Let’s face it. Our everyday conversations are often comprised of a bunch of useless things. “What did you and your friends talk about at lunch?” asks Mom. “Oh, nothing, just small talk” you reply. And I can’t even begin to imagine how many times this kind of conversation plays out. Fact of the matter is that we are fond of putting off “real talks.” Certain discussions that hold meaning and relevance in our lives. This is because small talk is easy. It doesn’t hurt, offend, or pain us in any way. Asking your friend what she watched on TV last night or what she had for breakfast is by far easier than talking about your alcohol problem, cocaine addiction, bad peer involvement, family problems, depression, and whatnot. Life is something hard to talk about. We all get it. But that doesn’t mean you can just ignore it.
But it is important as much as it is hard. And there is always value behind talking about important things. So, forget small talk. We need to discuss matters that really matter – enough said. Today, we’ll start with something very simple yet largely overlooked.
Our holistic health.
Defining Good Health
Yes, what does it mean to be healthy exactly? Are you considered healthy when your body is free from scratches and bruises? Is it enough to just pass your annual health exams? Really, how can you call yourself truly healthy?
Thing is, health is a multi-faceted concept. It does not refer to your physical maintenance alone. You can be 100% free of all diseases, both internal and external, and still be considered unhealthy. Why is this so? Well, long answer short, it means that there are different areas of health. To be healthy, one must satisfactorily comply with the needs of his or her physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being. Integrating these five different facets culminates to what they generally term as “health.”
Let us discuss this concept further using an example. Say, we have one boy who is great at sports, agile, and physically superior. However, he lacks social relationships. In fact, he is so bad at it it affects him in a really bad way. Then, we have one girl who’s a chain-smoker. She coughs intermittently, especially when she’s had a little too much smoke. But on a bright note, she jives really well in social gatherings. She can make any person fall in love with her upbeat personality and engaging communication skills.
Now, let me ask you: Who among the two people given do you consider most healthy?
Neither.
Health may be a subjective concept; different people perceive it in a lot of ways. But it should be the incorporation of all five areas of the self (read more). Overlooking one area is the same as denying your own self. All these facets are a part of you and the satisfaction of each is what makes up your entire well-being. You can be physically healthy yet socially inept like the boy or physically poor yet socially rich like the girl. Either way, you’re still not healthy; you’re still incomplete.
Now, you may think that achieving holistic health is impossible. Well, I’m here to tell you that it can be very much attained. We are all capable of reaching it. However, worldly influences seem to hinder us from doing so. What do I mean by this? Let’s just say that our bodies’ real enemy is the world.
∙ You want to be physically healthy butthe TV, internet, video games, junk food, nicotine, and cocaine are preventing you from doing so.
∙ You want to be emotionally healthy but mainstream media, aggressive social norms, and the shallow dating culture keeps breaking your heart.
∙ You want to be psychologically and mentally healthy, but morphine and ecstasy keeps making rounds in bars. Plus, there’s also the problem with unhygienic heroin injections.
∙ You want to be spiritually healthy but black propagandas, discriminatory acts against religion, and fake news always make you doubt and question your faith.
∙ You want to be socially healthy butridiculous social standards, status quo, bullying and discrimination issues prevent you from forming any real relationships.
Yes, worldly pleasures are often the root of our woes. Our gullibility, suggestiveness, and “Yes-man” kind of attitude will eventually lead to our demise. Although much of these issues is too complicated to unravel and solve in one sitting, I believe it is better if we discuss these issues one by one, starting with the most dangerous: Addiction.
Restructuring the Concept of Addiction
When you hear the word addiction, you often associate it with illegal substances and psychoactive drugs. However, fact of the matter is that addiction isn’t just found in tablets, capsules, powder, and injectable. It can be experienced with everyday objects – even from simple things such as smartphones and toys.
To get to the root of the problem, you must first understand what addiction really is.
Addiction, in a nutshell, is an experience. It is a jumble of emotions that compel people to do something out of their own volition. It is an experience that people can’t help repeating – again and again. For a real addiction to set in, a person must come across a desirable object. This desirable object will become the trigger that calls people to action. It becomes an unbearable and compelling feeling that is hard to resist.
What Does Addiction Have in Store for Your Health & Life?
Whatever your addiction is, it’s no good. You may think I’m biased for saying this since I don’t know your reasons. Still, I’m telling you it’s no good. At home, school or work, when you get caught, you’re done. Although we have temporary solutions like cleardrugtests.com/ which sells synthetic products that can help you pass a drug test, I don’t think you can keep up the facade of being sober for the rest of your life. What you need is a lifestyle change. And you know it.
Anything in excess defies your body’s need for moderation and balance. Your addiction may be harmless now, but always ask yourself a follow-up question:
“For how long?”
