CASE HISTORY 6
NAME: Luc
Date of Birth: 1944
SEX: Male
Profession: Manager
COMPLAINTS & DURATION
- Stress
- Smoking
- Alcohol
PROGNOSIS: Guarded
DISCUSSION
The salient features of this case are:
- Stress
- Cigarette addiction
- Alcohol addiction
- Stress
Stress is a term which refers to the results of failure of an organism to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats, whether actual or imagined. Signs of stress may be cognitive, emotional, physical or behavioral.
In the present case the signs included:
- poor judgment, a general negative outlook.
- excessive worrying, moodiness, irritability, agitation, inability to relax.
- eating or sleeping too much or not enough.
- increased alcohol, cigarette or drug
- nervous habits such as limb pains.
Stress refers to a wide range of phenomena, from mild irritation to drastic dysfunction that may cause severe health breakdown. Physiologists define stress as how the body reacts to a stressor, real or imagined a stimulus that causes stress. When the threat or stressor is identified, the body’s stress response gives rise to an increase of adrenaline, to bring about the fight or flight response. Although the body tries to adapt to the strains or demands of the environment, it cannot keep this up indefinitely. Thus, its resources are gradually depleted. Gradually, as all of the body’s resources are depleted it is unable to maintain normal function.
Chronic stress affects the body’s immune systems. There is increased vulnerability to infection. There may be hormonal and metabolic changes that may lead to heart disease and other health problems. Responses to stress include adaptation, anxiety and depression.
- Cigarette addiction
Smoking is a popular activity for many people. They continue to enjoy it even though they are well aware of its health risks. The main reason is nicotine addiction. Psychologically, it causes the smoker to feel relaxed as well as stimulated. Some find that it calms their nerves or energises them, especially if they smoke first thing in the morning.
- Alcohol addiction
Alcohol is consumed by many people who see it as a pleasant way of unwinding after a long, hard day. It is supposed to help one to relax. When taken on a regular basis or when it becomes difficult to manage without a drink then it has become an addiction. In other words the person has crossed the line into ‘alcoholism’.
Alcohol is classed as a depressant drug. ‘Depressant’ is used to describe processes in which alcohol shuts down those areas of the brain which are responsible for our physical, mental and emotional behaviour. ‘Drug’ refers to the fact that it directly affects the physical and mental state of the drinker and excessive use can lead to an addiction.
The transition from problem drinking to full blown alcoholism occurs over a period of time. However, if detected early it can be prevented. The person develops a tolerance to alcohol over a period of time, the body demanding it in order to function normally.
Effects of Yoga and Meditation
Luc was a senior manager in a large private company. He was responsible for a large work force and had several responsibilities. The tempo of work led him to be constantly on the go. At work or at home the stress was constant. This led him to seek some relaxation in alcohol and cigarettes.
He felt something was going wrong. The daily stress was overwhelming, he realised. This led him to come for meditation. Right from the first day he felt there was something special happening.
“The first day, despite all distracting thoughts, I came out of meditation with a sense of well-being…” *
That special feeling would be carried over to all his activities during the whole week. For the first time he would really feel relaxed.
“The ensuing week I felt a powerful force in me and I ran through my activities with such good-nature and speed that my secretary could not help making comments about the change. I must explain that at that time my assistant was away from the country. It would normally mean stress, bad-temper and the like.” *
Meditation was having very positive effects on his whole constitution. His whole life and outlook showed marked changes. He could cope better with any added stress and strain.
“I am usually a ‘bad’ traveler and I have to travel abroad often….it was a short but dense two week trip. I hardly slept in the same hotel more than two nights as I was on the move all the time….I was surprised by the ease with which I went through all the stress.”*
Meditation was having other positive effects. Previously he resorted to cigarette and alcohol to ‘unwind’ after a heavy day at office. Gradually, much to his surprise, the need for these artificial props would diminish.
“I am usually a heavy smoker and, before dinner, a three double-whisky drinker. That afternoon, I had one cigarette on which I barely puffed and the only whisky I served myself was about half-consumed at dinner time and conscientiously spilled it on to the lawn when I was called up table.”*
He would later benefit another way from meditation. He had a frozen shoulder with acute pain. He had been advised intra articular injections daily for one whole week. Spontaneous yoga postures during meditation healed him of his shoulder problem.
“Often meditators experience movements and yogic postures which are termed Kriyas…I was at that time suffering from a swollen and painful shoulder. During meditation l felt a force gently and slowly move my head slowly towards that very shoulder… then I felt my legs outstretch themselves and in a graceful manner, the movements finally unfolded into a ‘twist’ posture. I have practiced yoga postures in my early years and even then I could only perform the ‘twist’ posture mid-way so to speak. And yet, there was I doing the posture as one really should. My pain quickly subsided within a couple of days. Perhaps they would have anyway but then why did the medical specialist have to provides for a daily injection for the whole coming week?…of course there was no need for further injections.” *
(*Excerpts from article, LUC, Magazine I, 1990, Page 19-20)
CONCLUSION
Luc’s senior managerial post brought with it heavy responsibilities. This was all the more so because of the heavy competitive atmosphere prevalent in the private sector. The continuous stress was sapping all his energy. As is usually the case he became a heavy smoker and a heavy drinker. What had started as a means of socializing in business was now brought at home as a means of relaxation.
The stress of work and heavy addictions led to a depletion of his vital energy reserves. He would probably have gone into a downward spiral and ended up ‘burnt out’ had he not come for meditation. As he has stated, meditation proved to be a completely new experience with surprising results. Very soon he experienced its benefits.
Right from day one he felt the sense of well being he had long been missing. The positive changes would really surprise him. His whole life, personal and professional would be altered positively. He could now cope with the stress and take any added responsibility in his stride. He even had a cure for some shoulder problem without any medication, just with meditation!
The prana he was accumulating from meditation would first balance his system, re-establish homeostasis and later would cure any pathology he might be having from his daily stressful life style. He was later promoted and worked for years as senior-most manager before retirement.