Embark on a journey of resilience and transformation as we delve into the captivating narrative of Joe—a young man whose remarkable recovery defies the odds and stands as a testament to the enduring power of holistic healing.
In "The Case of the Miracle That Stayed: How to Maintain a Miracle," we explore Joe's tumultuous journey through psychiatric challenges, medication struggles, and ultimately, profound growth.
Through the lens of holistic healing and energy techniques, we uncover the transformative potential of maintaining miracles and the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope amidst darkness and a reminder of the boundless possibilities of transformation.
Case of the Miracle That Stayed
How to Maintain a Miracle
The police found Joe, a young man with thick, straight, black hair and brown eyes, sheltering in an abandoned shack in a rural, isolated area, which he'd accidentally set on fire. He had fled from his home and parents a few days before, confused and delusional.
For the ninth time in the past five years, he required inpatient psychiatric treatment. But this time, I was the outpatient psychiatrist who had been responsible for his care.
I had been helping him withdraw from Risperidone. But after this hospitalization, he would be discharged on three psychiatric medications: Divalproex Sodium (anticonvulsant/mood stabilizer), Risperidone (antipsychotic), and Benztropine (anticholinergic).
His parents contacted me after his discharge and wanted me to please work with him again. But I didn't want to. I felt betrayed and disappointed by Joe, and I didn't trust him.
As he had done after every hospitalization, Joe had abruptly stopped his medication after being discharged. He hid this from me because I'd warned him repeatedly that a successful withdrawal depended on a slow and gradual medication taper. He knew that my willingness to work with him depended on his commitment to a gradual taper.
By the time he shared that he had taken himself off his medication, it was too late to salvage the medication withdrawal process. His condition soon deteriorated, and the withdrawal failed.
Because I am committed to success and not failure, I felt resentful that Joe had ignored my recommendations and intentionally undermined the entire process. However, before I made the call to his parents to inform them that I would not be working with Joe--I energy-tested my decision.
Surprisingly, energy testing indicated that I should work with Joe again. What?! Why?!
I double and triple-checked. The testing results stubbornly remained the same.
Joe was, after all, just 26 years old with the rest of his life ahead of him.
My testing result made me wonder if perhaps his severe symptoms prevented me from appreciating his true nature, worth, and potential. Following the energy testing results, I called his parents and agreed to work with them again.
As a treatment team, we worked differently this time.
Joe was much more transparent and forthright about his concerns and questions. His parents enforced healthy boundaries more effectively and firmly. As for me, inspiration and understanding helped me to piece together disparate parts of Joe's medical history and arrive at a deeper understanding of his unique biological challenges.
I came to believe that Joe's core difficulty involved his inability to detoxify chemicals and toxins. This resulted in severe, negative medication side effects. These severe side effects drove him to abruptly stop taking his medication(s) once he was discharged from the hospital.
In addition, because he wasn't able to metabolize chemicals properly, he would experience higher blood levels of these chemicals. Higher blood levels, if they involve alcohol, cigarettes, or cannabis, led Joe to experience severe addictive and negative side effects, as well as cravings when withdrawing from recreational substances.
Joe's experience with cigarettes clearly illustrated patterns resulting from difficulty with detoxification.
Just before his last hospitalization, when he smoked about eight cigarettes in a row to satisfy his cravings, he immediately became psychotic. During his hospitalization, the staff gave him cigarettes--more than he normally smoked. When he came home, Joe suffered from severe withdrawal and cravings for cigarettes, becoming enraged when his parents refused to indulge him.
Joe's recovery wasn't easy. But, this time, he followed the regimen with the help and support of his parents. His father--a positive, faithful minister--counseled and prayed for him, taking time off work to be there for Joe. His mother took time after work to cook healthy meals free of wheat and dairy and carefully arranged his weekly complex nutritional and medication regimen.
For the first time in his life, Joe trusted the taper process and did not abruptly stop his medications. Gradually, he was able to reduce his medications as recommended until on Saturday, November 25, 2023, he was finally off all his medications. This time, he didn't suffer from any withdrawal symptoms.
To maintain his health, Joe prioritizes a healthy lifestyle and diet. He continues to avoid wheat and dairy, takes a regimen of supplements (gradually reduced over time), and does regular energy work (Energy Breaths). Integrating holistic approaches has helped Joe to remain well. He's even lost ten pounds through regular exercise.
What do I mean by well?
I discovered that the Joe who was ill wasn't the real Joe at all.
The real Joe is a humble, thoughtful, grateful, spiritual, and loving young man. Now, his face often lights up with a sweet smile. His mood is positive and calm. After his healing experiences, he's wondering about a future as a minister or counselor, rather than finance.
We are still working together to heal him from the catastrophic damages his illness brought to him, but now we work together not only for Joe's growth and recovery but for all those whom he will have the opportunity to support and heal.
Have you ever been surprised at being able to help someone whom you thought was beyond help? I'd love to hear about your experience.
Have an awesome week!
Here is a new recording of Energy Breaths that doesn't require visualization for those who have difficulty with visualization during meditation.