Losing Control

I used to take some light snacks before evening Buddhist class on Fridays and tuck in supper after that. Last Friday I skipped lunch and decided to have a heavier meal before class. So I finished one whole plate of Hor Fun which was a bigger portion than I expected and which came in a swirl of starchy gravy. I forced myself to finish it to avoid the guilt of wasting food.

The whole of that evening found me fighting to keep awake. The carbo overdose played tricks on me, flashing screens after screens of images which usually happens just before one dozes off. So instead of having clarity during meditation I was continuously trying to drag myself out of slumber. Paying attention to the teacher was another battle. In my blurry mind state I even thought the Ivory Buddha (which looked onto the hall) wore a smile when the teacher made some humourous remarks!

It is kind of infuriating that a careless food intake can render such loss of control. You feel like you were foolishly robbed off your will power. It also serves to show how a person's feelings, thoughts and behaviour are affected by his body constitution, physically and chemically. You might have heard of the case of a man in the States whose urge to commit sexual crime fluctuates with the growth, removal and regrowth of a tumour in his brain. The tumour pushes against the prefrontal lobe which is the area responsible for self restraint. Chemical imbalance is another cause of mental disorders in some people.

It really is quite scary to think that recreational Marijuana is recently legalized in Colorado and Washington. Of course arguments in support have been put forward about it's existing widespread use and the huge resources spent on the fight against the illegal drug trade and the crimes that proliferated from it. Even then it is quite incomprehensible that a state can allow the increased risk of drug addiction and not protect its citizens from ruining their mental health. Already it has been reported that there has been a significant increase in young children treated for accidentally taking marijuana laced cookies, cakes, sweets and drinks since the new laws were passed; not to mention the unfavouratble messages the legalisation is sending to children that it is ok to lose control of your mind and rationale.

Hopefully the liberalisation of drug use is contained within certain countries and will not influence others. Many countries are facing the problens of an aging population. It is estimated that there are about 44 million people suffering from dementia worldwide and it is expected to grow to 75 million in 2020. The irony is stark. Whilst tens of millions are hanging on to their last strains of reasoning power and grasping the last trace of memories, millions will also be paying and seeking fun to lose these faculties.

As I am likely to be amongst the 75 million unfortunate people, I should treasure clarity of mind whenever possible, taking more care and refrain from careless acts like gorging inappropriate food.