Nationally Known Expert Claims Addiction to Fear Is Causing More Suffering Than the Coronavirus
PALM BEACH, Fla., April 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Donna Marks, the author of Exit the Maze – One Addiction, One Cause, One Cure, claims addiction to fear is causing more suffering than the coronavirus. The treatment industry defines addiction as repeating the same behavior over and over despite negative consequences. There are 35 million deaths per year worldwide from heart disease, lung cancer, and Type 2 Diabetes resulting from the abuse of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sugar, and trans-fats. Ironically, these are the people at highest risk of dying from the coronavirus, Dr. Marks says.
With increased isolation and crisis-filled news cycles, the majority of Americans are living in a self-imposed fear frenzy but remain oblivious to the long-term consequences. Boredom has set in, and the need to fill the void is intensifying. "Fear creates chemical releases in the body that mask the void. It´s at the root of most addictions," Dr. Marks claims.
Fear is a natural, built-in emotion that warns us to respond to impending danger; it is much different than the self-imposed imaginary fears of the unknown. Some people get so excited by the sensations of being afraid that they become addicted to it. The internal uneasiness creates the need for sedation, Dr. Marks says.
Staying glued to bad news, herding to the grocery store, and obsessing about contracting the illness are several ways people exacerbate their addiction to fear. The higher the anxiety, the greater the need to self-medicate with alcohol, drugs, smoking, bad food, online gambling, and porn, Dr. Marks says. Fear-based decisions are rarely good decisions. TV news programs have been reporting a significant increase in food and alcohol purchases, yet also pointing out that most of the people dying from coronavirus are diabetic, obese or have other significant health issues.
There's plenty we can do to keep ourselves in a peaceful state of mind in spite of the real external challenges, Dr. Marks says. We can practice handwashing, cleanliness, and social distancing. "But more importantly," she says, "we can learn to choose love instead of fear. We can distance ourselves from bad news and move emotionally closer to our families. Preparing healthy meals together, playing games, exercising, reading, watching comedies, and engaging in old-fashioned conversations can provide opportunities for much-needed bonding."
"We can take this unique historical experience to get sick or get healthier," says Dr. Marks. "We can choose between destructive behavior and acts of self-love. Our brain has two channels: one with negative thoughts that fuel the flames of fear, and another with positive thoughts that make us feel peaceful. We don't have control of outside circumstances, but we do have control over which channel we listen to and what we do with our time. The choice is ours to make: fearful or peaceful. One makes us weak, the other makes us strong. One taxes our immune system, the other doesn't. It´s up to us."
About the Author
Dr. Donna Marks believes that the current models for diagnosis, treatment, and addiction have failed. Her mission is to help save at least 10 million lives by 2030, through education and prevention. She has been an author, consultant, educator, public speaker, licensed psychotherapist, instructor of A Course in Miracles, and addictions counselor in private practice in Palm Beach, Fla., for more than 30 years.
Contact: Dr. Donna Marks, (561) 436-9360; [email protected]; www.drdonnamarks.com
SOURCE Donna Marks
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