Addiction

Addiction is a condition characterized by compulsive craving and seeking behavior and the continued use despite negative or harmful consequences. Symptoms usually include intense psychological fixation on acquiring and using. Creates a high or alters normal feelings/behavior, or numbs emotional or physical pain, or overall just makes you feel better or gives relief when you partake in that activity. It elicits an emotional response such as happiness, excitement and hope. End result is in a change of normal bodily functions or a psychological or mental state of relief or pleasure.  Addiction can be defined as a chronic relapsing disease. Typically when a relapse occurs there is too much emphasis on labeling it a failure. When we take on any new task, in general, we graciously allow ourselves time and trial and error to get it right. We do it without judgment or criticism. However, regarding a possible momentous achievement that could require analyzing and changing old engrained behaviors, physical reactions, unearthing layers of truths and even possibly coming face to face with your demons, not getting it right the first time and immediately is considered a failure!  Usually this is taken on without enough knowledge and tools to give it a real chance. Worse than others judging and acknowledging a failure, is the self-defeating behavior that produces shame, low self-worth and blame. What makes this whole process worse is that when it doesn't work the first time, we repeat the exact same process over and over and wonder why it fails! When nothing changes, nothing changes!

So, self-sabotage can lead you to, and position you in the middle of, “relapse mode”.  Self-defeating behavior can make you frustrated, bring up that feeling of being trapped again, and be very discouraging. Everybody makes a poor decision or does not get the results they want all the time. But this idea of self-sabotaging and self-defeating behavior is really problematic when it becomes insidious and a pattern rather than an exception.

Without active work in trying to grow and progress in recovery, the tendency is always to slip back into old and established patterns of destructive behavior.  A central idea of moving forward into recovery is to change our old established patterns of behavior. One thing that it is very difficult to argue against is that whenever we were doing was not working. We must focus to change those things that need to be changed. This requires an analytical approach to be honest and understand changes are multifaceted and require introspection and a variety of solutions.

The goal is progress, not perfection. There is also the belief that the substance or behavior is the problem and it just takes willpower and strategies to rid oneself of the addictive behavior. In most instances, the substance or behavior has developed as a way to numb or cover up the real issues, feelings and usually a wound that has never been properly dealt with. That is part of the real work that is necessary to avoid or minimize relapse.

If someone has an effective plan to physically and behaviorally stop, what is the missing piece that keeps pulling them back?

Addictions affect the functioning in the brain’s limbic system.  The limbic system contains the brains pleasure pathways or reward centers.  It is the stimulation and action of chemical changes that occur here that produce feelings of pleasure.  The brain learns that once feelings of pleasure occur we’re motivated to repeat them. This is a key piece of information in this process of recovery. This is also applicable to anyone that has the need for reward or acknowledgment in their life.  Which is basically, everyone. The brain not only wants, but needs these rewards. How much of a reward and what type depends on the individual. It also seems to need to be equal and opposite of the amount of strife, stress and selflessness that exists in your life. Almost like an automatic tally sheet that has to be honored. If we do not take care of this reward “debt” that is due us, the brain will drive you to any behavior you are accustomed to, in order to trigger those pleasure center to get what it’s due. This plays into dieting and smoking as well when food and cigarettes are seen as the reward.  Can you imagine that every puff you are no longer taking is the missing reward bell no longer ringing. What has been added in to replace that activity? That is a major dynamic at the base of those unbelievable cravings to indulge, no matter what the consequences. This is a question that has been asked forever.

Messages in the brain are transmitted by sending electrical impulses across networks of nerve cells called neurons. Messages are transmitted between neurons by the chemicals called neurotransmitters.  This is where it gets interesting. Alcohol, drugs, sugar, cigarettes, gambling, sex, shopping done to excess can produce chemicals that  enter into and interfere with that chemical communication by mimicking the natural chemicals that occur in the brain.

In addition to impaired biochemistry, addictive behaviors can be influenced by factors such as low fat diets, low protein diet, or deficiency in essential fatty acids. These can all lead to craving sugars, depression, food binging or eating inappropriate amounts of the wrong foods which can lead to the instinct to self-medicate with your substance or behavior of choice. When it comes to the brain producing the correct natural chemicals to ward off those severe cravings, a balanced food strategy along with optimal digestion can make it or break it! So this scenario, is much like a previously mentioned strategy, which is to get a good nutritional foundation and see what it is you are really left with to problem solve.  It could also make it possible to completely avoid anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs when segueing out of these behaviors. Unfortunately they also will interfere with your brain learning to pick up and create their own neurotransmitter activity, which can take some time. This is why new behaviors and thought patterns that are constructive as well as strategies and counseling can be a very necessary tool for this kind of work. It is not a weakness and there is no shame in acknowledging a problem and getting assistance to ensure a more successful outcome. It is empowering to do so and that type of empowerment in itself, can pay some of those reward dues!

This holds true for those with sugar cravings, and to also insure a better success rate in quitting cigarettes, and again when going through any type of recovery.  Here we also have the same mechanism that can be at work in those that are really not dealing with an addiction, although it feels like one. Being out of balance nutritionally and possible not paying those reward dues will leave you feeling as though you are fighting an uphill battle. The difference in those that truly have an addiction as far as brain chemistry, and those that don’t can be as small as a gene that has been expressed and due to their apparent problem; their wound that is being medicated. Its strength only indicates the amount of effort that needs to be applied towards the transition, towards making yourself whole in that area of your life. You don’t have to be an addict to be in recovery.