THE CONSUMPTION OF GREED
The Works of Mark Edgemon from All-Creatures.org

Mark Edgemon has been writing for 30 years. He writes and publishes short stories, articles, poetry and scripts, as well as, produces audio comedy productions for over 700 radio stations nationwide.

Contact Mark through his website, Creator and the Catalyst.

THE CONSUMPTION OF GREED

Addiction is more about ending, relieving or distracting pain than seeking pleasure. The seeming advantage of an addiction over prescribed medication is that with the momentary burst of pain relief, there is also a momentary burst of pleasure, whereas with medication, there is only the masking of pain. The disadvantage of coping with pain through an addiction is the need to increase the amount of consumption of the chemical stimulus, if not through drugs or alcohol, then through chemicals produced by the body through certain behavioral responses.

All wrong behavior can be grouped into three areas of negative motivation: lust, greed and pride. The over consumption of alcohol, drugs, food and sex are addictions motivated by lust. Addictive behavior motivated by an amplification of one’s own self importance, such as the need to put others down through cutting verbal remarks, the causing of others to feel inferior, the need for adulation from others and an over inflated ego are all attributed to addictive behavior motivated by pride.

Greed however, is about the act of acquisition, not the accumulation of possessions. The difference between acquiring and possessing is that the naturally produced chemical responses are brought about at the point of the acquisition, which dissipates shortly thereafter. Usually, the possessions become a burden to the addict, who feels remorse for making the purchase, much like an alcoholic when taking a drink after making a commitment to forswear it.

Each soul has a predisposed set of factors that creates the behavioral structure, which causes them to more easily fall into an addiction. For example, a person may feel the need to actively acquire possessions to give themselves a momentary boost of self worth. But the effects of the stimulus, as with all addictions, are brief and will require the acceleration of more stimuli as the pattern of acquisition to cope with pain continues.

Proteins called opiate receptors stimulate certain parts of the brain based on the type of addiction. The opiate receptors are proteins located on the surfaces of nerve cells, or neurons. The brain works through those neurons, communicating with each other by releasing signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters. The opiate-like chemicals produced within a person’s body, controls their pain and their immune responses. With each type of addiction, there is a unique firing pattern, which changes as the addict’s body deteriorates from excessive stimulation.

This group of chemicals includes encephalin, which has the same actions as morphine, and beta-endorphin, a hormone produced by the brain's pituitary gland. The positron emission tomography scan of opiate receptors in the human brain shows the highest concentrations in the thalamus region, which is the area of the brain involved with pain and also intermediate concentrations in the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia, which plays an important role in movement and emotions.

These scans, which reveal the chemical concentrations on various areas of the brain, were validated through the research of J. James Frost, M.D., and PhD of Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Although the physical reaction to chemical stimulus within a person’s body is scientific in nature, the prompting to initiate the stimulus is spiritual.

All internal conflicts of the spirit are over the acceptance of Truths. It begins when Truth is presented by one’s spirit for consideration of acceptance. When Truth is received, it is integrated into the mind and becomes a part of that soul’s governing policy, which guides that person throughout their continued life. When a Truth is rejected, the pain begins. Since Truth is the basis of how everything works, when a soul rejects Truth, they are no longer able to work at peak efficiency. The more Truths that are refused, the more pain that soul experiences.

When a person knows the Truth in any given situation and has refused to accept it, they will suffer mental, emotional and spiritual pain when confronted in life by situations that require that Truth. The person in pain can either treat their suffering or justify their non-acceptance.

The simple Truths are the building blocks of life’s scientific, spiritual and societal structure. With the acceptance of life’s basic Truths, a person glides through difficulties, prepared to overcome each challenge that they are faced with on a daily basis. Refusing to accept each Truth as it presents itself through life’s situations will weaken that soul’s ability to deal with their failures or successes.

Copyright © 2008 Mark Edgemon

 

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