Craving and Temptations, Part of our Human Experience Part of being human is to have cravings and temptations. The brain likes the feel-good feelings that are released through dopamine and the other happy chemicals like serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins which are released when a person consumes substances like drugs and alcohol and engages in behaviors […]
The Opposite of Addiction is Connection As recovering addicts, we tend to spend a lot of time and energy counting the number of days we have been sober. We often look at sobriety as the opposite of addiction, but in actuality, the opposite of addiction is human connection. Regardless of the form our addiction might […]
Tunnel Vision for Behavior or a Substance One of the difficulties in regaining control and reducing compulsive behaviors is the brain becomes fixated on getting the high or pleasure brought on by the behavior or substance. This leaves little to no time for the brain to be aware of emotions, physiological changes, sensations, mental status, […]
Recently, while sitting in a meeting I noticed that the letters from the name of the company were printed on the end of the pages of my manual. When the pages were compressed, I could easily make out the name. When the manual was open, and the pages were separated, it was difficult to read. […]
Most of us want to change unwanted behaviors, even if the desire is very small. Wanting change is the beginning. Seeing ourselves as a changed person, going through life without the behavior, is vital to our long-term healing. Working to Change Behavior vs. Seeing us as Changed It has been my experience that most clients […]
A Global Positioning System (GPS) is extremely handy when we are trying to find a location, particularly when we are in unfamiliar territory. We can drive while listening to the audio instructions from the GPS as well as view our position in relationship to the electronic map. Wrong Turn / Recalculating Even with our best […]
If you’ve ever traveled abroad, you’ve had this experience: when you arrive at the customs checkpoint you have to declare or reveal what you’re bringing into the country. It can be odd to do a mental inventory of your luggage contents. Then it can even be shocking when you realize there’s an item of concern […]
Instead of rebelling in knee-jerk ways, remember the true range of your freedom. Sometimes, destructive patterns appeal to us because they offer the illusion of freedom. Giving into an urge gives us a phony sense of autonomy. The woman controlled by her appetite thinks, “To heck with vegetables. I’m going to eat what I want!” […]
Put into Words the Payoffs of and Arguments for Indulging. Part of the power of addictive thinking is that it remains unexplored, like a black box whose workings remain concealed. Expressing the appeal of an urge can reveal the gears and springs by which the apparatus did its formerly mysterious work. Interestingly enough, compelling “reasons” […]
Lapse First, let’s examine the definition of lapse. A lapse is “(1) error: a momentary fault or failure in behavior or morality; (2) gap in continuity: a break in the continuity of something” (Encarta® World English Dictionary, Internet Version). When we think of a “slip up” — a momentary fault or failure in behavior — […]
