Over the course of my use and subsequent addiction to opiates, I thought that I had learned everything about them and how they work in users brains, what causes addiction, what the addiction is, etc. I was wrong. I definitely had not learned everything, there were some very, extremely important things that I had not learned about opiate addiction and how it effects users and then, what Methadone does to counteract and heal the wounds previous opiate use has caused.

Firstly, opiate addiction, unlike any other addiction, is a disease in every sense of the word. It is both a physical disease in which the user shows symptoms and illness, but a psychological one and most importantly..opiate addiction is a BRAIN DISEASE. Most other drugs we know of are only “psychologically” addictive and do not cause the brain disease that opiate addiction does. It is well known that opiate withdrawal causes intense discomfort, pain, diarrhea, muscle and stomach aches, restless leg syndrome and vomiting but it also causes a disease of the brain.

There are a lot of ways someone can BECOME addicted to opiates and then there is also predisposition to opiate addiction. Saying that one is predisposed to become an addict is in no way blaming the problem on someone other than the addict, its just a genetic, hereditary truth. First, let me explain the brain disease a little bit more and I will go into more detail about hereditary addiction.

Like most all other drugs, opiates have a direct effect on the dopamine produced in your brain, or..lets say…the lack of dopamine being produced in your brain. The opiate, like most all other drugs, causes a huge release of dopamine. Dopamine controls appetites for food and sex and after about 4 months of opiate use…without the opiates..your brain just doesnt produce dopamine anymore. PET scans conducted on the brains of heroin and other opiate addicts showed this. The addiction also has a direct effect on our Norepinephrin which controls the part of our nervous system that we do NOT have control over. When a questionable situation happens, its the release of Norepinephrin that causes the fight or flight mechanism to kick in. Opiate use suppresses this when one is under the influence of the drug so the user feels safe…literally like NOTHING can harm them. So when you dont have the opiates in your system..it triggers this re uptake of this “fight or flight” and causes intense, insane panic and anxiety.

Now, there are actual opioid receptors in our body that deal with feelings of safety and happiness. These receptors are in our spinal columns I think. There are 4 receptors that are directly involved in the effects of opioids. They are: Mu, Kappa, Delta and Sigma. Like a fucking fraternity, lol. Seriously though….the delta receptor deals with euphoria (the onset of euphoria when under the influence and the extreme taking away of euphoria when not under the influence), the sigma deals with depression (the taking away of depression when under the influence and the onset of depression when there are no opioids to attach to the sigma receptors). The Mu and Kappa deal with pain relief.

The last part of the disease is the effect that opiate addiction has on our endorphines. Our bodies have opioid receptors in them because our bodies produce chemicals naturally that can latch onto these receptors and cause similar effects to opiates and opioids. Those chemicals are called Endorphines. They are super similar to Morphine and they moderate our moods, promote pleasure and manage our reactions to stress. So when someone is high on opiates, it makes sense that they are very laid back, easy going, etc..and when they are not, they are anxious, and very defensive (which would explain why Soda would run from the police even without having drugs on him). The cessation of opiate use explains the often erratic and illogical actions of the addict. Someone who has never used opiates gets a normal amount of endorphines into these receptors, whereas addicts are constantly overloading the socket, so to speak. Four months of continuous opiate use causes the body to stop making endorphines on its own. So when you quit and have made it past the gut wrenching physical withdrawals…you have no dopamine or endorphines. And it takes a VERY VERY long time for the body to begin to make these on their own again with no help from an opiate. Thats why its so easy to go use again. Its not just a matter of “quitting.” If you think it is, then you obviously have never been in this situation and you need to shut the fuck up because you arent qualified to even form an opinion on this subject

So now, back to the hereditary nature of the disease. Research has now shown that children with one opiate dependent parent have a chance of inheriting a depression which, a lot of the time, leads to addiction when they are anywhere between 18-21 years of age because around this age, their dopamine will automatically begin to decrease and their body will stop making endorphines. This causes the person to be depressed and they will seek out ways to become happy. For some this means countless trial and error sessions with SSRI’s or anti psychotics or other pharmaceuticals that often times do nothing so the person goes on to experiment with self medication- illegal drugs…and when they experiment with that opiate..BAM. Theyve hit the mark. Now, a lot of these people dont have the money or the mens or the hook up to continue use..but for many…they do. And this is the start of an evil cycle.

Methadone helps this by speeding up the process in which your brain creates dopamine and endorphines again. Not only does it have a profound chemical effect in that it allows the brain to begin the process of building up natural dopamine and endorphines, but it takes the user off of the streets. Science and medicine are finally beginning to realize the huge effect opiates take on the human brain and the disease they cause, and our government is reacting accordingly by legalizing methadone. Methadone clinics take addicts off of the streets and into medical facilities where they are properly taken care of and supervised by trained medical professionals. Addicts no longer have to go out and commit a crime in order to just feel “normal.” Methadone is not just “replacement therapy,” it is also medical supervision, doctors visits, therapist visits, support systems…everything an addict needs to recover properly in an environment where opiate addiction is understood and treated for what it is and the user is not frowned upon and looked down upon as scum. The addict now has responsibilities he or she must take care of at the clinic, whether it is keeping up with their receipts and take home dose bottles in their lock boxes, to maintaining their appointments with their doctor, counselor and support groups.

There are a lot of high strung home makers who get bent out of shape when a methadone clinic is going to be built nearby. Let me inform you…

These people have no right to even have a sayso in the decision simply because they are judging based on the term “Methadone Clinic” and giving into preconceived notions, stereotypes and stigmas about clinics when in fact they know nothing because methadone treatment is 100 percent confidential and unless someone tells you they are on methadone..YOU DO NOT KNOW. If you sat outside a clinic and watched the people who came in and out of the facility…you would not be able to tell if it were just a normal doctors office, or lawyers office, or any other normal public facility.
Addiction does not discriminate, anyone and everyone can become addicted. Ive only listed like..two ways here. There are corporate addicts who maintain a 6 figure income who became addicted when their doctor over prescribed them, there are mothers who were given narcotic pain killers after the birth of their children, there are grandparents, parents, children, businessmen….people from all walks of life and these people are making positive change in their lives.

I am one of those people. No one would know unless I told them. Now I have.

I found this a few days ago written on a piece of paper in a book of my ex-fiances, Sodas.

Anchor me.

Seven days have passed. I said I wouldnt call you.
Id do it on my own. But its very late at night.
This bed seems so empty so I picked up the phone.
Im so busy making plans.
But, I still need you to hold my hand.

Hold my hand and walk with me.
Help me find my own dreams.
My ship may sail its stormy seas
But, I still need you to be my anchor.
Anchor Me.

Am I asking too much?
Will you be there when I need you and long for you?Im not sure where we will be when its said and done…
But behind the darkest cloud…is still the sun.

Where do you sit?

Ghora. It means darkness. The darkness of ignorance. Aghora. That means…light. The absence of ignorance. Aghora. The absence of darkness. Under the tree of knowledge, there is an Aghori. A practitioner of Aghora. A follower of that path. He has gone beyond ignorance thanks to the flame of knowledge.

The flame of knowledge dances from a funeral pyre. The funeral pyre…is…the ultimate reality. A continual reminder that everyone has to die.
Knowledge of the ultimate reality of death has taken the Aghori beyond the eight snares of existence. Lust, anger, greed, delusion, envy, shame, disgust and fear. Those things bind all beings. They bind us all.

The Aghori is astonished by the uselessness of a limited existence. Knowing the whole world to be within herself though she is not in this world.

She is bewildered. She is bewildered to think that all is within her, not external to her. She sees not with her physical eyes, but with the eyes of perception. The sense of perception. The flame of knowledge, that which preserves life.
The eternal flame of the funeral pyre.

Divine Delirium. Thats what I call it.

Is it you that you see when you stare into the mirror? Is that who you are? Do YOU encapsulate that image, that face deeply staring back at you with tears streaming down its cheeks? Are you simply..a reflection?
Divine Delirium. Thats what I call it.

For the past two days, there is nothing I have thought about more than this movie. A lot of people dont like it, wont like it…because they dont understand. You know, they always say…”Think with someone, and they will love you..make them think, and they will hate you.” This movie is sort of like that. It raised so many questions for me..about life, death, rebirth, existence.

The sky plays a major role in every religion. EVERY religion. The sky. Our creator comes from the sky..or so we are told.
This is true. In a very primitive sense, of course. Human origins have been found in exploding stars. Star dust. Our life cycles are the same as stars. Fetal, childhood to adulthood, middle age, then death.

In Mayan mythology, their underworld..where souls went to die and be reborn was called Xibalba. This is more commonly referred to as Orions Nebula. Orions Nebula is a Nebula where new stars are born…all of the time.

Its starting to make more sense to me. We come from up there. We probably go back up there.

I was raised Southern Baptist. I went to church every Sunday, and every Wednesday. On Wednesday nights I went to a Church of Christ with my babysitter and her family. See, my mom worked overtime on Wednesdays and my babysitters daughter was my best friend so..id have dinner with them, then go to church. I loved church. It was fun, it was social..but one day I woke up and I realized that despite my deep love and affection for the tradition id had in my life, going to church…..I didnt believe a word of it.

Let me tell you, it takes A LOT to turn away from the faith youve been raised in. It takes A LOT to turn from that tradition, something you have always been taught is right, and something you are familiar with and something you have been taught not to question. It takes an amazing amount of very deep self reflection and self psycho analyzing to decide that something you have told by your mother, father, grandmother, friends, family is right, and is the ONLY way, may not be the only way and not only that but that you not only dont believe in it, but dont want to be a devotee of that religion any longer because it is not fulfilling you in any way, and is leaving you with a spiritual void.

There are so many commonalities among humans. I think that spiritual journey is one of them. And, it doesnt matter what religion, or what spirituality…but just that JOURNEY of wanting to be in union with the divine..is such a commonality among human beings because most of us, even if we dont believe, are searching for something higher than the self. It is an innate part of human nature, I believe, anyway.

It was a difficult decision to sever my ties with any religious labels I put upon myself as a child out of tradition, out of familiarity, but, it was even harder to label myself with my newfound religion.

I became a devotee of Shiva. A faith that is literally, quite foreign. It was difficult to tell people of my religion because I knew I wouldnt be taken seriously. A white, American, devotee of Shiva. Shiva is a “Hindu” God. I just refer to him as my “ishta deva”..my personal God, my chosen God.

Just because I came to the realization that I didnt believe in Christianity, and that I didnt find my spiritual home there..certainly doesnt mean that I hate Christianity. Its quite the opposite, I love it, and I have studied it in depth ever since I left the religion.
I still have a deep affinity for Jesus Christ, he just isnt my chosen deity. I dont really find…anything that I feel connects me to him.

I love to talk to people about their faith. I like to see why they believe they way they do. We are human beings and everything we do has a motive behind it, generally, there is some reward..we do something because we feel or we believe we will be rewarded for it. Many people belong to certain religions because they believe they will be rewarded in the afterlife and so forth and so on.

So, the questions I ask most people..and anyone whos reading this..id love to hear the answers you guys have (dont worry im not going to debate you about them. this isnt a theological debate, its just me wanting to learn about other people).

1. What do you believe? That means, what religion to you belong to?
2. Were you raised in this religion, or was it a faith that you came back home to in your later years?
3. Why do you believe in this faith? Do you believe it offers you some sort of spiritual solace? Some instructions for spiritual advancement? Enlightenment?
4. What made you choose this faith, over all the others..what do you feel your faith or religion has…that others dont?
5. Have you studied your religion any? Read the sacred texts, etc? If not, why not? If so, which did you read and what did you take away from it?

My own answers to my own questions:
1. I am a devotee of Lord Shiva. Shiva is a “Hindu” God. I have identified as being a “Hindu” for many years now, but more recently, I prefer the term Shaiva. My religion is Saiva Darshan. Shaivism.
2. I was raised Southern Baptist. I became a devotee of Shiva when I was around 14 or so.
3. When I started to worship Shiva and learn everything that went along with it, I found a part of myself that I loved. That I was at peace with. That I found shelter with. All of this inside of myself, inner peace, inner solace. I learned that I was not separate from God, that I was the same and could achieve that union IN life. Eastern religion offers extreme spiritual advancement in ways that are theologically extremely different than Western religion.
4. I chose this faith because I felt safe within it. It offers ME PERSONALLY things that other faiths do not.
5. Ive studied my religion, and other religions in depth. I have read a number of Hindu holy books, the Gita, the Sama Veda, Rg Veda, Iso Upanishad, Ramayana and a few others. I still have a long way to go though. Ive also read the Bible, cover to cover multiple times as well as the Quran, twice, cover to cover.

Yesterday was quite a turbulent day for me. For the past…many, many years I have believed in and practiced Hinduism but have never actively thrown myself into the Hindu community out of fear of rejection due to my race, and my culture. My race is not their race, and my culture is not their culture. You see, in the society I live in, the American society, we are so disgustingly unaccepting of others, and others cultures and races that I applied that American custom, to their society also. Boy, was I wrong. Here, in America, if you are different..in many ways, lets say, you practice a different religion, you look different, or you are a different race…you are singled out, picked on, and made a joke out of. You are pushed away instead of welcomed.

I was afraid of that same treatment if I went to the temple and willingly subjected myself as a minority. Now, I have been to the temple two other times. Once I just went and I was very welcomed by an old, old, OLD man who taught me the correct way to pray, then I took two friends to the celebration of Navaratri and to be honest..I had no clue what was going on that night.

So, as a Shaivite, I woke up yesterday morning with one worry on the brain. To go, or not to go. So, without further ado…I WENT! Yes, Soda and I were the ONLY white people there. But, no one looked at us weird, no one gave two fucking shits about our race, or our culture. We were welcomed with open arms and I even got a SPONSORED PUJA. Yes. Me. I went up, in front of everyone, with the priest and performed puja, aarati, everything. It was so great.

There were like one hundred people there, it was total chaos, no one cared what anyone else was doing..unlike church where youre made to sit down, shut up, and listen to some old dude talk about shit you dont care about. It was AMAZING.

I think this sums it all up:

Happiness is not external.

The world outside of my window is fast paced, constantly changing, constantly evolving.  My take on reality is that nothing we do in this life is ever going to matter here, or anywhere fucking else for that matter. But, I will be god damned if I let that beat me down. Happiness is internal. There are no outside sources that can effect who we are. None outside of me, and none outside of you.

I think the point of this life is…to enjoy it. I dont think there is any huge metaphysical conundrum, no scientific or religious or spiritual explanation. No huge “meaning of life” that we all search for. Its right here…its right in front of us.

We are given this. Lets enjoy it. After all, dont you think thats really the point of it all?

“It’s all about love. love. love. love.
Don’t ever let anything be more important”.
- Jeff Buckley

This is a bulletin a friend posted on myspace.
I made a personal response to this bulletin that I will post below, AFTER I post the original bulletin. Heres the original:

Body: Why do we ((sleep)) in [[school]],

But stay ((awake)) through a [[3 hour movie]]?
Why is it so ((hard)) to talk about [[God]],
but so ((easy)) to talk about [[sex]]?
Why are we so ((bored)) when we look at a [[Christian magazine]],
but find it ((easy)) to read [[Playboy]]?
Why is it so easy to ((ignore)) a [[Godly]] myspace bulletin,
Yet we ((repost)) the [[nasty]] ones?
Why are ((churches)) getting [[smaller]],
But ((bars and clubs)) are [[expanding]]?
Why is it so easy to purchase {beer} and {drugs}?
But so hard to donate 25 cents for a {Charity}?
Why is it so easy to worship a {Celebrity}?
But very difficult to engage with {God}?
Think about it, are you going to repost this?
Are you going to ignore it, cause you think you’ll get laughed at?
Repost this as “dont read if ur immature ….seriously”
80 % of you wont repost this.
The Lord said:
“If you deny me in front of your friends, I will deny you in front of my Father

And, my response ^_^ :
This was in my bulletin box! All due respect goes to the people who believe in Christianity, Jesus, and all things Abrahmic, however, some of us do not. So, I will gladly answer the questions posed in this bulletin from my perspective!

Everything I type will be inbetween ::::these::::

Body: Why do we ((sleep)) in [[school]], :::Because our education system is so underfunded and primitive there are no new, innovative, interactive and INTERESTING ways to teach school. In order to learn something, one has to be interested in it. Schools do not make anything interesting for the students, therefore, they dont learn:::

But stay ((awake)) through a [[3 hour movie]]? :::Because it is interesting and it holds our interest, unlike school.:::

Why is it so ((hard)) to talk about [[God]], ::::I dont find it hard to talk about God at all, its just that, living in the buckle of the Bible belt, the idea of “God” and what “God” is, is very very narrow and trapped inside of an ages old box that no one here has the willpower or the bravery to break open. People are indirectly forced to blindly believe in something and never challenge it. I challenge things. I challenge man made ideals about what God is. I challenge the beliefs and the believers of a man made religion. Christianity is a man made religion. Most Christians havent the slightest idea about the true history of Christianity and condemn you to hell before you can even begin to try and teach it to them, yet they are so quick to “witness” their misguided truths to you.::

but so ((easy)) to talk about [[sex]]? :::There is absolutely nothing wrong with sex. Sex is a natural occurrence, a human NEED, just like sleeping or eating. A positive, healthy sex life has positive physical and mental benefits. In our society, sex is either talked about in a negative way..or not talked about at all. There is no positive sex education here, only sexual miseducation. American mass media fills our youths heads full of sexual ideas about how a woman should look, how much she should weigh, how a man should treat her. American mass media essentially fucks up our ideas about beauty and sex from a very young age. Sex NEEDS to be talked about.:::

Why are we so ((bored)) when we look at a [[Christian magazine]], ::::Because I find the same ol rehashed “modern” Christian babble to be the most boring, false dribble ive ever read in my life. Now, if a Christian magazine one day decided to write articles about the first Ecumenical Councils, the Council of Nicea, The Great Schism, etc..then I would LOVE to read them. But they dont, they are filled with simple minded propaganda…they are filled with myths to manipulate the masses.:::

but find it ((easy)) to read [[Playboy]]? ::::I dont know anyone who even reads Playboy, but, I could say that this is a direct outcome of the moronic ideas the American Mass Media pumps into the minds of our youth regarding ideas of sexuality and beauty.:::

Why is it so easy to ((ignore)) a [[Godly]] myspace bulletin, ::: I am not ignoring this one. However, most “Godly” bulletins are filled with simple ideas from one viewpoint. Simple “CHRISTIAN” ideas. I am neither simple, nor Christian.:::

Yet we ((repost)) the [[nasty]] ones? :::I dont repost any nasty bulletins but I could definitely say that this is also a direct repercussion of what mass media is instilling into our youths:::

Why are ((churches)) getting [[smaller]],::::Because people are coming to their senses and realizing that NOTHING taught in modern American “Christianity” has anything to do with real early Christianity and, in fact, keeps true Christianity under wraps because it promotes individuality and deep spirituality. What is taught in church now is a product of MAN. It has nothing to do with God. Read your history.::::

But ((bars and clubs)) are [[expanding]]? ::::Because as human beings, we desire pleasure. Its not that bars and clubs are the only things that can give us pleasure..spirituality and God can also give us pleasure. However, some of us simply arent satisfied with the same rehashed crap pulverized into our brains over and over and over again. There is a LIMITLESS amount of knowledge that exists within this mass consciousness. What the MEN who preach “Christianity” in this modern world would LIKE me to believe as truth, well, I know otherwise and I am not dumb enough to simply believe it blindly without questioning, studying, and doing my research. Anyway..whats wrong with bars and clubs?:::

Why is it so easy to purchase {beer} and {drugs}? ::::Why shouldnt it be? Who says these things are wrong? We are human beings, we desire pleasure. One does not have to relate the consumption of alcohol and drugs to God, but they also CAN be related and have been for centuries. As a matter of fact, throughout history many cultures have consumed alcohol and drugs as a means to build a bridge TO God and TO the divine. The Mazatec Indians use Salvia, the Bwitists use Iboga, Native American Tribes use a multitude of entheogens, “Soma” from The Vedas is thought to be the Amanitas Muscaria mushroom, different species of mushrooms are also used by natives of Papua New Guinea. Research is being conducting now among scholars who believe that the “manna” referred to in the Old Testament was actually Psylocibin Mushrooms (P. cubensis). The physical descriptions of Manna, as well as the cultivation and harvesting methods described in the Bible are identical to those of Psilocybin Mushrooms(P. cubensis). Manna means “Bread of the Gods” just as the Mayan word TEONANACATL, the Greek word AMBROSIA, the Sanskrit word SOMA, which all describe Psylocibin Mushrooms of varying species, but mostly P. cubensis, which are still consumed today. It is social stigma and moral subjectivity which have made “drugs” a bad thing, and in may circumstances if not used correctly they can be bad. But, if used negatively…what ISNT bad? “Beer and drugs” may be looked upon by modern society as completely bad and separate from God..but who is to dictate that, really?:::

But so hard to donate 25 cents for a {Charity}? ::::I have never personally come across someone who would not donate 25cents to charity, but perhaps this could be due to the outing of many charities as false. The news that so many so called “charities” dont really donate the money to just causes at all, but pocket the money. Perhaps in todays society greed has gone so far to everyones head that no one knows who to trust.:::

Why is it so easy to worship a {Celebrity}? ::::Again, this completely has to do with the subliminal brainwashing of the masses by the American Mass Media.:::

But very difficult to engage with {God}? :::Because most people are not educated about God. In this country, people are only given one view of God, one definition. They grow up Christian, are familiar with it, and due to all of the fire and brimstone threats they are afraid to question it or look elsewhere. If I was taught that God could possibly condemn me, his own creation, his creation created in likeness of him, to a lifetime of suffering in hell, I would find it very hard to talk to him too.:::

Think about it, are you going to repost this? :::I most definitely am.:::

Are you going to ignore it, cause you think you’ll get laughed at? :::Most certainly not. I hope that I will educate someone by reposting this:::

Repost this as “dont read if ur immature ….seriously” :::No. I will repost it as something different.:::

80 % of you wont repost this.

I would absolutely LOVE to see someone post a rebuttal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

I just came across this radio interview with a man named Larry Nichols who worked alongside Bill Clinton for a very long time inside of the Government. And, Wow. Just. Wow. The things said in this interview are absolutely insane. You have to hear it.

http://www.nw0.info/files/Radio/Alex%20Jones%20Radio%20Archive/2008/February/aj_2008-02-07.mp3

Let it load all the way, and then skip to about the center…listen for a man with a raspy voice. The things that the Clintons have been doing throughout their political career…whew. My, my, my.  I know that recently there is a lot of talk about the church Obama belongs to…that is a grain of salt in the ocean in comparison to the shit that will be heard here. Larry Nichols is an ex special forces CIA operative who worked with the Clintons until he found out that Cocaine was being imported via Mena, Arkansas. He talks about that, he talks about the murder of a farmer whos daughter Bill Clinton was fucking, the farmer was gonna go public with the affair…I mean..its crazy shit. Really sad. These are an extremely corrupt people. There is a part of me that feels sorry that Hillary is involved in this, but thats just it..she IS a part of all of this. My reasons for disliking her before were trivial, menial. Silly. As a matter of fact, I liked her and hoped that she could possibly be vice president. Not anymore. The Clintons need to be kept out of office.

Tonight, I was talking to a friend of mine who has been having some struggles with depression lately. Now, most of you who know me are probably saying “uh oh!” hahaha. I suffered with depression every minute of my teenage life. I was diagnosed as Bipolar Disorder/Manic Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (which turned into Panic Disorder just a little less than a year ago) at a very young age. This was something that, in time, I learned to celebrate. I know, that sounds weird, right? Well…it is a part of who I am and everything that has made me who I am is worth celebrating. Not just the good stuff, but the bad stuff too because those things taught me some extremely important lessons.
I know how hard depression can be. Chemical or situational..its very rough. I have grown much bigger than my Bipolar Disorder. This in no way means that I do not feel depressed anymore, or that I do not ever feel manic anymore. It just means that I have learned to identify my symptoms and work through them. Not everyone is this lucky.

Now, with all of that said..I do not EVER party with the pity partyers. I do not sugar coat things for them, I do not give in to their pity partying. I dont party with ‘em. I am not going to oblige them. Theres no reason to. That isnt help. They dont need someone to say “ohhh oh my gosh, I am like, sooo sorry, you poor baby.” That shit doesnt help. It makes them worse, it makes them wanna cry some more. They need a fat hit of reality, even if it sounds completely rude. It doesnt mean I dont care, it doesnt mean they cant cry on my shoulder. It just means im NOT GONNA LIE. Reality doesnt lie.

So, onto the point of my story. I was conversing with a friend of mine who has had some problems with depression recently. I think that he is also dealing with quite a bit of self pity. I was just suggesting things that could possibly make him feel better and it hit me..MASSAGE! Its called massage THERAPY for a reason. I told him “You need to go get a massage! It will make you feel soooooo much better. The power of human touch is A-MAZING!”
His response was:

heh thers only one person ill let touch me and that a significate other lmao (sic)

My response to this was “Wow. Thats really fucking stupid. No offense.” Lmfao. Dont you love it when someone says something completely offensive and then says “no offense” at the end? I am guilty as charged on that one, over, and over, and over again. Yeah, anyway…I said “Dont ever underestimate the power of human touch. Its extremely powerful. Immensely powerful. There is NO need to sexualize human contact. Human contact is essential to our mental and physical health.”
So he said”

lol i guess you can see it that way but growing up without affection, if a female puts her hand on me my heart will flutter and if a guy does he must want to get hit (sic)

My response was “Guess what? Thats part of being human.” He told me that touch is a very personal thing to him. Well, touch is a personal thing to everyone, as it should be, because it is very powerful, however, just because something is personal or even sacred…that doesnt mean that it should be reserved and hidden. Not to mention that one would think that if someone is depressed and has stated verbally that they hate the way they feel and they want to feel differently…they would be willing to try just about anything. I supplied him with a few links about the power of human touch.

He says:

well ill just keep having logic failures and wait to be touched untill i find someon (sic)
well i grew up without a father, my mom maybe hugged me twice, and my bother and sister were much younger than me, and we moved all the time. what does this have to do with anything. maybe having touch from anyone other than who i want it from feels rather alien like a guinnee pig running up your pants(sic)

Now, here is where I will discontinue the conversation between my friend and I and get into my rant. There is no reason why being touched by someone should feel alien. Now, I realize that there could be trauma in many peoples lives that changes the way they feel about being touched and this is not what im talking about. That is a whole different situation that you wont find me discussing here.
In our “advanced” Western society, it feels alien to us to be touched by another human being that is not someone we are fucking. This simply is not the way things should be. We have forgotten about one another. We have forgotten how important it is to just hug each other once in a while. In a society that is so technologically advanced, we have abandoned ourselves spiritually. We have been left to fend for ourselves alone in this world, without the aid of our brothers and sisters because we have sexualized the human body and human touch so much that it has become taboo to embrace someone when they desperately need it. If two men hug, they are “gay” (as if being gay is some horribly negative thing). If two women hug, all the sudden they are lesbians who were only put upon this Earth as sexual objects of perverted 40+ year old mens desire. Its absolutely devastating that we have been so thoroughly brainwashed into abandoning each other. There are societies that have existed upon this earth for centuries that have entire medicinal arts based solely upon touch and the energy that is passed between two humans when they touch. There are martial arts based completely on the energy that flows throughout everything in our universe, including our own bodies.

The benefits of human touch are not only hailed in “alternative” Eastern medicinal practices, but in our own Western medicine as well.

I hate that our society has put such sexualized stigmas and taboos on touching each other. The positive energy passed between two human beings when they exchange touch is so powerful, it is love and I think that it is painfully obvious that our world needs as much love as possible right now. Hug someone today. Hug someone that you normally would not hug, I can PROMISE you that it will not only make your day, but it will make theirs too!

If you guys would like to learn more about how essential touch is, check out the following links:
Pleasure/Power
WebMB Power of human touch.
Reiki using human touch

^_^

So, today is Thanksgiving so I thought I would write an entry about what I am Thankful for this year.

I have a lot of things to be Thankful for this year.
My aunt is doing well. For a while there I was very afraid that I could lose her and that another person in my very small family would pass away, breaking a very tight tie that binds us all. But, she was stronger than we all thought she would be and she fought her disease with positivity and laughter. She surprised us all, I think. I am proud of her and my uncle, and their son, my cousin. For being strong enough to deal with everything the way they have. I love you guys and I am very thankful for you.

My mom. What can I say? She is my rock. My shelter. My best friend. I am thankful that not only is she my very best friend, but I am lucky enough to have her as a mother as well. She has made so many sacrifices in her life for me. She raised me the way a good mother is supposed to raise a little girl and throughout all my life it was just us. Me and my mama, ive never needed anything else. And, I still dont need anything else. I love my mother more than anything in this whole wide world, she is my life and without her…I would be nothing.

Kelley. My best friend and cousin. I am thankful that she has turned out to be the strongest woman I know, next to my mother.  Throughout all the trials and tribulations in her life she always comes out of them with a new lesson, and a new strength. She is a survivor and I am very proud of the strong woman she has become.

Soda. We have come so far in the past two years. The way we have changed and molded to each others needs makes me so happy inside. We went from something very very bad, to something very beautiful. You love me, you respect me, I love you and I respect you. We live our lives together. Every dream I have, you are there with me. Every fantasy, you are there with me. You are my BEST friend, my lover, my partner…youre my everything! I am thankful for you…and I love you.