*Important resource information follows at the end of this story.
The Hero's Journey (often called monomyth) is a familiar story pattern shared by cultures worldwide. The main character embarks on an adventure, faces many challenges and obstacles, fights bad people and personal demons, and returns triumphantly, transformed.
The monomyth is a term first used by author James Joyce and then expanded by Joseph Campbell. It is the core structure of mythology, found in ancient stories to modern ones. Think of your favorite current books and films, and chances are the story is a monomyth.
The division between substance abuse treatment and mental health approaches is beginning to merge into a more holistic approach. We now know that 45% of addicts also have mental illnesses. Trauma-informed practices have become the norm in addiction treatment, healthcare, educational systems, and social services. A field of research into Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) shows the impact on individuals, families, cultures, and society.
The current approach points out that although these problems often occur together, it does not mean that one caused the other, or even if one appeared before the other. Researchers think that there are three possibilities as to why addiction and mental illness occur together:
A: Common risk factors may contribute to both mental disorders and substance use disorders. These factors include genetics, stress, and trauma.
B: Mental disorders can contribute to drug use and substance use disorders. For example, people with mental disorders may temporarily use drugs or alcohol to feel better, known as self-medication. Also, mental disorders may change the brain to make it more likely to become addicted.
C: Substance use and addiction can contribute to developing a mental disorder. Substance use may change the brain to make you more likely to develop a mental disorder. (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
As time went on and I began to heal, I returned to school. I graduated with a sciences degree in psychology and certifications in addictions treatment and prevention science. I worked in the field for 25 years, and I witnessed firsthand the synergy between mental health and addiction therapies. Seeing the evolution of approaches has been rewarding. Alcoholics Anonymous remains the spiritual tool for growth and progress toward psychic healing for me. Spiritual growth sometimes falls flat in the professional world of treatment and mental health care.
I recently retired from the field and returned to where it all began. I now live in the little farm town of my childhood, with family who has welcomed me and forgiven me for the trials and tribulations I had put them through. They have had their challenges, some tragic, and that has transformed us all into better people.
The apple tree of my childhood is no longer there. Yet, I can see from my backyard where I had that experience as a child of deep connection to the universe and marked the "golden fleece" I was searching for on my journey. Often said is that you can never go home again. And that is because we are not the same people. We changed, grew, transformed. The writer William Faulkner said, "The past is never dead. It's not even past."
We all have a Hero's Journey in our lifetime; such is life. We will transform; that is a given. Most of us can choose whether that transformation redeems us or destroys us.
Innocence is fleeting, but it is always there, ready to welcome us home.
Important Resource Information
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Children thrive in environments where they feel safe, stable, and bonded to their families. Unfortunately, many children have experienced negative and often traumatic situations that can have a lasting impact. In order to support the well-being of children and families, the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) framework identifies discouraging conditions that children may experience so that prevention strategies can work to reduce the likelihood of their recurrence and mitigate their effects.
What Are ACEs? ACEs are traumatic events that occur before a child reaches the age of 18. ACEs include all types of abuse and neglect, such as parental substance abuse, incarceration, and domestic violence. ACEs can also include situations that may cause trauma for a child, such as having a parent with a mental illness or being part of a family going through a divorce. A landmark study in the 1990s found a significant relationship between the number of ACEs a person experienced and a variety of negative outcomes in adulthood, including poor physical and mental health, substance use, and risky behaviors. The more ACEs experienced, the greater the risk for these outcomes.
A short info-graphic: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/aces-and-toxic-stress-frequently-asked-questions/
The ACE's questionnaire: https://acestoohigh.com/got-your-ace-score/
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). There are chapters in almost every city and region of the United States. https://www.nami.org/Home
05262022A4/4
Join us next week for a new series - Kid Power.
This week's blog story is part of a month-long story. To view past installments and other stories, please visit our blog, Learn-Engage-Empower Learn-Engage-Empower, at im4u.world and subscribe to get the stories delivered directly.
This story is among many that inspired us to create im4u.world.
im4u.world is an ambitious project designed to build positive and constructive conversations worldwide, share learning experiences and make real change locally.
It is easy to join us, and there is no cost.
Make a difference in the world. We can show you how.
Comments