As legend has it, before sailing past the alluring Sirens, Homer’s Odysseus had himself bound to the mast of his ship. Odysseus well knew he couldn’t be trusted to resist the Siren’s Call.
Various drugs and addictive behaviors affect the brain and body in different ways. For some, cravings manifest in a singular dimension, as in a physical dependency on alcohol. For others, compulsive desires take shape on cognitive, emotional, or even spiritual levels.
Homer’s Sirens represent not only temptation, but cravings with deadly consequences. This classic Greek myth is illuminating for understanding the power that drugs, alcohol and certain behaviors have over people who struggle with addiction.
As the Sirens stories go, winds that had been favorable for sailing would suddenly fall calm whenever a ship neared their island. With no sound in the sails, an eerie silence would settle over the water. This is when the Sirens began to sing.
For most of us, COVID has taken the wind from our sails. And so now we confront our own Sirens. Akin to being tied to a mast is having a strong network of friends and family for support. Additionally, Blue Collar and its partner, MindBeacon, deliver CBT to depressed, anxious, and addiction-prone workers via registered psychologists.
