ADDICTION and THE RECOVERY PROCESS
18" Video Presentation on Understanding Addiction
Annette Franks - March 2017 - Punta Gorda, Florida
The Archway Institute Keynote Address
"Why Addiction is a Brain Disease and Not a Choice"
Understanding the Difference Between Enabling Addiction
Versus Supporting Recovery
Annette Franks 2018 Presentation - Punta Gorda, Florida
The Archway Institute
Addiction
According to the American Medical Association, addiction is a Brain Disease. Addiction is a primary, progressive, chronic and fatal brain disease that affects the majority of our country either directly or indirectly. Addiction has many different forms, ranging from addiction to addictive substances, addictive events and/or addictive behaviors. The brain chemistry in addictive persons causes them to progressively crave and seek mood altering substances, mood altering events and/or mood altering behaviors.
Addictive substances can include alcohol, mood altering prescription and non-prescription drugs, caffeine, nicotine, sugar, food and/or chewing tobacco. Addictive events and behaviors can include working, compulsive spending, gambling, shopping, cleaning, computer use, cybersex, viewing pornography, frequenting strip clubs, sports, watching TV, sexual affairs, sexual promiscuity, unhealthy relationships and/or obsessive thoughts. Over time and with continued use of the mood altering substances, events and/or behaviors, the disease progresses and the cravings and seeking out behaviors progressively get worse.
Addictive persons seek things outside of themselves in attempts to self medicate their own brain chemistry and thus, when they use, they temporarily feel more comfortable physiologically and psychologically. Though use of addictive substances only provides temporary relief initially, the cycle of addiction continues to progressively get worse as the addictive person continues to fuel their addiction through mood altering substances, events, and/or behaviors.
Without education and understanding of this brain disease and an appropriate recovery process, addictive persons usually continue a quest for wholeness outside themselves through their addiction(s). In time, fueling addiction(s) gradually becomes the focus of their lives while the important people in their lives slowly begin to take a back row seat.
Some Basics To Help The Recovery Process
SEEK EDUCATION ABOUT THE BRAIN PHYSIOLOGY OF ADDICTION.
Educate Yourself about the Brain Disease of Addiction. In America, when someone is diagnosed with cancer, we usually ask a lot of questions and seek to find out as much as possible about the cancer and the recommended treatment. For adequate treatment to occur with the disease of addiction, we need to do the same. Seek to understand the brain physiology and how it manifests itself in addictive persons. Education and understanding of the brain physiology helps persons affected by this disease know they are not consciously trying to mess up their lives through choice. Rather, it is important to understand the cycle of addiction is rooted in brain chemistry and can be effectively treated and arrested with appropriate education, understanding, treatment and ongoing support. Addictive persons do not have to suffer with this disease. Addiction is one of the most untreated treatable diseases in America.
UNDERSTAND TWO MAJOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SYPMTOMS OF THIS DISEASE: DENIAL AND BLAME.
- DENIAL
Understand Denial is one of the major psychological symptoms of this brain disease. Denial causes addictive persons to believe they are in control of their lives and that they do not have a problem with addiction. Addictive persons usually believe it is the problems in their life that cause them to use the way they use, instead of recognizing it is the addiction cycle that is causing so many of the problems in their lives!
- BLAMING OTHERS
Understand Blaming Others is another major psychological symptom of this brain disease. An addict will quickly blame other people and other things for their own inability to manage their own addictive nature. They do not see their brain disease as a part of their own life problems. Thus, they blame the people and events around them for their difficulties. The people closest to the addict are often the first to be blamed. Blaming others also allows the addict to begin to shut the people out that are really trying to help. It is important for those close to addictive persons to help them be accountable for the consequences of their behaviors as a result of their disease and to help them take responsibility for their disease. For more free information on how to help someone with an addiction visit www.AnnetteFranks.com and click on “When Someone We Know Has An Addiction” under the Wellness Materials.
UNDERSTAND THE MAJOR PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTOR: CRAVINGS.
- CRAVINGS
Cravings are rooted in the brain physiology of addiction. Addictive persons use the way they use because of the physiology in the brain. Without effective understanding, knowledge and treatment, an addictive person may struggle with addictions all of their life. Many addictive persons make numerous attempts to control their usage and repeatedly fail. Many try to quit altogether and may experience brief periods of abstinence, however, without appropriate knowledge and treatment of their brain disease, they relapse back into the addictive cycle.
LEARN ABOUT TWELVE STEP RECOVERY SUPPORT GROUPS.
Twelve Step Recovery Support Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Debtors Anonymous, Sexual Addicts Anonymous etc. are actually the number one resource available for helping addicts become abstinent from their addiction(s). Research shows us Attending Twelve Step Anonymous Meetings Regularly and Working the Twelve Steps of the Program are the number one resource in helping addictive persons maintain abstinence throughout their life. Twelve Step Recovery Programs are free and they have helped more addictive persons arrest their disease than all the inpatient and outpatient treatment programs put together. Twelve Step Recovery Programs help move addictive persons psychologically from a place of isolation and feeling alone to a place of connection and feeling hope.
LEARN AND WORK THE TWELVE STEPS.
The Twelve Steps are founded on principles that help addictive persons find and maintain abstinence from their addiction(s). Working the Twelve Steps help addictive persons transform their lives. Addictive persons can learn through working the Twelve Steps to arrest their addiction(s), maintain abstinence, and rebuild their lives to be more happy, joyous and free without the bondage of self or their addiction(s). Addictive persons can learn to be responsible and accountable for their own lives and their addiction(s). Reading the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous and other Twelve Step Literature are important in the recovery process. Sponsorship is also important in the recovery process. Addictive persons in early recovery who are serious about trying to maintain abstinence will reach out to other people in the Twelve Step Support Groups and will ask someone whom they respect to be their Sponsor. Sponsors have more abstinence time than the newcomer and will share their experience, strength and hope with a new Twelve Step Member. Sponsorship, like Twelve Steps meetings are free. Sponsorship is about people helping people with both the Sponsor and the person being Sponsored benefiting from the relationship.
LEARN ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR TREATING ADDICTION.
Some people need more than Twelve Step Support Groups to find and maintain abstinence, thus, seek professional help from community resources that are knowledgeable about the disease of addiction. The yellow pages in the phone book usually have a list of professionals who treat addiction. Professional help can also speed up the recovery process for many addicts who are trying to arrest their disease and maintain abstinence.
UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF H.A.L.T.
H.A.L.T. stands for don’t get too Hungry, too Angry, too Lonely or too Tired.
- DEVELOP HEALTHY EATING HABITS AND GOOD NUTRITION
Becoming too hungry can increase addiction cravings. Frequently addicts will crave more if their blood sugar levels drop below a normal range, thus, it is highly encouraged as part of the recovery process that addictive persons eat healthy balanced meals and don’t allow themselves to get to hungry. Healthy nutrition and balanced eating habits help reduce the level of craving for the addict. Seeking the help of a Nutritionist who understands the disease of addiction can be most helpful in the recovery process.
- LEARN TO MANAGE EMOTIONS APPROPRIATELY
Managing emotions is also an important part of the recovery process. Most addicts have learned to seek out and use their addiction(s) when they are feeling uncomfortable or stressed out. Thus, they often have very poor skills in managing their emotions. Many addictive persons completely loose touch with their own emotional process and thus, have incredible difficulty being present with the emotions of others. Addicts often experience wide mood swings and quick tempers when their disease is active. They frequently seek out and act on their addiction to numb their emotions. Recovery is about helping addicts learn appropriate management of their feelings and helping them develop adequate coping skills.
- REACHING OUT FOR SUPPORT versus ISOLATING
Many addictive persons isolate in order to keep their addiction active and/or isolate from the people closest to them because addictive persons feel guilty about their addictive use. Thus, addicts begin to isolate from the people who care the most about them. Isolating causes feelings of loneliness and feelings of loneliness often creates the addicts desire to use more. Thus, a vicious cycle continues. This is why Twelve Step Programs can be so life saving…they help the addict connect to other people who understand the disease and can help them through cravings and provide ongoing support for the recovery process.
- GETTING AT LEAST 7-8 HOURS OF SLEEP DAILY
Cravings can also occur more readily if addictive persons do not get enough sleep. It is important to get adequate rest to help keep the brain disease in remission and reduce cravings. Becoming too tired, or too exhausted frequently can lead to relapse for the addictive person.
Regular exercise helps to stimulate our body metabolism rate as well as stimulate the neurotransmitters in the brain. An increase in specific neurotransmitters in the brain helps to reduce and eliminate addictive cravings. Regular exercise is an important part of the recovery process.
Meditation and prayer can also change brain physiology and help shift the body into a relaxation response, thus, reducing the cravings for addictive substances, events and/or behaviors. Specific meditation techniques can help addictive persons slow down and focus more readily in the moment. Many addictive persons have lost the art of truly living in the moment. They often live in the drama of their pasts or obsess about the ‘what if…’ or the grandiosity of ‘when I…’ in the future. Meditation practices can help addictive persons learn how to focus in the moment and eventually feel contentment and peace inside themselves without the use of addictive substances. Learning to savor personal quiet time in healthy ways and spending time in nature with the natural rhythms of the earth can aid in the recovery process.
Listening to music, playing a musical instrument, and singing can all enhance the recovery process through the positive changes in our brain chemistry that can be induced through music. Don Campbell states in his book The Mozart Effect, “by listening to music with longer, slower sounds, one can usually deepen and slow the breath, allowing the mind to calm down. As with breathing rates, a lower heartbeat creates less physical tension and stress, calms the mind, and helps the body heal itself. Music is a natural peacemaker.” Dean and Dudley Evenson, co-founders of Soundings of the Planet, state “music has a positive effect on bodily and mental systems” and music with “slow rhythms entrain bodily systems (heartbeat, pulse, digestive system, respiratory, muscles) to a more natural rhythm” and “sub-audio frequencies (if present) entrain brainwaves to alpha or theta state.” The Evenson’s Sound Healing Music can be found through www.Soundings.com.
In Summary, here are Some of the Basics to Help in the Addiction Recovery Process:
- Seek Education about the Brain Physiology of Addiction.
- Understand Two Major Psychological Symptoms of this Disease: Denial and Blame.
- Understand the Major Physiological Factor: Cravings.
- Learn about Twelve Step Recovery Support Groups.
- Learn and Work the Twelve Steps. Get a Twelve Step Program Sponsor.
- Learn about the Professional Resources Available for Treating Addiction.
- Understand the Principles of H.A.L.T:
- Develop Healthy Eating Habits and Good Nutrition.
- Learn to Manage Emotions Appropriately.
- Reach Out for Support versus Isolate.
- Get at Least 7-8 Hours of Sleep a Night.
- Regular Exercise.
- Meditation – Prayer – Quiet Time – Spend Time in Nature.
- Music.
Annette Franks, M.Ed.
136 Northwoods Blvd.
Columbus, Ohio 43235
© 2003 ANNETTE FRANKS
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Benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi
in the
Addiction Recovery Process
Article by Annette Franks, M.Ed., LPC
(c) 2011
www.AnnetteFranks.com
“The ‘outside’ is surface consciousness,
the ‘inside’ is the true sense of real knowledge hidden below.”
“The Secret of the Golden Flower: The Classic Chinese Book of Life”
translated by Thomas Cleary
In his book “The Healing Promise of Qi: Creating Extraordinary Wellness through Qigong and Tai Chi," Dr. Roger Jahnke states Qigong and Tai Chi are internal Chinese meditative practices which use slow graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques that strengthen your mind-body connection, reduce stress, promote serenity and improve circulation thereby enhancing the practitioner's overall health.2 As a Certified Qigong and Tai Chi Teacher, it is evident in my classes that the practices of Qigong and Tai Chi are indeed meditative practices promoting mind-body awareness in the present moment. Focusing on postural alignment, breathing techniques and slow graceful movements help practitioners gently focus inward, enhancing their connection to themselves and to the present moment. Qigong and Tai Chi practitioners usually report feelings of serenity, reduced stress and improved health outcomes from their ongoing practice. In my Career as a Licensed Professional Counselor, however, I continue to witness persons with active addiction struggle to be present in the moment with their own mind-body awareness and connection. Most appear to breathe shallow, numbing their emotions and possessing a pre-occupation on something external. In my opinion, active addiction actually seduces people away from being fully present in the present moment diminishing their mind-body connection. Persons with active addictions appear to be on a desperate search for wholeness outside of themselves. Feelings of serenity are seemingly rare to non-existent. While Qigong and Tai Chi practitioners tend to focus inward during their mind-body practice eliciting feelings of serenity; persons with active addiction appear to be restless, focusing outward on something external. Thus, to help persons with the brain disease of addiction, the ongoing practice of Qigong and Tai Chi may be greatly beneficial in increasing their practice of present moment awareness and mind-body focus while also serving to strengthen their mind-body connections, reduce their stress and help promote internal serenity.
In 2001, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the American Pain Society, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine jointly defined addiction: “Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiologic disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving.” 3 Addiction is a primary, progressive, chronic and fatal brain disease that I believe affects the majority of our country either directly or indirectly. Addiction has many different forms, ranging from addiction to addictive substances and/or addictive behaviors. As addictions progress, addicted persons become more and more focused on the addictive substance and/or addictive behaviors. They lose their ability to fully live and experience a quality of life that allows them to connect fully to themselves and to the people around them in the present moment. Addicted persons slowly lose the ability to manage their emotions and their life in responsible ways. For persons with active addiction, keeping the addiction active becomes a primary focus while the people around them begin to lose their value and importance in the addicted person’s life. In essence, with their primary focus on their addictive substance and/or behaviors, persons with active addictions stop living a quality life feeling connected to themselves and to those around them and merely end up existing. 4
As we also take the time to understand more fully the neuroscience of the brain disease of addiction and the neuroplasticity of the brain, it appears the mind-body practices of Qigong and Tai Chi may be a great benefit for those persons in the addiction recovery process. In the 2010 Neuropsychopharmacology Review, researchers Koob and Volkow reported that “Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder that has been characterized by (1) compulsion to seek and take the drug, (2) loss of control in limiting intake, and (3) emergence of a negative emotional state (eg, dysphoria, anxiety, irritability) reflecting a motivational withdrawal syndrome when access to the drug is prevented.”5 Koob and Volkow go on to state in their “Neurocircuitry of Addiction” Review that all drugs of abuse activate the mesolimbic dopamine system (MDS) in the brain. The MDS main areas of the brain are the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and the frontal and prefrontal cortex.6 Further understanding of the MDS shows that these areas of the brain are responsible for many brain functions. In brief, the VTA makes up a key part of the brain’s reward system, the NAcc processes information related to motivation and reward and the prefrontal cortex is involved in planning and other higher level cognition.7 In his book, The Science of Addiction, Dr. Carlton Erickson states the current view with regard to the neurobiological theories of dependence is that addiction is a type of synaptic plasticity (neuroadaptation) that occurs within the limbic portion of the brain and especially within the mesolimbic dopamine system (MDS).8 According to Dr. Erickson, neuroscientists believe that the function of these MDS neurotransmitter systems is disrupted, due to genetic ‘miswiring,’ long-term exposure to a drug, or (more likely) a combination of genetic heritability, drug exposure, and environmental influences.9 Research theories suggest changes in the brain sensitivity to drugs occur over time (neuroadaptation) and that the long term drug exposure apparently leads to gradual dysregulation of the MDS
neurotransmitter systems while the genetics theory suggests the MDS may already be dysregulated at birth creating a genetic tendency to develop the disease.10
While both reviewing the current research on addiction and the health benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi, it appears reasonable to suggest that due to the dysregulatory changes in the mesolimbic dopamine system in the brains of persons with active addiction, the continued focus and practice of Qigong and Tai Chi may be beneficial in enhancing the neuroplasticity of the brain in positive ways during the addiction recovery process. As noted earlier, research supports the ongoing practice of Qigong and Tai Chi can help reduce anxiety and stress and help to strengthen the mind-body connections and increase mental clarity and present moment awareness.
Dr. Roger Jahnke reports some of the top reasons to practice Integral Qigong and Tai Chi are:11
- Qigong and Tai Chi initiate the “relaxation response,” which is fostered when the mind is freed from its many distractions. This decreases the sympathetic function of the autonomic nervous system, which reduces heart rate and blood pressure, dilates the blood capillaries, and optimizes the delivery of oxygen and nutrition to the tissues.
- Qigong and Tai Chi induce alpha and, in some cases, theta brain waves which reduce heart rate and blood pressure, facilitating relaxation, and mental focus; this optimizes the body’s self-regulative mechanisms by decreasing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.
- Qigong and Tai Chi moderate the function of the hypothalamus, pituitary, and pineal glands, as well as the cerebrospinal fluid system of the brain and spinal cord, which manages pain and mood as well as optimizing immune function.
- Qigong and Tai Chi coordinate and balance right/left brain hemisphere dominance promoting deeper sleep, reduced anxiety, and mental clarity.
In Summary, due to the changes in the mesolimbic dopamine system of the brain in persons with addiction, initiating the relaxation response, promoting deeper sleep, reducing anxiety, increasing mental clarity, focusing on breathing techniques and present moment awareness and strengthening the mind-body connections may all be extremely beneficial reasons to utilizing Qigong and Tai Chi practices as a beneficial aid in the addiction recovery process. Participating in weekly Qigong and Tai Chi classes may also serve to build an ongoing supportive community and feelings of connection for persons in the recovery process of the brain disease of addiction.
1. Cleary, Thomas. Translated. “Secret of the Golden Flower:
The Classic Chinese Book of Life. New York: Harper One, 1991.
2. Jahnke, Roger. “The Healing Promise of Qi:
Creating Extraordinary Wellness through Qigong and Tai Chi” San Francisco:
Contemporary Books, 2002.
3. The American Academy of Pain Medicine, The American Pain Society, and The
American Society of Addiction Medicine. “Definitions Related to the Use of
Opioids for the Treatment of Pain” 2001.
4. Franks, Annette. “Understanding Addiction” Article.
www.AnnetteFranks.com website, 2003.
5. Koob, George and Volkow, Nora. “Neurocircuitry of Addiction” Review.
Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews. (2010) 35, 217-238.
6.
Koob, George and Volkow, Nora. “Neurocircuitry of Addiction” Review. Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews (2010) 35, 217 -238.
7.
Carter, Rita. “The Human Brain Book” New York: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2009.
8.
Erickson, Carlton. “The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment"New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2007.
9.
Erickson, Carlton. “The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment”
New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2007.
10.
Erickson, Carlton. “The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment”
New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2007.
11.
Jahnke, Roger. Adapted From Dr. Jahnke’s “Top Seven Reasons to Practice Integral Qigong and Tai Chi” posted on the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi (IIQTC) Website 2011. www.IIQTC.org. Dr. Jahnke is the Author of “The Healing Promise of Qi: Creating Extraordinary Wellness through Qigong and Tai Chi” and “The Healer Within: Using Traditional Chinese Techniques to Release Your Body’s Own Medicine.”
Annette Franks, M.Ed., LPC is a Certified Tai Chi and Qigong Teacher from the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi (IIQTC). She is a Member of the National Qigong Association and has an Extensive Background in the Fields of Psychology, Addiction, Energy Medicine and Mind-Body Practices. Annette has worked in the field of Addiction and Mental Health as a Counselor since 1979 and has taught at the Addiction Studies Institute at The Ohio State University Department of Addiction Medicine – Talbot Hall for over 20 years. Annette has a Counseling and Consulting Practice in Columbus, Ohio and also leads week long
"Balancing Body, Mind & Spirit" Life Enrichment Retreats in Costa Rica at Pura Vida Spa.
Visit www.AnnetteFranks.com to view the Costa Rica Retreat Video or to download Annette’s Free Health and Wellness Materials on Addiction, Addiction and the Recovery Process, Life Balance and Health, Self Empowerment and Creating Healthy Relationships.
Annette Franks, M.Ed, LPC
136 Northwoods Blvd.
Columbus, Ohio 43235
614-785-1066
www.AnnetteFranks.com
AnnetteFranks@live.com
Life Enrichment Retreats & Seminars
Annette Franks, M.Ed.
Motivational Speaker/Trainer
Gestalt Psychotherapist
136 Northwoods Blvd.
Columbus, Ohio 43235
(614)-785-1066
Life Enrichment Retreats
www.AnnetteFranks.com
