I was asked a short time ago to develop and present a lecture on fear, and the role it plays in active addiction and on those in addiction recovery. It was difficult to get a handle on. 
As I toyed with ideas I asked myself what the opposite of fear was, and came up with safety. Things started to fall into place and I remembered a concept learned in Psychology 101 which I will share with you. In part 2 of this article I will tie these concepts into addiction and addiction recovery. Here is the background;
In the early 1940′s, Abraham Maslow proposed his Hierarchy of Needs or the Theory of Human Motivation. His theory stated there are five basic human needs that humans must satisfy in a certain order to achieve self-fulfillment or happiness. In other words, the most basic needs are fulfilled in a stepping stone pattern leading to the higher needs.
His concept is usually illustrated as a pyramid of needs leading to the top level of happiness. The most basic need is at the base of the triangle, and the needs rise in importance to the fifth, highest need at the top of the pyramid. A 6th need, self-transcendence, is sometimes grouped with the 5th, but often stands alone. Here are the levels:
Level 1: Physiological Needs
The first and most basic needs at the base of the pyramid are physiological needs. These needs include the needs necessary for the body to survive, such as having air to breathe, water to drink, need to eat, and shelter. These are the needs that are top priorities in the human’s ability to survive. All other needs are second to these basic needs. If these needs are not fulfilled we are not able to survive.
Level 2: Safety Needs
The second level of the pyramid is safety needs. After the basic physiological needs are satisfied, the need for safety and security is necessary. Safety needs include security of employment, physical safety from harm, and finances, family security, being healthy, and security of the future.
Level 3: Love/Belonging Needs
The third layer of the pyramid is love and belonging needs. These are simply the need to love and be loved. They include the needs of friendship, sexual intimacy, and a supportive family. An absence of these feelings can produce loneliness, anxiety, and depression. The sense of love and belonging encourages a healthy individual.
Level 4: Esteem Needs
The fourth level of the Human Motivation pyramid is self-esteem. This includes being respected, having self-respect, and respecting others for themselves. By engaging in activities with others, an individual increases esteem.
Level 5: Self-Actualization Needs
The fifth and top level of the Human Motivation pyramid is self-actualization. This is where happiness and self fulfillment become possible. This is the instinctual need for an individual to make the most of unique abilities and to strive to be the best. According to Maslow, individuals that have achieved self-actualization are embracing of realities, spontaneous in ideas, creative, interested in problem solving, appreciate life, have a system of morality, and judge others without prejudice.
Level 6: Self-Transcendence Needs
This part of Human Motivation is often grouped with self-actualization. This need includes spiritual needs. It is often believed that self-actualization cannot be achieved without self-transcendence, which is why this need is often considered a sixth need. In other words, it is thought that an individual cannot make the most of his/her unique abilities without experiencing self-transcendence.
In Part 2 of this article, we will illustrate why it is impossible to be self-fulfilled and happy in active addiction. We will show how active use in fact, perpetuates the conditions of loneliness and desolation we are trying to escape from. More will be revealed about the dynamics of active addiction and being in addiction recovery.
