). How meditation conquers addiction. Retrieved from https://eocinstitute.org/meditation/7-reasons-meditation-can-naturally-beat-addiction/  

Jerath, R., Barnes, A., & Crawford, W. (2014). Mind-body response and neurophysiological changes during stress and meditation: central role of homeostasis.  J. Biol. Regul. Homeost. Agents ,  28 , 545-554. Retrieved from https://philarchive.org/archive/RAVMRA-2

National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Drugs and the brain. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain  

Rice, A. (2018, February 26). Ayurveda's take on all the recent mixing of Marijuana and Asana. Retrieved from https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/ayurvedic-perspective-on-mixing-marijuana-and-asana  

Tang, Y. (2017). Traits and states in mindfulness meditation. In  The Neuroscience of Mindfulness Meditation  (pp. 29-34). New York: Palgrave Macmillan 

Trottier, L., & Oken, S. (2017). Mindfulness meditation as a stress reactivity intervention: An event-related potential study. Retrieved from https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1134&context=studentsymposium