Have you ever thought, “But I SHOULDN’T need to take this amino acid? I SHOULD be able to cope on my own??? Or, you’ve been on the aminos for a few weeks and feel so much better that you decide to stop them since you clearly don’t need them anymore? And then your symptoms come crashing back because the neurotransmitter systems hadn’t quite yet become self-sustaining? These are feelings and thoughts common to many of us. Most of us were taught to be very self-sufficient and to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We unconsciously seem to turn poor mood, attention and focus challenges, or addictive struggles into moral failings. “If I just TRY harder, I’ll be ok.” “I SHOULDN”T NEED…..” Does this sound like you or some of your clients? If so, you are not alone. I, myself, sometimes wait longer than I should before taking an amino in a challenging situation (or even calling up my therapist or coach!) and I know better!
So, what to do? First of all, recognize that this form of self-talk, while very common, is actually a form of self-sabotage. It is not allowing yourself to take full advantage of the support and resources available to you. In this case, it is actually brain function support that you are resisting, but it may raise the question as to whether you might be unconsciously or habitually depriving yourselves of other forms of support as well. Then, reminding ourselves or our clients that amino acids and other nutrients are simply purified food can help increase internal permission-giving. We are not using these things as crutches – we are using them to enable our brains to do their jobs more effectively, allowing us to cope with stress gracefully! Bottom-line, this is about adequate self-care, and truly does not indicate any type of personal weakness or moral failure. I hope this helps!
