Buddhist Psychology for Prevention and Addiction Recovery - Part 1

This is a series of presentations based on Shakya Nanayakkara's book A Mind Liberated from Alcohol and Drugs, a Buddhist Psychology Manual of Prevention and Treatment. Individuals use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs as they have developed attachments and cravings for those drugs due to ignorance. When this attachment or craving for alcohol or drugs is removed, they can easily quit alcohol or drug use without having any relapses. Children and youth also could be prevented from initiating drug use with the right kind of education through threefold training and developing necessary wisdom.
This book discusses the motives, aetiology, and psychopathology of alcohol and drug use through the Buddhist psychological perspective such as proliferation (papañca), pervasions (vipallāsa), attachment, and defilements firstly; secondly analyses the alcohol and drug use behaviour and intentions of getting out of addiction, through Abhidhamma citta and cētasika vibhāga, using unwholesome and wholesome consciousness. Next, the book identifies and analyses how Buddhist Psychology could address to bring an everlasting solution for addictive behaviours, developing virtue, concentration, and wisdom, using mindfulness (cattāro satipaṭṭhānā) practices and various other methods enshrined in early Buddhist literature as tools for cognitive and behavioural transformation towards abstention. Therefore, the methods explained in this book do not belong to a faith-based approach to drug prevention and treatment.
As Buddhism has the solution for alcohol and drug problems, every Buddhist vihara, monastery, or meditation centre should be a centre for treatment and prevention. This book will help a kalyāna mitta to help the children, youth, women and alcohol or drug users to liberate their minds from alcohol and drugs.

[@SepalikaNanayakkara3]

Important topic to discuss

[@jrnib.a8014]

New approach to study.

[@JananiMadushani]

Very good start. I also think Buddhidt Psychology can fill gaps in prevention and treatment. Thank you.

[@SugathYodhasinghapathiranage]

Great explanation buddhist psychology for privention you are the one introducer new styles for this field

[@mathswithsarathbandara6705]

Romeo a Juliat example is great.