My First Blog Entry

First lay down under

I’m writing this blog in order to chronicle all that I experience and learn as I travel during my year off, and before I take on the new challenge of residency training. Travelling has always been a passion of mine. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to take one year and dedicate it to exploring the world to better understand its people, cultures, plants and animals, and the connections that we all share.

  I was born and raised in Saskatoon and I could not ask for a better place to call home. My family and friends are my main focus in life, and everything about Saskatoon reminds me of how blessed I am to have so many great people surrounding me. I completed all of my education, including my recent graduation from the College of Medicine, in Saskatoon. Following graduation, I chose to withdraw from the residency match that typically follows and opted instead to take some time for social and cultural education, something I felt was much needed at this point in my life. In Western society it’s incredibly easy to get caught up in a work and socialization process that promotes driving hard through education and work training to advance in a competitive environment.  Taking some time off to simply enjoy life should be promoted more, as you have so many unique experiences during these journeys. Of course I’ve always benefited from school, but there are so many things that can’t be taught through the use of books and lectures. The only way to gain a real understanding of the world is through first-hand experience, which is my ultimate goal. I want to learn and see for myself how people are happy and healthy in such a variety of ways, and how I can incorporate their thinking into my life.

I am writing this first entry at “The Rocks,” a youth hostel in downtown Sydney, Australia. It’s a new hostel that has a great vibe and location. I have spent my first few days here unwinding after completing a one-week Professionals in Residence intensive course centered on addictions counseling, which took place at the Hazelden Treatment Center in City Center, Minnesota. I learned more in this week about counseling than in all of my medical training to date. The Hazelden Center is recognized as one of the best places in North America to help people suffering from addiction and in education of counselors. This course was extremely enlightening about the disease of addiction and the devastating effect that it has on millions of people worldwide. The idea of addiction used to bewilder me. Originally, when I heard the term disease for the problem I considered it a cop-out, an excuse to avoid taking responsibility for one’s illness. Now I know that belief can’t be any farther from the truth. The fact that addiction is a disease resonates for anyone who suffers as one or knows someone else who does. The problem is not that of misguided morals or a lack of willpower. In reality, a lot of addicts are great people prior to the disease taking hold of them and removing all control they have over their lives. Treatment for addiction requires the person to first recognize his or her disease, and then follow a lifelong treatment plan. Just like diabetes, asthma, heart disease or any other chronic illness, addiction requires patients to take their treatment seriously, or they will suffer severe consequences. If someone is diagnosed with diabetes and prescribed insulin but decides to ignore their treatment plan, health issues that will likely ensue include retinopathy (leading to loss of sight), nephropathy (leading to improper functioning of the kidney), and peripheral neuropathy (leading to numbness and ulcers that can result in amputation). These are not imagined problems. They’re real, and require a lifestyle change that includes adherence to medication. This example is very similar to that of addiction. An addict needs to realize that addiction is a disease that requires daily treatment to avoid the kind of consequences that ruin relationships and careers, or even lead to death. By accepting the problem, the person can move away from the idea that he or she can control it, and instead learn to accept it and subsequently learn how to treat it. Treatment is different for everyone, but with sustained effort and dedication to finding, with the assistance of other people, a plan that works, a recovering addict can find a path to health and regain happiness.

 Hazelden Treatment Center is based on the Twelve-Step Program, an approach I never fully understood until witnessing it first-hand. These twelve steps are definitely not for everyone who is trying to break free from his or her addiction, but the success that Twelve-Steps has had around the world, including Hazelden’s over 50% recovery rate, is undeniable. The principle of the Twelve-Steps is to help an addict understand that he or she is unable to control the disease because the disease is the one in control. After a person can accept this fact, he or she can also accept help from a higher power. I’m aware that the idea of a “higher power” can be extremely unsettling for a lot of people, but I was very impressed by the approach Hazelden took toward this step. Hazelden has no religious affiliation; rather, they present the idea of a higher power as anything that is greater than one’s self. It could be God, an energy source, or even the peer group that a patient is living with in rehab. From my observations on the unit, I discerned that a peer group is a very commonly considered higher power that almost everyone is willing to recognize. It doesn’t take any imagination to see how real the struggles are for addicts. The patients would continually share how comforting it is for them to realize that they are not alone in their battle. The facility has a multi-disciplinary approach to treating illness that utilizes the talents of counselors, doctors, spiritual guides and several other healthcare workers to create personalized treatment plans. The knowledge that I gained from this course is going to be extremely valuable for my future career practicing Integrative Medicine. I will continue to seek training in counseling, as the majority of chronic problems in medicine include mental health components that need to be addressed.

            I’m in Australia for two weeks to explore and enjoy outdoor adventures before I go to India for my one-month yoga teachers training course. I am planning to enjoy the beautiful landscape and spend as much time as possible by the ocean, which is the most relaxing place that I have ever visited. During my first few days here I’ve taken in some of Australia’s most famous attractions, including the Opera House, one of the most interesting modern architectural designs I have ever witnessed. The Botanical Gardens are an amazing horticultural display located directly beside the Opera House. After wandering around downtown, I cruised over to Bondi Beach to watch surfers shred the massive waves crashing onto the sand. This is one of the most famous beaches in Australia, and for good reason. The sand is white soft and surrounded by tall rock cliffs lined with houses, as well as shops and restaurants that will satisfy almost anyone. The surfing culture is vibrant throughout the city, and no other group of people are more easy going than those dedicated to riding the always unpredictable ocean to seek the thrill of their lives. These next two weeks are shaping up to be some of the most fun that I have ever experienced on this beautiful planet.