Break Free From Addiction
“If you ask anyone what addiction is, you will probably get a lot of random answers. Some call it a lack of willpower, a moral choice or even a “relapsing disease” of the brain. There are many odd misconceptions about addiction and it is so widely misunderstood…”
The truth is, most people do not understand what addiction really is and how it affects the brain. They do not know what the evidence-based practices are that produce astounding results because no one teaches it. There really are ways to rewire the brain out of destructive habit loops.
The Limbic “Reward” System
There are thousands of dollars spent on common interventions and recovery programs, but MOST are ineffective and unsuccessful.
This is why:
“Addiction treatment is a big business. Counselors can charge hundreds of dollars an hour and some addiction recovery centers charge ten’s of thousands of dollars. The truth is, the most successful methods that produce an enduring change is something that anyone and everyone can do.”
Research shows us that the most common type of recovery programs have a high recidivism rate and they aren’t based on evidence or data.
You’ve probably heard some crazy things, such as people with addictions are weak-willed or that they have terrible genetics. Or that once you have an addiction you’ll never be able to get rid of it. You may have also heard that everyone relapses and if you do happen to relapse, you have to start all over again at square one.
Scientific evidence goes against these things. And this type of thinking is what holds you back from actually breaking free from addiction, forever.
To lessen cravings, urges and compulsive thoughts that drive addiction, there are things you need to know:
Here they are:
Addictions cannot simply be wished or willed away.
Most addictions cannot be wished or willed away because they occupy a part of the brain that is concerned with survival addictions become a part of life just as eating and sleeping.
To understand this clearly, there are basically two parts of our brain: The neocortex and the limbic system. The neocortex (more particularly, the prefrontal cortex) is a higher functioning part of the brain which is rational, logical and understands consequences. (This region of the brain sits on top of the limbic system).
The limbic system is a primitive brain and it has no ability to delay gratification. In a sense, it is pleasure-oriented and selfish. It is concerned with seeking pleasure and escaping pain. There are no values or morals that are associated with this part of the brain. The limbic system is a region in which they do not exist.
Addiction directly activates the survival parts of the brain (the limbic system, commonly refereed to as the “reward” system). This is the sames system that helped our ancestors to survive because they were rewarded for eating, sleeping and reproducing (sex).
“If you ask anyone what addiction is, you will probably get a lot of random answers. Some call it a lack of willpower, a moral choice or even a “relapsing disease” of the brain. There are many odd misconceptions about addiction and it is so widely misunderstood…”
The truth is, most people do not understand what addiction really is and how it affects the brain. They do not know what the evidence-based practices are that produce astounding results because no one teaches it. There really are ways to rewire the brain out of destructive habit loops.
The Limbic “Reward” System
There are thousands of dollars spent on common interventions and recovery programs, but MOST are ineffective and unsuccessful.
This is why:
“Addiction treatment is a big business. Counselors can charge hundreds of dollars an hour and some addiction recovery centers charge ten’s of thousands of dollars. The truth is, the most successful methods that produce an enduring change is something that anyone and everyone can do.”
Research shows us that the most common type of recovery programs have a high recidivism rate and they aren’t based on evidence or data.
You’ve probably heard some crazy things, such as people with addictions are weak-willed or that they have terrible genetics. Or that once you have an addiction you’ll never be able to get rid of it. You may have also heard that everyone relapses and if you do happen to relapse, you have to start all over again at square one.
Scientific evidence goes against these things. And this type of thinking is what holds you back from actually breaking free from addiction, forever.
To lessen cravings, urges and compulsive thoughts that drive addiction, there are things you need to know:
Here they are:
Addictions cannot simply be wished or willed away.
Most addictions cannot be wished or willed away because they occupy a part of the brain that is concerned with survival addictions become a part of life just as eating and sleeping.
To understand this clearly, there are basically two parts of our brain: The neocortex and the limbic system. The neocortex (more particularly, the prefrontal cortex) is a higher functioning part of the brain which is rational, logical and understands consequences. (This region of the brain sits on top of the limbic system).
The limbic system is a primitive brain and it has no ability to delay gratification. In a sense, it is pleasure-oriented and selfish. It is concerned with seeking pleasure and escaping pain. There are no values or morals that are associated with this part of the brain. The limbic system is a region in which they do not exist.
Addiction directly activates the survival parts of the brain (the limbic system, commonly refereed to as the “reward” system). This is the sames system that helped our ancestors to survive because they were rewarded for eating, sleeping and reproducing (sex).
However, today we have ready to access rewards in the form of pornography, drugs, alcohol and tobacco that have no survival value and in some cases may even kill you.
The most common recovery programs are scientifically proven NOT to work.
Using the common acute model of treatment goes against all scientific research and data.
Once an addict has moved through the required steps in a treatment program, they are congratulated and released. This problem is becoming recognized on a national level. As a result of graduating, the addict thinks he is “cured” and often falls back into the same destructive behaviors. This is why there is such a high recidivism rate and why researchers call addiction a “chronic relapsing disease.”
Research indicates that relapse is generally not caused by physical cravings as once thought, but by emotional states. This means that telling an addict that all the days, weeks, months or even years didn’t mean a thing because he slipped, feeds the very emotions that led him to slip in the first place! Relapses are generally emotionally driven, stress being a major cause.
Another particular problem with major recovery centers is something called cross-addictions. You may find in some treatment groups, alcoholics smoke a lot, recovering narcotic addicts are drinking a lot and that even gambling chips are used to count days of sobriety.
The most common recovery programs are scientifically proven NOT to work.
Using the common acute model of treatment goes against all scientific research and data.
Once an addict has moved through the required steps in a treatment program, they are congratulated and released. This problem is becoming recognized on a national level. As a result of graduating, the addict thinks he is “cured” and often falls back into the same destructive behaviors. This is why there is such a high recidivism rate and why researchers call addiction a “chronic relapsing disease.”
Research indicates that relapse is generally not caused by physical cravings as once thought, but by emotional states. This means that telling an addict that all the days, weeks, months or even years didn’t mean a thing because he slipped, feeds the very emotions that led him to slip in the first place! Relapses are generally emotionally driven, stress being a major cause.
Another particular problem with major recovery centers is something called cross-addictions. You may find in some treatment groups, alcoholics smoke a lot, recovering narcotic addicts are drinking a lot and that even gambling chips are used to count days of sobriety.
The limbic system (part of the brain) doesn’t mind if you go to a program as long as “it” gets the needed boost of dopamine it needs. Remember all addictions are chemical addictions inside the brain. Neuroscience labels addiction a “common neural currency” because, regardless of the addiction, it is still a chemical addiction. Gambling, sex, alcohol, smoking, caffeine all activate this “reward” system.
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