Coach B’s Cliff Notes of “The Natural High”
Book: The Natural High
Author: Melissa Hiemann
Link to Order: https://amzn.to/4jn7euw
I never was the kind that found it super cool to sit stoned out my mind, in a different head space. Honestly, it freaked me out not being in control.
Oddly enough, I enjoy being naturally high on life, able to think and do with clarity and intention. Addiction was never my thing – no matter any drink I lifted, cigarette I nearly choked on, etc. I feel lucky.
I say this because addiction has always been an interesting, curious subject for me.
What fuels it?
What is it?
What do you do about it?
My takeaways from the book:
- Addiction typically is a result of unprocessed trauma or emotions – a band aid or coping mechanism.
- Addiction isn’t just alcohol and drugs. It can be shopping, sex, gambling, and pretty much any other activity one might engage in which becomes a controlling habit.
- This one hit hard – when we judge other people, it’s more a reflection of us than them, typically something you haven’t yet completely put your hands around.
- Learning new things about yourself or a concept increases the dopamine in your brain – it’s the brain’s reward system, influencing motivation, learning, and movement.
- Facing addiction is something you need not do alone. There are resources like free AA meetings as well as places like The Centre for Healing where trained practitioners can help you get to the root cause, not just try to control the symptoms.
Which really got me thinking…
I imagine many of us have experienced addiction, whether it was us or someone around us, at some point in time. And it’s hard. It’s hard when it’s at home. It’s hard when it finds its way into your company.
What impact does addiction have on families?
What impact does addiction have in business?
What SOP do you have in place if addiction is suspected in your workplace?
I would encourage you all to take this seriously. Without addressing it, it can lead to bigger issues.
I have first-hand experience in having an alcoholic employee (or a few). I remember the suspicion, the growing concerns, which soon became liability. It broke my heart to let those employees go, fearful I was going to be the catalyst for them to drink even more. I was a young leader in my 20s at that point without knowledge or a support system in how to handle this type of situation.
I also know what it’s like to live with alcoholics (had a few of those, too).
This is not easy. There is no judgement. But there are resources, tools, and always, always will be help available.
For anyone feeling that they may want to find further resources, please check out https://www.aa.org/.
Who should read this book:
- All adult humans
Side note:
I am proud of accomplishing my Certified Trauma-Informed Coach Certificate from Australia’s The Centre for Healing. I am not a licensed therapist and will always recommend out when I ethically cannot support someone. I find it incredibly beneficial though to have this training and be able to understand the basics of trauma/addiction.
In summary:
We all face battles, and none of us need nor have to do this alone. It’s pretty human to want to mask/cover up what’s painful, but there is so much healing that can occur when you process things that are buried deep, holding you back.
Addiction impacts you and everyone around you. This isn’t a “me” thing; it’s us – we all are impacted. While I am not a licensed therapist, I am happy to have a conversation at any time if you feel the impacts of addiction in your life, in any way. I’ll be sure to let you know if it’s a subject that is better suited by a therapist. Please feel free to reach out to me any time.
With empathy and non-judgement,
Coach B
