How to Overcome Drug Cravings

In Part 2, you learned how addictive drugs that are broken down by the liver and other organs may be incompletely eliminated from the body. Remnants referred to as metabolites have an attraction to fats and so may lodge in the fatty tissue of the body. The rest of the drug remnants pass out of the body via urine, feces or sweat.

Once metabolites are stored in the fatty tissues, they can stay there for years. Vigorous exercise, a high stress situation or intense emotions can all cause the body to draw on energy reserves stored in fatty tissue. When these energy reserves are tapped, the lodged metabolites may be released into the bloodstream once again.

In the late 1970s, American author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard discovered this phenomenon of stored drug residues and their involvement in triggering cravings. He observed that many people who had used drugs years before still had difficulty thinking clearly and quickly. He also noted that the release of metabolites could give a person the same feelings they had when they had used drugs years before. To help people recover from these long-lasting effects of drug use, he began to look for a solution.

Addressing the Underlying Problem

In 1979, Mr. Hubbard completed the development and testing of the precise protocol for flushing metabolites out of the fatty tissue. He immediately released it for public use in the book Clear Body Clear Mind. It was also made available to the Narconon network of rehabilitation centers. The network chose to incorporate it into its rehabilitation protocol to make a successful program even more successful.

Now, early in a person’s recovery from addiction, they do the Narconon New Life Detoxification. The use of generous doses of vitamins and minerals, including niacin to open the blood vessels, combined with moderate exercise and time spent in a low-heat sauna enabled the body to release stored metabolites. Each person starts at a tolerable gradient of supplements and time in the sauna and gradually increases supplementation and time in the sauna.

Supervision of the process and any phenomena associated with it is very close and careful. Each person on the Narconon New Life Detoxification keeps accurate notes of exercise, supplements, water and food intake and any changes in emotions, thoughts or physical condition. It has been found that as the metabolites are released from the fatty tissue and start moving out of the body, a person can re-experience old drug sensations. This shows the wisdom of going through this process at a residential facility with experienced staff around who have gone through this themselves. There is always plenty of support for anyone who might need it.

There will come a moment for each person when the body has completed its detoxification process. This has truly been a turning point for many people who thought that the damage resulting from heavy drug use would be with them forever. Once again, there’s a shine in their eye, a lightness to their step. Thinking is easier, clearer and faster. Most people finishing this step of their recovery talk about how much better their skin and hair look and say how much younger they feel and how much better they sleep. These are all excellent results but the main one that is significant is the change in cravings. Those completing routinely comment on greatly reduced cravings. Some people even say their cravings are gone.

Here is the magnificent gift to a recovering addict, a substantial drop in cravings without any kind of substitute drugs. Reduced or eliminated cravings that mean that the person can simply get on with learning drug-free life skills and then get back to the job of living.

Every Narconon drug rehabilitation center around the world offers the Narconon New Life Detoxification as part of rehabilitation. Around the world, addicts are able to leave their damaged lives behind and replace them with new, drug-free, productive and enjoyable ones.

Series of articles explaining drug addiction