How powerful love is? First off, it’s not always about romance. A lesser-known version and even under-appreciated is what Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, author and mental health specialist, described as virtuous living. According to the Sovereign Health CEO, a life guided by the basic principles of love is well prepared to win the battles against the enemy within.
Defeating the demons inside is an eternal struggle, but a person properly equipped has a greater chance of fending off the enemy, not only most of the time but for good. Writing for Consumer Health Digest in August 2019, Dr. Tonmoy Sharma mental health specialist said a strong character will prompt us always to choose love over hatred. And when love prevails, it’s hard to imagine how one can go wrong.
When love rules, anger loses the oxygen to exist, and it makes for a better person. On the other hand, the absence of love breeds resentment, and the latter is widely considered the root of evil. It drives a person to live in the negative zone, leading to shattered relationships, which in many cases become the precursor to substance abuse.
Seven Virtues To Shape The Human Instinct
A person with brewing anger inside will most likely lead to a form of vice as a coping mechanism. For example, experts on alcoholism blamed resentment as among the most dominant emotions that typically overpower people struggling with the issue. They felt threatened and alone, and vices provided a comfort zone.
This path to self-destruction, however, has a better alternative. The higher road is what Dr. Sharma called seven virtues “to overcome the natural instincts that cause people to be their own worst enemy and their self-will to run riot.” He listed them as the following:
- Prudence (sound judgment)
- Justice (fairness)
- Faith (trust)
- Fortitude (resilience)
- Temperance (self-restraint)
- Hope (anticipation for something)
- Charity (voluntary giving)
Essentially, the abovementioned is the flipside of the seven deadly sins, which cause chaos. But the seven virtues are set to produce the opposite result. How they fare in real life was best represented with the situation of a mother cited by Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, author, and mental health specialist, as an example.
The mother refused to accept her daughter-in-law for fear of losing her son completely. Her therapy revealed that the woman was jealous, and her negative feelings fueled resentments. She was prevailed upon to try going positive, like getting to know the new member of the family and enjoying the time spent with the young couple.
The mother took the therapist’s word, and mental health specialist Dr. Tonmoy Sharma said the decision she made proved life changing. Before her session, she was set to sabotage the couple’s life but abandoned the stance with the prodding of her specialist. In the end, the resentment that threatened to destroy the family disappeared, and their bond is more substantial than before.
Because Love Wins
The tale showed that a mind that is zeroed in on the good things would find no time to bother about the negatives in life. Most likely, there will be no room for vices, so the threat of addiction is at best minimized. In applying this principle to addiction treatment, Dr. Sharma said that embracing the seven virtues is critical to avoiding relapse.
“Virtuous living also allows humans to experience the gifts of life, love, and learning that their Creator intended for them to enjoy,” continued the Sovereign CEO.
