I can say that the difference between reading or studying quotes such as these (which I did, and still enjoy doing) and actually looking at myself without bias and accepting those artificial hurdles that I had placed on myself with the aid of LSD was astounding.
The best way I can describe it is that it was a positive, insightful, and compassionate change in my entire perspective rather than just 'Yes, of course my actions are my only limitation.'
The extreme substance abuser can be told by the most caring and compassionate friends and family how they can better themselves, they can be strong-armed and forced to go through rehab, they can even seek out their own counselling by professionals, but none of this may stick or actually remove those harmful actions or desires as much as entire change of perspective and reflection on themselves with complete acceptance. They have to really, truly find it for themselves, rather than just be told.
I think the most helpful and profound difference between regular counselling and basic self-help practices for myself and the experiences that I had while on LSD, was the fact that I experienced the 'ego-death', and looked at myself objectively, rather than with all of the baggage and strings I had attached to the negative things that I was drawn to. I was able to shed my insecurities by understanding what was important to myself, rather than what was important to those around me (even those who had my same interests in mind).
The best way I can describe it is that it was a positive, insightful, and compassionate change in my entire perspective rather than just 'Yes, of course my actions are my only limitation.'
The extreme substance abuser can be told by the most caring and compassionate friends and family how they can better themselves, they can be strong-armed and forced to go through rehab, they can even seek out their own counselling by professionals, but none of this may stick or actually remove those harmful actions or desires as much as entire change of perspective and reflection on themselves with complete acceptance. They have to really, truly find it for themselves, rather than just be told.
I think the most helpful and profound difference between regular counselling and basic self-help practices for myself and the experiences that I had while on LSD, was the fact that I experienced the 'ego-death', and looked at myself objectively, rather than with all of the baggage and strings I had attached to the negative things that I was drawn to. I was able to shed my insecurities by understanding what was important to myself, rather than what was important to those around me (even those who had my same interests in mind).