Mind of My Mind | An Introduction

Mind of my Mind is a multi-part investigation into alcohol and it’s complicated relationship with the Individual, Culture and Society. Alcohol affects almost all aspects of an individual internal makeup; their gut, memory, emotional development, nervous system, decision-making, you name it. But it also affects their relationship with society and culture, making it a depressing interdependence.

In terms of preconceived notions, I am starting from a blank slate, and plan to use the Scoping Review Process as the methodology to accumulate and synthesise the research since it will allow me to adapt iteratively to the knowledge as it becomes available.

The primary aim of this inquiry is to inform and ground The Thousand Arms in the realities of ‘Alcohol’ and ‘Addiction’ and to write stories that better inform people about the adverse affects of drinking.

As of this edit I am looking into multiple signals — Availability of alcohol/Governance, Culture & Society, Habit formation, Addiction, Impact, The phases of recovery, and The different methods of recovery. These broad categories are to suggest the life cycle of addiction and recovery with respect to a person who starts drinking, falls into addiction, becomes aware of their addiction and works toward recovery.

*Please note that the index below is a work in progress and will keep evolving with the project

1/ Introduction to Mind of My Mind — You are here 🙂
2/ What is Addiction — Primer on addiction and dependence.
3/ National and State Alcohol Policies in India
3.1/ Addendum — A Speculations on Better Policies
4/ The Failures of Prohibition

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4.1/ (Upcoming Episode) — In the next addendum I will attempt to speculate possible policy scenarios.

UPCOMING.
— What is the Gut-brain axis?
— Alcohols role and affects in intuition. Emotional numbing and gut instinct suppression with long-term alcohol use. “How does alcohol disconnect us from our intuition?” “What is the role of the gut as a cognitive and emotional organ?”
— How alcohol disrupts gut microbiota and serotonin signalling
— What is GABA and how does alcohol affect GABA
— Intuitive dissonance
— Mind, Memory & Neuroplasticity
— Memory Gaps – blackouts vs. soft dissociation
— The neurological mechanics of blackouts and memory dissociation
— The everyday reality of blackouts and memory deterioration
— How do traditional practices (Hinduism, buddhism, etc) think about alcoholism?
— Somatic memory
— Society & culture of alcohol
— Physical, mental and emotional consequences of withdrawals
— The effects on family
— Attachment issues with the substance and with relationships
— Early age addiction
— Developmental delay due to alcohol use
— Addiction in youth is often misunderstood — along with the aspects of memory loss, emotional outbursts, or “bad behaviour” is a deeper confusion: The self misnarrated, The personality misidentified. A story looping without closure.
— Traditional practices around de-addiction
— Psychedelic recovery
— Benefits of alcohol
— Ancient & shamanistic practices. Community rituals.
— Was alcohol had to be safe from cholera?
— Community aspects of Alcohol
— Livelihood through alcohol production
— Alcohol as a craft

There is much to cover here so let’s get on with it 🙂