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HOW THE CIGARETTE WHISPERER CIGARETTE WHISPERS

What if there was a drug that never got you high? Repulsed you most of the time? Repulsed the people closest to you (or who chose to never get close to you)? Gave you wrinkles? Made you feel less than? Scared your loved ones? Potentially will do horrible things to your health and life? Never really made you feel good but frequently made you feel and smell terrible? Wasted both your time, money and self-esteem? Would you use it? Would you want to continue to use it? What if this drug (according to the Centers of Disease Control) killed over 443,000 people each year in the US? That’s more people annually than those who die from fire, suicide, homicide, car, plane and train crashes, all other drugs and alcohol abuse, every American that died on 9/11 and all the soldiers fighing in the Middle East since and AIDS – combined. COMBINED!!! A drug that you can see people using/abusing on almost every street at any time. Would you say something? Would you want to help that person? Would you want to help yourself? There is such a drug. The only substance sold legally in this country that if it is used exactly as it is intended will harm the person using it. Tobacco. Nicotine. What if there was a way out? What if there was someone out there who has helped hundreds of people get smoke-free and would like to help you? Was featured on TV show, The Doctors? What if he could work with you at your convenience knowing all you need is a phone and access to the internet? Would you call him or refer him to someone you care about? What if this person always offered a free, no pressure consultation and if a good fit would have you smoke-free before you knew it? What if there were no tricks, gimmicks, drugs, hypnosis, needles, nicotine replacements, or b.s.? Would you give him 5 minutes on the phone? Physicians nationwide refer to him. His clients have been some of the most recognized names in Hollywood and Wall Street to the neighbor down the street. We may or may not agree on much but I bet we can both agree that you deserve better than what tobacco/nicotine (an insecticide) does for you To find out more contact The Cigarette Whisperer, Rocky Rosen on 818-961-6978 or visit thecigarettewhisperer.com [email protected] Read the full article

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Marcela Blog - Coaching

“Unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their performance. It is about helping them to learn rather than teaching them.” Sir John Whitmore Coaching is a notion used a lot lately. But what is it really? Defining Coaching There are so many different definitions out there, however coaching as defined by International Coach Federation (ICF) is “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential” (icfwashingtonstate.com)   Furthermore, there are many types of Coaching available (Solution focused or Result oriented, Brief Coaching, Executive Coaching, Coaching by pyramid, Integrative Coaching with polarization, Individual or Group Coaching, Career Coaching, Life Coaching, etc.). You can choose a coach with approach that best fits your style and planned outcomes. History of Coaching The word ‘coach’ originated from a Hungarian word used for a closed horse-drawn carriage. Today we use it in English also for a comfortably equipped single-decker bus used for longer journeys. The first use of the term "coach" in connection with an instructor or trainer arose around 1830 in Oxford University slang for a tutor who "carried" a student through an exam. The word "coaching" thus identified a process used to transport people from where they are to where they want to be. The first use of the term in relation to sports came in 1861. Historically the development of coaching has been influenced by many fields of activity, including adult education, the Human Potential Movement, large-group awareness training (LGAT) groups such as "est", leadership studies, personal development, and psychology. (Wildflower, Leni (2013), The Hidden History of Coaching. Coaching in practice series. Maidenhead: Open University Press. How is Coaching different from Therapy, Mentoring, or other methodologies? So how is Coaching different from therapy, mentoring, training or counseling? It’s important to locate coaching in respect of various human resource development approaches. As a starting point, I’ll use the metaphor of learning to drive. For example: A consultant will advise you on the most appropriate car to drive. A counsellor will try to address any anxieties that you have about driving. A mentor will share their own driving experiences with you. A coach will encourage you to get in and drive the car correctly. If that is what coachee desires as the outcome. Coaches adopt the belief that the coachee has the ability to change, and will make the best choice available to him/her. (The little book of Big coaching models; Bob Bates). Coaching is a guided conversation, it’s coachee driven, and based on coachee’s needs, goals, and aspirations. In some aspects, Coaching and (for example) Psychotherapy, might overlap, or be used in parallel for the same topic. However, clients very often choose one or another, based on the methodology they currently prefer or need, or what topic/issue they are working on. Coaching focuses mainly on the future, and doesn’t analyze past as psychotherapy does. It looks into where does coachee stand today, and where s/he wants to get to. Coach doesn’t give advices, like a mentor does, s/he also doesn’t judge coachee or his/her problem/topic, doesn’t ask ‘why’, doesn’t imply own opinions nor suggestions. Coaching focuses on the desired outcome, not the problem. Professional coaching uses a range of communication skills (such as targeted restatements, listening, questioning, clarifying etc.) to help clients shift their perspectives and thereby discover different approaches to achieve their goals. Questioning is a skill of knowing how to ask the most useful question at the most appropriate time and in an empowering and thought-provoking way. All of these skills can be used in almost all types of coaching. In this sense, coaching is a form of "meta-profession" that can apply to supporting clients in any human endeavor, ranging from their concerns in health, personal, professional, sport, social, family, political, spiritual dimensions, etc. Coaching can be used as a developmental tool as it taps into the strong interpersonal skills, and therefore holds high quality, structured conversations. Coaching as a specific set of skills can be flexibly applied to help to: Connect to one’s strengths and feel valued as an individual Feel trust, confident and supported Achieve relevant goals Maximize one’s potential Become ‘even better’ and more ‘consciously competent’ in one’s role Find solutions and focus on personal growth Improve performance Gain a clearer perspective Resolve an issue of concern Explore new ideas, range of options, and actions to get them to their goals Become more creative and optimistic, positive and more confident about any change (Coaching & Reflecting pocketbook, Peter Hook at al, 2006) While differentiating between different methodologies, I need to mention also the difference between Coaching and Usage of the coaching style. From my experience, many supervisors, when practicing Performance Management, refer to it as a Coaching process, just because they are using questions while setting targets with their subordinates instead of assigning performance goals in a directive manner. It definitely is the correct way of setting goals or giving feedback, however that is not Coaching as such. Coaching is a process when coachee chooses their OWN goals. If the targets are assigned by the person ‘coaching’ them, (even though set by asking questions leading to agreement with the told targets), I’d call that a Performance management using coaching style rather than Coaching. I used to study different therapies, however I do mainly Coaching these days. As I mentioned above and also in my blog about moving Onwards and upwards (hyperlink here), in coaching, we don’t go back to the past to analyze it, we rather focus on the future. The only reason to go back in time is to look for the resources that have worked for us in the past, or to learn from the past, so called, mistakes, and move on. There’s no need to dwell in it for too long, to relive the pain again and again, and suffer. Failures in life are inevitable, but suffering is unnecessary really. To book your Skype Coaching session with Marcela Lendvaiova, send a message on her Coaching Facebook page Live with a grateful heart and a passionate mind. Marcela Lendvaiova

https://www.facebook.com/MLCoachingVIP/ Read the full article

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Useful Links

For direct links to treatment centres, please see Directory About Alcoholism / Substance Abuse  About.com is an web index that combines site listings with reviews and editorial content. Check the About Alcoholism / Substance Abuse section for information on subtance abuse, addiction treatment, and facts about commonly abused drugs. Addaction Addaction is a leading UK charity working solely in the field of drug and alcohol treatment. Addiction Arena  Provides professionals and researchers with a range of addiction treatment and intervention resources. You will find a list of book, journal and test publications on subjects such as gambling, alcohol addiction, drug and substance abuse, as well as the psychology of addiction. Addiction Search Geared toward multiple groups: health consumers and professionals, researchers, educators, and students. Over 500 links to prevention, treatment, statistical, alcohol and drug information, harm reduction, and special populations sites. Daily addiction news update, weekly featured websites, resources, and research questions. Alcohol Concern  Alcohol Concern is the national agency on alcohol misuse. Works to reduce the incidence and costs of alcohol-related harm and to increase the range and quality of services available to people with alcohol-related problems. Alcoholics Anonymous Arizona Smokers' Helpline  Smoking and tobacco information maintained by the University of Arizona. BMA A resource pack for BMA members who have mental health and / or addiction issues. Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse National organisation provides information on addiction, treatment, prevention and policy. Claudia Black  Claudia Black, M.S.W., Ph.D. is a renowned lecturer, author and trainer internationally recognized for both her pioneering and contemporary work with family systems and addictive disorders. Her website lists numerous books and CDs available for purchase. Cocaine Anonymous  Cocaine Anonymous UK DrugScope  DrugScope is the UK's leading independent centre of expertise on drugs. Their aim is to inform policy development and reduce drug-related risk. They provide quality drug information, promote effective responses to drug taking, undertake research at local, national and international levels, advise on policy-making, encourage informed debate and speak for their member organisations working on the ground. Drugs Information UK  Information on various illegal drugs. This site explains how these harmful drugs are taken and what symptoms to look out for, also helplines in the UK. EAAT Conference 2008  The fourth European Association of Addiction Therapy Conference will take place in Florence, 13-15 October 2008. Employment Programme for Recovering Alcoholics  EPRA (charity reg no 1069741) enables people recovering from alcoholism and/or other addictions to return to meaningful work and maintain long-term abstinence. European Association for the Treatment of Addiction (EATA) A charity, which aims to help ensure that people who are dependent on drugs or alcohol get timely access to the treatment they need. HabitSmart Dedicated to, not only providing alternative theories of addictive behaviour and change, but providing addiction information in general. www.HaveIGotAProblem.com A free resource website for anyone with Mental Health or Addiction concerns Heroin Anonymous  For those suffering from heroin addiction. We have recovered, maybe we can help? Institute of Alcohol Studies  An educational body with the basic aims of increasing knowledge of alcohol and the social and health consequences of its misuse and encouraging and supporting the adoption of effective measures for the management and prevention of alcohol-related problems Intervention Guide  Provides an introduction to the process of an Intervention. JobsInRecovery.com  US site for anyone seeking employment in the area of Mental Health, Substance Abuse or Social Work. Free to job seekers and currently free to advertisers. Laban's Trainings  Addiction specific trainings in the US, Canada, Germany, UK, Singapore, Australia and Pacific Rim. Approved for chemical dependency counsellors, social workers and licensed professional counsellors. Medical Council on Alcoholism  The MCA (charity reg no 265242) helps doctors to alleviate and prevent alcohol-related harm. It does this through educating and assisting medical practitioners and others involved in maintaining health, holding medical-school symposia and essay competitions, and a library of information, as well as handbooks such as the MCA Medical Students Handbook: Alcohol and Health. It also enables doctors to contact the British Doctors & Dentists Group for recovering alcohol/drug-dependent doctors, dentists and students. Medical University of South Carolina - Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs Medical University of South Carolina - Charleston Alcohol Research Center  Muslim Youth Helpline  The Muslim Youth Helpline is a confidential helpline for young Muslims. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Data bases, publications, etc. NTORS The first large-scale, multi-site, prospective follow up study of drug misuse conducted in the UK PREVLine - SAMHSA Electronic information service of the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. Services include a searchable database of research data and scientific studies and ordering of NCADI publications. Portman Group The Portman Group was set up in 1989 by the UK's leading drinks producers. Its purpose is to help prevent misuse of alcohol and to promote sensible drinking Recovery Cafe The UK's first online support and networking site for people in recovery The Recovery Directory A USA based web site listing 1000's of links to recovery related resources. Recovery Jones  Bringing the world of recovery to people through cartoons and laughter. Recovery Network Provides support and guidance to anyone affected by addiction. By becoming a member of the TRN website you will have access to chat rooms and forums allowing you to build a 24/7 support network of like-minded friends. By creating a support network you are able to share experiences with like-minded individuals who understand how addiction can impact on our lives as they too, have been affected by this destructive illness. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex and love, eating disorders, co-dependency, or other addictions. Science Clarified  Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous United Kingdom UK Intergroup branch of Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous St George's Hospital Medical School Addictive Behaviour Department Access to listings of services which help people with Drug and/or Alcohol problems in the South Thames Region Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Collects, analyses and disseminates data and information as part of its mission to improve prevention and treatment services for addictive and mental illness. Talking About Cannabis  Supporting people whose lives have been affected by cannabis abuse The Way  The mission statement (as stated in the web site) is: To advise support & train individuals & organizations in relation to habit forming/addictive behaviour. Bringing restoration & rehabilitation & helping people break free from the destructive cycles of addiction & lead fulfilling lives. Trashed  Drug information from the The National Drugs Helpline. ukselfhelp.info  Details of over 780 UK Self Help Groups. University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions Web of Addictions  Provides information about alcohol and other drug addictions. Read the full article

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ECSTASY/MDMA: THE RESEARCH FACTS

I would like to reply to the Mark Easton ‘blog’ about my MDMA-presentation to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. This 20 minute Powerpoint presentation comprised numerous simple bullet points – which I then debated and discussed during my talk to the committee. Mark Easton criticised these bullet points as representing a series of ‘errors’. I welcome this opportunity to respond to these criticisms, by talking about the scientific evidence for them in more detail.    Schifano noted that most deaths had involved polydrug usage (ie, MDMA plus other drugs); Mark further noted that I acknowledged this in my research papers. Indeed, nearly all Ecstasy/MDMA users are polydrug users, with about 90% taking cannabis and/or alcohol, and a large majority also taking other stimulant drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine. Hence most MDMA–related deaths involve the use of other co-drugs. This makes it difficult to attribute the exact cause of death to any one drug – whether it is amphetamine, methamphetamine, or MDMA. Furthermore, the exact causes of death can be variable. Again this is debated more fully by Professor Schifano in his many papers on this topic (Schifano, 2003, 2004, 2006). "A wide range of blood levels was found: eg, MDMA blood concentrations in cases of 'pure' intoxication were found between 0.27 and 13.51 microg/ml. The age and sex distribution as well as the broad range of quantified amphetamines blood levels were in line with those reported in the literature. In our study group, 'pure' intoxications with amphetamines, polydrug overdoses, and the combination of amphetamines use and polytrauma were the most prominent causes of death. The Ghent report also noted more death in males, but in other aspects females are more vulnerable. For instance, one potential danger with MDMA is hyponatraemia (excessive dilution of sodium in the blood through excessive water-intake). This proved fatal in Leah Betts, although these days acute hyponatraemia is generally treated successfully by rapid medical intervention (with sodium replacement) – so preventing a fatal outcome. In a recent article, Patterns of ecstasy-associated hyponatraemia in California, (Rosenson et al, 2007) it was noted that “Female sex was associated with increased odds of hyponatraemia and increased odds of hyponatraemia-associated coma”. In a subsequent review, Devlin and Henry (2008) outlined the treatment options for emergency admissions related to all recreational drug users. They noted: “Because of its marked cardiovascular effects, cocaine is also a major cause of coronary syndromes and myocardial infarction. Amphetamines may produce similar effects less commonly. Hyperthermia may occur with cocaine toxicity or with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) due to exertion or from serotonin syndrome. Cerebral haemorrhage may result from the use of amphetamines or cocaine. Hallucinations may follow consumption of LSD, amphetamines, or cocaine. ALL DEATHS ARE TRAGIC Cowan (2007) has written that: “Only investigations employing nuclear imaging methods to assay brain 5-HTT levels have been replicated across methods and research laboratories. These studies have found reduced levels of the 5-HTT in recently abstinent MDMA users with some evidence for normalization of 5-HTT levels with prolonged abstinence”. The most advanced study in this area has been undertaken in the Netherlands, and it is still ongoing. Several important reports have emerged from this group. AGGRESSION “Depression was also significantly increased, while other mid-week rebound/recovery problems include unsociability, reduced appetite, and poor sleep (reviews: Parrott, 2001, 2006). Compared with the hangover effects of alcohol, the recovery problems of MDMA are longer-lasting, and generally more pervasive. Gerra et al (2001) found that drug-free Ecstasy users also had higher levels of aggressiveness, and that the extent of this behavioural aggression correlated significantly with lifetime usage”. CAR DRIVING IMPAIRMENTS In the same article (2007), I also noted some of the empirical literature on the effects of MDMA on the liver (hepatic effects) and heart (cardiac effects). “Gesi et al (2002) noted that ‘Persons abusing ecstasy typically suffer cardiac symptoms, such as tachycardia, hypertension, and arrhythmia’. In my ACMD presentation, I did not have time to describe the empirical data on Ecstasy dependence in detail. However, to cite just one study, Topp et al (1997) reported a rate of Ecstasy dependence at around 64%. For people interested in Ecstasy cravings, I recommend the real-time prospective study by Hopper et al (2006). When I re-scaled these scores using scientific data, then MDMA emerged as the 5th most harmful drug on this list  - lower than heroin and cocaine, but broadly similar to some of the other Class A drugs.   I welcome the opportunity to present some of the scientific evidence about the damaging effects of MDMA or ‘ecstasy’ in humans. For those who would like to read more about MDMA, I have written several reviews of its effects in recreational users and other reviews include Green et al (2003), Hegadoren et al (1998), McCann et al (2007), Morgan (2001), Schifano (2000), and more. Note: many of my research papers can be accessed via the Swansea University webpage. Please access Psychology, then Staff, my name, then my personal research page. For printed versions please write to the journals concerned, since they hold the formal copyrights. Read the full article

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Why Yoga has a key part in the recovery process

"Yoga is for everyone and at any time" Jacqui Sinclair, yoga teacher, explains Y12SR, a system that combines yogic and Twelve Step principles. One of the main tenets of yoga is the recognition that we start from where we are, in the present moment, and ‘practice’ from wherever that is on the spectrum of our experience. This inclusive philosophy prevents procrastination or excuses whilst we wait for optimum conditions based on pre-conceived ideas of readiness. Yoga is for everyone and at any time. After attending a charity fund raising event for a Focus 12, treatment centre local to me, I offered to run a weekly yoga class as a donation to the cause. Initially, attendance to the class was voluntary, but the affects were viewed positively enough for yoga to become integrated into the rehabilitation programme. With an interest in trauma and PTSD, in July 2013, I travelled from the UK to Richmond, Virginia to study with Nikki Myers in order to learn more about yoga and recovery via the Y12SR format. Addictive behaviours separate and disconnect us from ourselves and others Y12SR is a framework for addiction recovery that combines the twelve-step programme, the trauma healing approach of Somatic Experiencing and the body-based ‘entry points’ of awareness offered by yoga and mindfulness practices. It explores the combination of cognitive and somatic approaches in supporting changes in brain patterning (could do with some sources of research here). Y12SR seeks to combine cognitive work with physical yoga (asana) practice to consolidate and enhance the efficacy of each to support awareness, mindfulness and balance. Y12SR places a great emphasis on the need to look after the self in order to be able to serve others. Seva (service) is a strong tenet within all yoga practice which mirrors Step 12 of the Twelve Steps.

Addictive behaviours separate and disconnect us from ourselves and others. Conversely, yoga means union, integration and balance, within ourselves and with everything around us. Yoga practice teaches the art of integrating our multi-dimensional lives within the complex ever changing world we live in. Rather than separating and sub-dividing further into the specifics of what people have been or their specific addiction, Y12SR seeks to reflect the concept of yoga union and integration into the collective itself. A yoga class provides a non-judgemental and non-competitive environment. The class structure of Y12SR is unique as it is part meeting and part yoga practice. Following brief shares during the opening session of each class, movement and breath awareness within a mindfulness structure is explored. Through the usual parabolic energy of a flow-based class, students gain a greater understanding of how the cognitive process has a direct connection to the physical body in a stress response. Yoga emphasises the importance of acceptance with a starting point of ‘where we are’ and working from there on. The yoga practice is a basic slow Vinyasa (means to place in a meaningful way), with the sequencing of asanas (postures) designed to illicit responses that deepen awareness of key focal points and balance the central nervous system. This flow teaches the importance of constant vigilance with transitions; as the asanas are moved into the practice becomes a moving meditation rather than a series of individual end points. Through the practice, the fluctuation and waves of experience in expansion and contraction, ebb and flow, inhale and exhale, intensity and release, left and right, strength and flexibility, dynamic and restorative, attraction and aversion, and the individual and a Higher Power are explored to find a perfect point of balance through an awareness of a perpetual present moment. Yoga practice also serves to facilitate a greater understanding of gratitude, self-awareness, and stress and anxiety control The physical benefits of yoga practice are wide ranging. Improvements in strength are well documented, as are increased flexibility. Yoga also improves cardio vascular fitness, and can elevate mood. Yoga practice also serves to facilitate a greater understanding of gratitude, self-awareness, and stress and anxiety control. Yoga enhances relaxation which enables students to rest and re-charge helping participants to maximise their gains from co-existing therapeutic interventions and meetings. Poor sleep is common in early recovery and is a known risk factor to relapse. The accentuated depth of relaxation students experience in yoga practice improves sleep quality. Poor sleep is common in early recovery and is a known risk factor to relapse. The accentuated depth of relaxation students experience in yoga practice improves sleep quality. Yoga emphasises the importance of acceptance with a starting point of ‘where we are’ and working from there on. Through yoga practice and breath awareness, the ability to control the stress response and inclination to react to feelings of discomfort is explored, felt and developed by combining inner and outer peace. Each practice provides a reminder to the student to let go of any expectation of the practice or of yourself, and instead, set the intention to engage with present moment fully in order to feel the ebb and flow of the sequence and of the breath. This increases an individual’s ability to hone control of the self through breath and the depth of awareness which allows the urge to seek control of anything else to fall away. Your biography becomes your biology – and a body distorted by stress houses a mind whose perception becomes distorted by stress. In this aspect, yoga is the felt experience of the serenity prayer in action. You cognitively understand It you somatically feel it, and through the breath and connection to a Higher Power, you experience that knowing. With enough repetition, it becomes easier to incorporate this into your daily lives and your interactions with everyone and everything around us. The influence of the stress response is part of Y12SR. The effects on posture and longer term anatomical changes often lead to biochemical inefficiencies in the body, pain and discomfort. Much of the tension in the body is as a result of stress or allostatic load (alongside somatic storing of trauma). This can be released and reversed through greater awareness and understanding of the underlying links and with regular mindfulness practice. Your biography becomes your biology – and a body distorted by stress houses a mind whose perception becomes distorted by stress. For more information about Y12SR, go to: www.Y12SR.com. For Jacqui Sinclair’s work: www.yogaattheboilerhouse.com   Read the full article

#Addiction #AlternativeTherapy #Excercise #Fitness #Holistic #HolisticTherapy #lifestyle #personalexperience #Recovery #RecoveryExperience #relapseprevention #wellbeing #Yoga

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Is Anger an Addiction?

Mike Fisher presents his own thoughts regarding the above question based on many years of personal experience of being addicted to anger and working with others similarly addicted. The question ‘Is Anger An Addiction?’ is more than just rhetorical and from my perspective it’s undeniably factual Let’s start by defining addiction, It’s the condition of being abnormally dependent on some habit, especially compulsive dependency on narcotic drugs, alcohol and so forth’. My own definition of addiction is based on my experience of being a marijuana addict for well over 30 years. ‘Addiction is the inability to control my impulses which I know are harmful to me and others around me´. My addiction began when I was aged around 16 years old. It started out as fun with a little bit of peer group pressure added. My fundamental problem was that I was in denial of my addiction and eventually it took well over 15 years for me to recognise and own that reality for myself. It then took another 15 years to bring it under control. I loved getting stoned and I found it genuinely helpful in controlling my ADHD and excellent for stuffing my emotional pain. My addiction to blow seemed to me to be the most amazing anaesthetic and awesome way to self medicate. When I eventually did give up (that took about six years) what became clear during that phase was all I had done was in fact just replaced one addiction for another - one being food, yes I put on weight, a massive amount of weight, and the other addiction was work. I became a fat workaholic, working 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. Then the point came when I realised I was just in denial, deep denial and I had to explore other serious, solutions for myself. However before I could do that I also had to come to terms with my addiction to anger, in fact anger and adrenaline and a few other minor addictions like, intensity, drama and most important of all my addiction to suffering…. Yes suffering. I discovered my greatest addiction was to suffering. My hypothesis; Most addictions have their genesis in repressed anger and fear. I have about 27 years experience in counselling and group  facilitation, I am now approaching this based on empirical evidence based on my experience of working with clients in the field. How did I come to this hypothesis? Having worked with over 20,000 people in the past 17 years, specifically in the area of anger and stress management, I discovered that virtually everyone was in some way addicted to anger and stress. In my work, I notice that people who come and see me for anger and stress management also have addictive tendencies. Their addictions are not always to drugs or alcohol, they can present a variety of addictions such as work, food, sex, gaming, gambling etc…. I also discovered with my client group who I call the angry tribe that there are addictions to intensity, drama, anger, stress, suffering, extreme sports, adrenaline, just about anything that keeps them away from being present in their lives. Present to their feelings, thoughts and experiences. What the anger and stress does is enhance the intensity of their suffering which then, in order to deal with, they resort back to alcohol, drugs, food, work, shopping gambling etc…etc… I describe it as a ‘hostility loop’ the one addiction feeds the other! My hypothesis suggests that underlying all of our addictions is this great need to repress our fears and our aggressive tendencies. For many of us who experienced high levels of anger and shaming, certainly during our formative years, leading to trauma, repressing our vital feelings was our main coping strategy. This in turn lead us to finding numerous solutions to suppress these volatile feelings. And for many of us, including me, led us to using powerful medication, drugs and/or alcohol, to sublimate these feelings. Eventually people who go into recovery, have to deal with primarily anger and fear then hurt and shame and usually if their tendency is towards anger its only a matter of time before they seek anger management skills to further their recovery. "Today my own anger and stress is controlled and managed daily and my addictions have reduced by at least 95 percent. The area that I am working on is weight, fitness and remaining fully present in my own life and I know this is a discipline that has supported me in my recovery." To summarise: I believe that most addictive behaviours have their roots in repressed anger and fear and once you are able to face your fears and control your anger, your addictive behaviour will naturally diminish and your need to create further suffering for yourself will dissolve organically. I have found that clients discover that they are able to maintain sobriety when their anger gets activated - that’s the next level into their recovery. And once again it’s going to take awareness, consciousness and mindfulness to free themselves from latent aggressive behaviour. You might ask yourself what is the miracle cure or what is the antidote to anger and stress? The truth is very simple – if you can crack your addiction to drugs and alcohol then you can crack your addiction to anger, stress and suffering. The 10 Steps to start the recovery process: • Recognise that anger is getting in the way of you having a healthy relationship with yourself and others. • Be committed to doing something about it immediately • Be prepared to invest in your emotional health and well being whatever the cost! • Get support in whatever shape or form • Use an ‘anger journal’ everyday • Read books on the subject and educate yourself Visit www.mindyouranger • Find ways to deal with your stressors Yoga, meditation, exercise and a range of creative outlets are excellent ways of de-stressing • Make yourself a priority in your own life! If you don’t make yourself a priority no one else will and making yourself a priority will instantly increase your self esteem • Make a commitment to yourself to do all of the above and more. As you already know if you can overcome one addiction it’s possible to overcome them all.. • Finally, please note that anger, like any addiction, does not go away it only gets worse and if you don’t deal with it, then be prepared to lose family and friends. Anger Statistics Mental Health Organisation: Boiling Point Report 2008 For Mental Health Action Week 2008, the Mental Health Organisation launched a report 'Boiling Point' about problem anger, how it affects individuals, families and communities, and what we can do to minimise the harm it causes. Key findings from the report are: • GPs report that they have few options for helping patients who come to them with problem anger. • There are some good examples of NHS-funded anger management courses and others being run by voluntary organisations, as well as private sector providers. • Where NHS services do not exist GPs can refer people to voluntary sector providers and others, but often aren’t confident to do so. • There are approximately 50 published research studies that have tested some kind of intervention for anger problems with adults and another 40 relating to children or adolescents, and researchers have concluded that successful treatments exist for adults, adolescents and children. • Almost a third of people polled (32%) say they have a close friend or family member who has trouble controlling their anger. • More than one in ten (12%) say that they have trouble controlling their own anger. • More than one in four people (28%) say that they worry about how angry they sometimes feel. • One in five of people (20%) say that they have ended a relationship or friendship with someone because of how they behaved when they were angry. • 64% either strongly agree or agree that people in general are getting angrier. • Fewer than one in seven (13%) of those people who say they have trouble controlling their anger have sought help for their anger problems. • 58% of people wouldn’t know where to seek help if they needed help with an anger problem. • 84% strongly agree or agree that people should be encouraged to seek help if they have problems with anger. • Those who have sought help were most likely to do so from a health professional (such as a counsellor, therapist, GP or nurse), rather than from friends and family, social workers, employers or voluntary organisations. • Generational differences are striking. Older people are less likely to report having a close friend or family member with an anger problem or to be worried about how angry they sometimes feel or that they have trouble dealing with their own anger, than younger people. • There are striking regional differences in responses to our anger polling – especially between Scotland and other parts of the UK. Read the full article

#AddictionTreatment #AngerManagement #Data #Facts #FactualInformation #personalexperience #RecoveryExperience #Statistics

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Alcohol-Related Brain Damage - ARBD

Recovery Practitioner Dan Mushens speak to Jim Duffy about the day he lost his job, living with alcohol-related brain damage and how it needn’t be a life sentence.     “Although I’ve got memory deficits, I remember that day as clear as if it were just yesterday. It was my day off work and I’d been pottering around the house and tidying the garden, I saw two men approaching the drive-way, it was my gaffer and his colleague. Immediately, I knew this wasn’t a social call, I knew the game was up”. Jim had been a BT engineer for over twenty years and in 2001, he was part of a specialist team installing the communications for sporting and music events at Hampden Park Stadium in Glasgow. He speaks candidly about life as a functioning alcoholic and hiding bottles of cider underneath the passenger seat of his old works van. He recalls knowing the location of every lamppost-mounted bin in Glasgow, or at least the ones where deposits could be made from the comfort of the driver’s seat. Even more tellingly, he also knew the day and time of the week they were emptied! His boss approached and said “Jim, this won’t take long mate, if we can have the keys to the van, we’ll be on our way and we can discuss things in more depth in the morning”. Jim was surprised, surprised that he’d been able to hide it for as long as he had. Wanting to discuss it there and then, he invited them into his house for a coffee where he was given the news that in the morning he was to be relieved of his duties. For years, Jim had been drinking on the job at every opportunity and believed he was doing so in a discreet and calculated manner, the truth was that it had become blatant and was common knowledge amongst his colleagues. Questions had been raised over the quality and speed of Jim’s work, the company had now collected the evidence they needed and Jim was soon to be unemployed, “an alcoholic without a function” he recounts with a wry smile. “I had been the company’s union representative for a long time but I literally couldn’t defend myself due to the sense of shame and embarrassment, I had no fight in me. I accepted that this moment in my life, was the beginning of the end”. “It was the thought of being unemployed that scared me” says Jim, “I’d been working full time since I left school and I had a partner, a daughter, a big house and a hefty mortgage to pay each month. Reflecting on that life defining day, one of many which I’ve subsequently had, faced with a future of daytime TV, a remote in one hand and a bottle in the other, I desperately wanted to address my issues. One of the main concerns at this time was the fact I knew my memory had been deteriorating for some time but I didn’t want to discuss it due to the fear of what it may mean”. The morning after his van was taken away, Jim went to the office first thing, signed the relevant paperwork and shook the appropriate hands before heading straight to see his doctor “to get the ball rolling”. “The years that followed were hard and the effects of that day rippled through every aspect of my life” says Jim. “My marriage ended in divorce, I lost the house and my relationship with my daughter deteriorated to the point that contact is still sporadic”. Jim recalls a plethora of meetings, appointments and assessments spanning many months, which resulted in being told he was suffering the effects on Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD). “I didn’t have a clue what they were talking about when I was told I had ARBD” Jim admits. “It’s not a term that you hear much about, but when you hear the words ‘brain’ and ‘damage’ in the same sentence, you sit up and take notice.” ARBD is an umbrella term for a range of symptoms which describe the physical injury to the brain due to heavy and prolonged alcohol use and the lack of proper nutrition. The two main disorders are Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. Characteristics include thiamine deficiency which is a B1 vitamin, poor concentration, confusion, poor balance and coordination as well as a lack of self awareness and insight. Jim has experienced them all at some point or another but is keen to stress that one in four people will recover completely following a two year period of total abstinence and a good nutritious diet including thiamine rich foods. The road to recovery is unique to each sufferer and is seldom a straight forward sprint to the finish line but more like an arduous cross country trek on a sponge like terrain. “I wanted to abstain but it wasn’t easy, even with the best of intentions, peer support at AA meetings and various medications, I relapsed time and time again. I was in and out of supported accommodation, detox and rehab services as well as hospital wards. I had spiralled into a world of chaos with no meaning or purpose and at my lowest, I thought I was senile and past the point of redemption, I saw myself as a snowman whose future was slowly disappearing”. Scotland has 32 local authority councils. Jim feels fortunate that Glasgow have a specialist ARBD unit who helped him through his journey. However, Glasgow is something of a rarity and the number of other local authorities with designated ARBD team sadly doesn’t reach double figures. Today, although he is no longer drinking alcohol, Jim is currently living in a supported living service at a purpose built ARBD complex in the east end of Glasgow. “It’s nice to have that reassurance, to know that support staff are around 24 hours a day should I ever need them” says Jim. They’re not intrusive and they respect my privacy, but the staff prompt me at certain times of the day as my short term memory can be poor, I’ve come to terms with it and have adapted accordingly”. “The way I see it, is I’m fortunate. I’m now in my mid-fifties and eventually I’ve been able to stop drinking leading to opportunities presenting themselves to me that otherwise wouldn’t have”. For example, Since 2011 I’ve been a trustee on the board of the ARBD Focus Group whose aim is to raise awareness of the condition, influence public policy and improve services”. Jim speaks very passionately about this role, he considers it his duty to promote this under-discussed condition as he knows how little information was available when he was diagnosed. “It needn’t be a life sentence” Jim says with a stern face. “I may need a little support now and again but my quality of life is what I decide it to be. If you break your arm, you adapt and get on with things, if you have toothache, you endure the pain until the tooth’s treated, If you have ARBD, you need to focus on what you are able to do and adapt”. Read the full article

#Addiction #Alcohol #AlcoholAbuse #BrainDamage #education #Employment #Harm #HarmReduction #personalexperience #Recovery #Relapse

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Your relationship with food - A short questionnaire

Your relationship with food - A short questionnaire

Do you worry about your eating?  Do you feel there is more to your eating habits than can be addressed by just following a diet and being active?  Want a more sustainable and enjoyable relationship with food?   By completing the very short questionnaire below you will help empirical research to potentially impact future policies and treatment to help people have happier relationships with their body and food.

Click Here to complete the Survey

  Read the full article

#Addiction #Data #EatingDisroders #Food #policy #Research

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Intervene asks the expert - Jeff Jay, Clinical Interventionist

1. How did you become a Clinical Interventionist? I’m an intervention story myself. A family intervention got me into treatment back in 1981, so intervention literally saved my life. Then, in the early 90’s, when I was sober 11 years and working as a certified addictions counselor for 7 years, I started specializing in intervention. At that time, the technique was very under-utilized and under-developed. I did my first publication with Hazelden (“Take Charge!”, 1994), and started to make an impact on the field. So, I’m a big believer in intervention, both personally and professionally. 2. What is the difference between a Clinical Interventionist and an Interventionist? The vast majority of people doing interventions have no clinical background. They may have their own personal recovery, but they’ve never been trained and certified as a chemical dependency counselor, and they’ve never worked under supervision in a treatment center. They may have some training, but they aren’t educated and experienced in the treatment process, so they have fewer tools to bring to the intervention. A clinical interventionist is a seasoned professional, with the education, certification and experience to work with family systems at a deep level. When we do our clinical intervention training for professionals, we turn many people away, because we only accept people who meet high standards of experience and education. We’ve had M.D.’s and Ph.D.’s take our training, and they’ve all recommended it to their colleagues. We do make exceptions, for instance we may admit a clergy member who has deep addiction experience in a treatment setting. 3. When did you decide to launch Love First as an Intervention Firm? Was this before or after the book of the same name, came out? We incorporated our private practice in 1993, seven years before the publication of the book. The name of the company changed to Love First, Inc., after the book became popular, and people started referring to us as “Love First.” We’ve been in business a long time now. 4. How have Interventions evolved over the last few decades? Vern Johnson is the father of modern intervention, pioneering the basic concept in the early 1980’s. In 1994 I published the “Take Charge!” program, which guided families through the process in a step-by-step fashion. Then in 2000, my wife Debra and I published Love First (which was revised and expanded in 2008), which became the bible on intervention. Several others have contributed a great deal to the intervention field as well, including Wayne Raiter with the Systemic approach, and Dr. Judith Landau, with the Invitational approach. So, the evolution has been in making techniques more sophisticated. 5. What is the "success rate" of families who hire Interventionist to get Loved Ones into TX? If an intervention is done properly, and that’s a big “if,” interventions are 85-90% successful in getting people into treatment on intervention day. There’s a great deal of preparation necessary to do an intervention properly, and that’s were many people—and even some professionals—will fall apart. Intervention is all about preparation. Complicating factors like serious mental health problems can impact those percentages, but overall it’s a very effective technique. 6. What is the benefit for Treatment Providers to work closely with an Interventionist? A professional interventionist has worked closely with the family and friends of the addict, prior to admission, so we have a wealth of information and history to pass on to the treatment provider, which they may not be able to get otherwise. We can offer a complete picture, even before admission, and discover important issues that will impact the course of treatment. 7. How do you respond to people who say that a person must really want treatment in order for it to be effective? At some point, a person must become ready to embrace recovery and to do the work necessary to recover, but they are rarely “ready” for treatment. Most addicts are ambivalent, at best, and even if they are ready to engage, they often resist the real work. So I talk about the “myth of ready” as one of the most dangerous myths in the treatment field. I hate to think about how many people may have died while family and friends were waiting for them to “get ready.” 8. What other myths are out there about people getting into treatment programs? Probably the most damaging myth is that treatment is going to fix the problem. Treatment is a launching pad for the process of recovery, and although it’s important, treatment isn’t a cure-all. It’s like someone going into a hospital for open-heart surgery. The surgery may be necessary and it may save their life temporarily, but if they don’t change their diet and exercise and follow whatever other directions their doctor gives them, they’re likely to wind up in the hospital again—if they survive at all. So the biggest myths stem from underestimating the disease of addiction. The problem is physical, which is why most people need detox and stabilization, but it’s also psychological and spiritual. People (and even professionals) have a tendency to over-simplify. They make the mistake of thinking that if they just address the physical problem, or just address the psychological problem (like trauma), or just address the spiritual problems, that the addiction will somehow go away. But until a truly holistic approach is taken, and all aspects are addressed, the person is likely to relapse. Amazingly, the founders of AA seemed to grasp this as early as 1935. It’s important not to lose sight of what they discovered. 9. Are there any trends you see, for better or for worse, in treating addictions? One problem is focusing too much on techniques and not on the big picture. In the end, the patient goes home, and they don’t take their therapist with them. One of the giants in the addiction field, Dan Anderson, Ph.D., said decades ago that there are two goals in treatment: 1) break through the patient’s denial at depth, and 2) get the patient to commit to an ongoing program of recovery. Sounds simple, but those two goals are very difficult to accomplish. Another problem is the reductionism that I referred to earlier. Some people want to over-medicalize the problem, or over psychoanalyze the problem, or over-theologize the problem. There are important medical, psychological and spiritual insights being developed all the time, but they’re not panaceas. We also need to be careful about the term “evidence-based,” because it’s being used to sell things that aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. Scientists think of evidence much differently than most of us. Evidence is part of an ongoing conversation among researchers. “Evidence-based” doesn’t mean proven. This terminology is being used far beyond the addiction treatment field to sell a wide variety of medications and techniques that are sometimes later shown to be ineffective. I worry about the corrupting influence of money and careerism when people say “evidence based.” On the positive side, I see a lot of younger clinicians coming into the field who truly want to help people, and who are bringing the example of their own recovery with them. No matter what 12 Step program they follow, the power of personal example is hard to beat. Just think if you were struggling with Type 1 diabetes. If you went to an endocrinologist who also had Type 1 diabetes, wouldn’t you listen more closely and maybe ask more questions? It’s not a requirement for being an endocrinologist, of course, but it helps. The good thing about recovery is that almost any clinician can qualify for some 12 Step fellowships. So I’m very encouraged by the young clinicians who want to make their own lives better, and help others in their career. 10. What advice do you have for people who want to become a Clinical Interventionist? Get as much training as you can. It’s nice to have good intentions, but one should have a solid clinical background, followed by rigorous training in the intervention process. There are a lot of wrong ways to do an intervention, and I’ve heard some real horror stories from families over the years. If you’re a professional, you must have the right training. The new credential in the intervention field, the CIP (certified intervention professional), is a good way to go. The requirements are solid, although they don’t specify where you get your training. We offer a very rigorous training for professionals who want to take the next step in their careers. Jeff Jay, BS, CAP, CIP, is co-author of Love First. He heads a national private practice of clinical interventionists, case managers and therapists. His latest book is Navigating Grace: a solo voyage of survival and redemption. Learn more about his work at http://lovefirst.net/ Read the full article

#Asktheexpert #family #GettingHelp #intervention #Lovedones #personalexperience #ProfessionalAdvice

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Combat Trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury & Addictive Disorders

Combat Trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury, & Addictive Disorders

Larry L. Ashley, Ed.S., LCADC, CPGC & Karmen K. Boehlke, M.S. provide an fascinating insight into the experiences of American veterans returning from recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Whether anticipating, engaging in, or experiencing the aftermath of battle, historical accounts indicate that war has always had severe psychological impacts on soldiers in immediate and enduring ways. For example, three thousand years ago, an Egyptian combat veteran named Hori wrote about the feelings he experienced before going into battle: “You determine to go forward…Shuddering seizes you, the hair on your head stands on end, your soul lies in your hand.” Herodotus, the Greek historian, writing of the battle of Marathon in 490 B.C., cited an Athenian warrior who went permanently blind when the soldier standing next to him was killed, although the blinded soldier “was wounded in no part of his body.” In a different account referencing the battle of Thermopylae Pass in 480 B.C., Herodotus wrote of another soldier, Aristodemus, who was so shaken by battle that he was nicknamed “the Trembler.” Aristodemus later hanged himself in shame (Bentley, 2005; p. 1). Employing the term “Nostalgia” in 1678, Swiss military physicians were among the first to identify and name the constellation of symptoms that comprised acute combat reactions (Bentley, 2005). Since then, the moniker has undergone several revisions. Transitioning from “soldier’s heart” during the Civil War, to “shell shock” during World War I, to “combat exhaustion” or “combat fatigue” during World War II and the Korean War (Hunter, 2009) to “combat stress reaction” during the Vietnam War (Johnson, 2010), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as it is currently classified today, officially debuted in 1980 when it was included in the in third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III). Symptoms of PTSD include sleep disorders, avoidance, numbing, detachment, re-experiencing, hyper-arousal, and hyper-vigilance (Reckess, Chen, & Vasterling, 2012). While epidemiological data suggest that the majority of adults (69%-90%) have experienced at least one potentially traumatic event (Dedert et al., 2009), PTSD rates are more than twice as high in veterans than civilians (Back et al., 2014). According to a reexamination of the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study, approximately 19% of male Vietnam theatre veterans developed PTSD (Dohrenwend et al., 2006). Hoge et al. (2004) found PTSD rates in veterans returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to range between 11% and 17%. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often occurs during some type of trauma, such as an accident, blast, or a fall. A disruption of normal brain function occurs when the skull is struck, suddenly thrust out of position, penetrated or struck by blast pressure waves. While the initial trauma tears, shears, or destroys brain tissue, the effects from the incipient wound may cause a second injury cascade in the brain resulting in edema, internal bleeding, and oxygen deprivation. Symptoms associated with TBI, many of which overlap with the common reactions following trauma, occur in the physical, cognitive, and affective domains and range from headaches to memory problems to changes in mood and personality (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2010). The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan (OIF/OEF) have resulted in increased numbers of veterans presenting with TBI. While 12% of the combat wounds incurred during the Vietnam War were related to TBI, the Department of Defense and the Defense and Veteran’s Brain Injury Center estimate that 22% of all OIF/OEF combat wounds are brain injuries. Additionally, symptomatology in veterans appears to extend beyond what is experienced in the civilian population. Studies show that most veterans who experience a TBI will suffer symptoms 18-24 months following the initial injury (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014).

While the stresses of military service, combat, and reintegration have the potential to place individuals at an elevated risk for experiencing PTSD and TBI, these variables have also been identified as risk factors associated with the development of other emotional and behavioral disorders, including depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and addictive disorders (Biddle et al., 2005). The rates of PTSD among individuals presenting for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment have been reported to fall between 30-59% (Stewart et al., 2000). According to the National Research Council (1996), individuals presenting with trauma histories are 1.5 to 5.5 times more likely to abuse chemical substances than those without a trauma history. To complicate matters further, as many as 82% of individuals presenting with a comorbid PTSD-SUD diagnosis experience additional non-substance use Axis I disorders (Cacciola et al., 2001). Current prevalence rates of SUDs in veterans aged 18-53 is nearly five times that of the general population (SAMHSA, 2007). The most commonly abused drug among active duty military and veterans is alcohol. Approximately 27% of Army soldiers were found to meet criteria for referral to treatment when screened within 3-4 months after returning home from service in Iraq (NIDA, 2011). There is also evidence indicating that prescription drug misuse rates in the military also exceed civilian rates. The Department of Defense (2009) reported an 11.7% prescription drug abuse rate among military personnel compared to that of 4.4% in the civilian population. Not only are the abuse rates higher in the military, they are also escalating at a more rapid pace: statistics indicate that prescription misuse by military personnel doubled from 2002 to 2005, and then nearly tripled between 2005 and 2008 (NIDA, 2011). Additionally, differences exist between the military population and the general population with respect to gambling. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, anywhere between 1 to 3 percent of the general population experience a gambling problem within a given year. However, 10 percent of veterans utilizing VA treatment services have been diagnosed with a gambling disorder (Hall, 2013). In general, comorbid disorders tend to complicate treatment. Comorbidity is associated with increased symptom severity and poorer treatment outcomes (Brown & Wolfe, 1994). Individuals presenting with comorbid disorders tend to experience more psychiatric symptoms and interpersonal distress than clients presenting with either a PTSD or SUD disorder alone (Najavits et al., 1998). Additionally, individuals diagnosed with comorbid PTSD-SUD tend to relapse sooner (Brown, Stout, & Mueller, 1996) and engage in more frequent inpatient treatments than individuals presenting with an SUD alone (Brown, Recupero, & Stout, 1995). Moreover, military personnel face unique factors that may interfere with treatment-seeking endeavors. Concerns related to the potential stigma attached to utilizing mental health services appears to be disproportionately high in the military population compared to that found in the civilian population. A particular concern relates to how a soldier will be perceived by his/her peers and leadership. There is also concern that treatment-seeking may prove harmful to career aspirations or result in disciplinary actions (Hoge et al., 2004). Despite advances in classification, recognition, and public awareness, misunderstanding and denial continue to exist regarding the lingering effects of combat trauma. A particularly poignant portrayal of denial was demonstrated a number of years ago by the actor George C. Scott wherein he played the role of General Patton in the movie Patton. In one scene, Patton visited an aid station behind front lines and came upon a soldier sitting on the edge of his hospital bed. Seeing no visible signs of wounds, Patton asked, “What’s wrong with you, son?” Uncertain how to respond and awed by the presence of the general, the soldier simply stammered. Impatient, Patton raised his voice and repeated the question. Informed by the attending nurse that the soldier was suffering from combat fatigue, Patton became incensed, launched into a litany of obscenities, disparaged the soldier, and called him a coward. Before storming out of the aid station, Patton hit the soldier with his gloves (Johnson, 2010). The tirade cost Patton his command. However, the scene illustrates a lingering attitude: If there is no blood, there is no harm. And, while helmets and body armor can provide some protection against penetrating head injury, the psyche remains vulnerable to the invisible wounds that result from combat (Johnson, 2010). Veterans are exceptionally susceptible to experiencing PTSD and TBI. As a consequence, especially if left untreated, some will become homeless; others may engage in domestic violence and criminal behaviors that will result in subsequent incarceration. Many will develop other debilitating psychological problems as a result of their struggles with PTSD, including depression, anxiety, and addictive disorders; tragically, some will see suicide as the only way to escape their pain (Hurley, 2010). There is little doubt that the current rate of mental health problems amongst military personnel and veterans present enormous economic challenges to both the U.S. military’s medical system and the communities into which soldiers reintegrate upon return from combat. However, those bearing the preponderance of the painful costs associated with war are the soldiers and their families who live first-hand with the psychological wounds of battle (Hurley, 2010). And, while the needs of veterans are complex and the systems though which they receive care can be complex, services must promote the care, healing, and recovery of afflicted members of the veteran population. The health and the well-being of our veterans depend on it, as do the health and well-being of our nation. References Back, S.E., Killeen, T.K., Teer, A.P., Hartwell, E.E., Federline, A., Beylotte, F., & Cox, E. (2014). Substance use disorders and PTSD: An exploratory study of treatment preferences among military veterans. Addictive Behaviors, 39, 369-373. Bentley, S. (2005). A short history of PTSD: From Thermopylae to Hue soldiers have always had a disturbing reaction to war. Retrieved from: www.vva.og/archive/TheVeteran. Biddle, D., Hawthorne, G., Forbes, D., & Coman, G. (2005). Problem gambling in Australian PTSD treatment-seeking veterans. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18, 759-767. Brown, P.J. & Wolfe J. (1994). Substance abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder comorbidity. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 35, 51-59. Brown, P.J., Recupero, P.R., & Stout, R. (1995). PTSD substance abuse comorbidity and treatment utilization. Addictive Behavior, 20, 251-254. Brown, P. J., Stout, R.L., & Mueller, T. (1996). Posttraumatic stress disorder and substance relapse among women: A pilot study. Psychol. Addict. Behav., 10, 124-128. Cacciola, J.S., Alterman, A.I., McKay, J.R., & Rutherford, M.J. (2001). Psychiatric comorbidity in substance abuse patients: Do not forget axis II. Psychiatr. Ann., 31, 321-331. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (2010). Treating clients with traumatic brain injury. Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory, 9. Retrieved from: www.samhsa.gov Dedert, E.A., Green, K.T., Calhoun, P.S., Yoash-Gants, R., Taber, K.H., Mumford, M.M., … Beckham, J.C. (2009). Association of trauma exposure with psychiatric morbidity in veterans who have served since September 11, 2001. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 43, 830-836. Dohrenwend, B.P., Turner, J.B., Turse, N.A., Adams, B.G., Koenen, K.C., & Marshalt, R. (2006). The psychological risks of Vietnam for U.S. veterans: A revisit with new data and methods. Science, 313, 979-82. Hall, T. C. (2013). Compulsive gambling. The VVA Veteran Online. Retrieved from: http://vvaveteran.org. Hoge, C.W., Castro, C.A., Messer, S.C., McGurnk, D., Cotting, D.I., & Koffman, R.L. (2004). Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. N Engl J Med, 351, 13-22. Hunter, B.D. (2009). Echoes of war: The combat veteran in criminal court; Encouraging treatment over incarceration of our most troubled returning heroes – The Minnesota Model. Arthur Anderson, The ASAP Dictionary of Anxiety and Panic Disorders, P, available at http://anxiety-panic.com/dictionary/en-dictp.htm. Hurley, E.A. (2010). Combat trauma and the moral risks of memory manipulating drugs. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 27, 221-245. Johnson, J.D. (2010). Combat trauma: A personal look at long-term consequences. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Najavits, L.M., Gastfiend, D.R., Barber, J.P., Reif, S., Muenz, L.R., Blaine, J., …Weiss, R.D. (1998). Cocaine dependence with and without PTSD among subjects in the National Institute on Drug Abuse Collaborative. Am. J. Psychiatry, 155, 214-219. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2011). Substance abuse among the military, veterans, and their families. Topics in Brief. Retrieved from: http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/repository/veterans.pdf. National Research Council (1996). Understanding violence against women. National Academy of Sciences: Washington DC. Reckess, G.Z., Chen, M.S., & Vasterling, J.J. (2012). Neuropsychological practice with veterans: Post traumatic stress disorder. In S.S. Bush (Ed.), Neuropsychological Practice with Veterans (pp. 161-183). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Stewart, S., Conrod, P.J., Samoluk, S.B., Pihl, R.O., & Dongier, M. (2000). Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and situation-specific drinking in women substance abusers. Alcohol Treat. Q., 18, 31-47. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2007). Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings. Rockville, MD: Office of Applied Studies. U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) (2008). Department of Defense survey of health related behaviors among active duty military personnel. Retrieved from: http://www.tricare.mil/tma/studiesEval.aspx U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2014). Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD: National Center for PTSD. Retrieved from: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/problems/traumatic_brain_injury_and_ptsd.asp Read the full article

#Addiction #AddictionFacts #Alcohol #Alcoholism #CombatTrauma #Drugs #GamblingAddiction #Heroes #Military #PSTD #ServicePersonel #StatisticalData #Stigma #SubstanceMisuse #Therapy #Trauma #Treatment

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I Love You But: the “Dance” of Love Addiction

Since the dawn of time love addiction and love avoidance have been written about. In the biblical story, Adam is master of all and wants for nothing, yet his existential loneliness prompts God to create a helper and companion, Eve. His love for Eve is his weakness; Adam is seduced by her and eats the forbidden fruit, getting them both kicked out of the Garden of Eden, something that Eve has been blamed for ever since. In more modern tales, Prince Charming is hit with such intensity and appears to become so love addicted that he resorts to getting women of all shapes and sizes to try on a glass slipper. Once he finds Cinderella he whisks her away to live happily ever after. Although there’s a place for such fairy tales in a child’s belief system, for people with attachment issues or dysfunctional boundaries theses stories can embed a belief that the answer to loneliness is fixed externally and only Mr or Miss Right can heal an aching heart. Very quickly the search for the perfect partner begins.  The love addict is attracted to the fantasy of a relationship and the love avoidant feels he/she is able to rescue the addict. The dance, or the pas de deux, has begun... Such relationships are built on intensity and fantasy. They are the “if only” relationships - “If only he talked more… If only she talked less… If only he took me out at night… If only she didn’t nag”. Scratch the surface of a sex addict and the wound is most often that of a love addict. The lonely alcoholic is alone because “love” was too painful. The “chem sex” crowd are lost and looking for love. Love addiction/avoidance is often the underlying addiction in many lives. Looking at the stories that have been passed down over the centuries and how they’re still promoted in today’s digital age it should come as no surprise that so many people live with cold or broken hearts.

What is love addiction? Love addiction is defined as a coping mechanism whereby “an individual is obsessed with a fantasy he/she has created about another person, believing he/she is ‘loving’ the other but in fact objectifying the other person through the use of the fantasy.” (Pia Mellody) This is usually created in childhood by a major care giver who, incapable of being relational with their child, parents behind an emotional wall. As it’s psychologically impossible for the child to believe that it’s the parent’s issue, the child has no choice but to take the blame him/herself and start feeling ‘less than’. Although in the vast majority of cases no parent wishes to act in such a way, the consequence is a child lacking in confidence in his/her ability to look after the self. In adulthood the person believes that, if nobody takes care of them, they will not only be alone but won’t be able to survive. As a result, the love addict has very little, if indeed any, personal boundaries, becoming resentful and creating intensity in a relationship in order to “keep it alive”. Love addicts live in a chaotic world of desperate need and emotional despair. Fearful of being alone or rejected, love addicts endlessly search for that special someone – the person that will make them feel whole. Ironically, love addicts often have had numerous opportunities to experience the true intimacy they think they want. But they are much more strongly attracted to the intense experience of “falling in love” than they are to the peaceful intimacy of a healthy relationship. As such, they spend much of their time hunting for “the one.” They base nearly all of their life choices on the desire and search for this perfect relationship – everything from wardrobe choices to endless hours at the gym, from engaging in hobbies and activities that may or may not interest them to the way they involve others in conversations and social interactions. What is a love avoidant? The definition of a love avoidant is “the systematic use of relational walls during intimate contact in order to prevent feeling overwhelmed by the other person.  The love avoidant associates ‘love’ with duty or work.” This coping mechanism is usually the result of a child being parented by an adult with no personal boundaries, making the child “responsible” for the major care giver’s happiness or, sometimes, their survival.  As a result, the child loses all sense of self and starts believing that esteem is directly related to how much he/she takes care of other people. For the love avoidant, being relational involves making sure that walls are in place to reduce the intensity within a relationship, as the risk of showing vulnerability is simply inconceivable. Unlike love addiction, which is widely talked about, love avoidance is often brushed to one side. So what are the signs of a love avoidant personality? 1: Fear of intimacy and emotional closeness For an avoidant, intimacy equals the risk of being hurt. Although in a healthy relationship emotional intimacy is essential and sought after, emotional closeness is the love avoidant’s ultimate fear. For the avoidant, intimacy is identical to, amongst other things, suffocation and being controlled. The love avoidant therefore use walls as boundaries to make intimacy more or less impossible. 2: What you see is not what you get… After a while in the relationship the love avoidant seems to change from a hero to a cold, unavailable or unreliable partner. Indeed, the love avoidant cannot continue the charade and starts using certain coping mechanisms that allow him not to get closer! These stratagems usually come across as not being “committed” to the relationship. From being suddenly super busy at work or volunteering an extravagant number of hours to a charity, to creating drama through arguments or simply avoiding physical intimacy - the love avoidant will do anything to avoid risking intimacy. 3: The presence of an addiction or a compulsive problem This is a typical characteristic of the love avoidant. Undeniably there’s nothing better than an addiction to keep people away! From substance abuse to behavioural addiction, the avoidant person may use sex or work to escape connection. 4: Narcissism Often the love avoidant displays a number of narcissistic features. Although it may not be a full-blown case of narcissism, there’s a sense of entitlement, the two faced personality - from “Mr Nice Guy” in public to “it’s all about me” in private. Becoming defensive at any challenge, to having major difficulty with admitting a mistake, the love avoidant can very often be mistaken for a person with narcissist personality disorder. 5: Resistant to help Finally, and this may explain why we often hear much more about the addiction part of this illness than the avoidance aspect, the love avoidant is highly resistant to asking for professional help, either for themselves or their relationship. Indeed asking for help from anyone, let alone a professional, would require the ability to open oneself up to vulnerability and connection….and of course emotional connection is what the love avoidant fears most. Being in a relationship with a love avoidant is more to do with a fake emotional interweave than being in an intimate relationship. However let’s not forget that the love addict and love avoidant will inevitably find each other. The love addict, having experienced childhood emotional and/or physical abandonment, will look for someone who can “save” them. The love avoidant, having experienced childhood emotional and/or physical enmeshment, will look for someone to “rescue”.  This interplay is what we refer to as “the dance”.  So what does a love addict/avoidant relationship look like? 1. While the love addict is responsive to the avoidant’s seductiveness and enters the relationship in a haze of fantasy, the love avoidant feels compelled to take care of a person who presents as needy. Addict: “I am SOOOOO happy…I met this man and he’s everything I’ve always wanted…he has a fantastic job, loves travelling and loves children. We’re trying to see each other every day and we text each other at least 50 times a day….” Avoidant: “I met this girl, I’m not too sure, but she’s nice, I mean… I may as well give it a try….” 2. As the love addict uses denial to protect the fantasy, not wanting to look at the distancing happening, the love avoidant, in order not to be controlled and to fulfil his duty, appears to be relational behind a wall of seduction. Addict: “It’s great, I mean, he’s working a lot - weekends included - and with his busy social life we don’t spend a lot of time together but that’s OK... Guess what? He’s invited me for a weekend away in five weeks’ time...” Avoidant: “OK…I’d better organise something or she’s really going to feel bad….I’m going to send her flowers and book a weekend away….” 3. An incident happens that crushes the denial of the love addict, who enters an emotional withdrawal from the fantasy. This may take the form of an overwhelming sense of pain, shame, rage or panic.  At the same time, the love avoidant starts to feel invaded and the wall of seduction becomes a wall of anger. Addict: “You’ll never believe it…first he said he’d phone me and didn’t. Then, at the last minute, he cancelled the weekend away because he needed to work… I feel awful... I don’t know how I can get through this: I feel like dying…” Avoidant: “I can’t believe she’s so angry…I mean, one of us has to work. Where does she think the money comes from for all those restaurants, flowers etc?… you know what?… it’s never good enough….” 4. To return to the fantasy, and avoid feeling this sense of helplessness and hopelessness, the love addict either medicates and obsesses or starts getting even. It triggers a need in the love avoidant to create distance and an intensity outside of the relationship, often manifesting itself in risk taking, with money or life threatening activities such as alcohol, drugs or sexual acting out. Addict: “That‘s it, I can’t take it anymore….I know I’m useless and that you don’t love me any more…what am I going to do on my own?…..maybe if I change, if I  go on a diet ...” Avoidant: “I can’t breathe any more…I need some space…I need to relax, let off some steam… it‘s OK, it was just a one off (affair)...” 5. The final part of the dance is for the love addict to return to the fantasy with the same partner or a new one...and for the love avoidant either to return to the relationship out of guilt and a fear of being abandoned or, like the love addict, move on to a new partner. Addict: “He called me, it‘s fantastic! He has asked me to marry him!” or “You won’t believe it, I met a new guy, he just split up with someone…” Avoidant: “If I ask her to marry me, she’ll forgive me for my affair…” or “I can’t handle her anymore…and I met this girl last night…” So why do the love addict and love avoidant find each other? The love addict has a conscious fear of being abandoned and a subconscious  fear of being controlled. In contrast, the love avoidant has a conscious fear of being controlled and a subconscious one of being abandoned. They are one in the same -  two sides of the same coin, two ends of the continuum. Both have childhood trauma, both need to learn about healthy intimacy. Treatment The love addict usually only seeks help when there’s a break in the fantasy and he or she is in withdrawal. “ I looked at my therapist and thought I was going to die, the pain in my chest was so real.” The love addict feels the loss, pain and anger associated with the relationship, and this allows them to connect with their own vulnerability. Although as a therapist it may be tempting to concentrate solely on the pain and anguish the client displays, it’s also the best moment to help the client identify the cycle of love addiction.  Talking about the fantasy of the relationship will often highlight how the client’s denial has been maintained. It will also help the client to see how and where these fantasies were created in their history. “My therapist asked me to write down ten reasons why I wouldn’t go back to my ex – I wrote over 40. Three months later, when I was back in fantasy, my therapist handed me the list.” Another important aspect of working with love addiction is to help the client to understand how they’ve been in a relationship that didn’t respect or promote good protection or containment boundaries. Reflect on how they tolerated abusive and neglectful behaviours as a result of their own upbringing, when they were taught, “this is how to be in a relationship”. Explore and coach them in boundary work on other relationships. It doesn’t matter if it’s Adam and Eve, Adam and Steve, or Eve and Eve, love addiction is real. Love addiction, like all addictions, doesn’t discriminate by race, gender, sexual orientation or religion. As with other addictions the consequences are – at best – destructive and – at worst – fatal. It’s therefore essential for professionals to recognize both the symptoms and the causes of love addiction. Only then can the client truly be helped to break the perpetual cycle of love addiction. Chris John is a London based psychotherapist who is well known for his innovative and empathic style of therapy. Having trained extensively with Pia Melody Chris is one of Europe’s leading trauma reduction specialists. An expert in issues relating from developmental and attachment trauma he draws on his years of experience and a rich combination of theories to provide the most effective therapeutic outcome for clients who have struggled with relational issues, including co-dependency, betrayal, sex and love addiction and low self-esteem. Chris also trains and supervises professionals in Trauma & re-parenting and working with love addiction. Barbara Pawson, psychotherapist with 18 years experience, was born and brought up in Brussels and is bi-lingual (French/English). She achieved her Masters (Addiction Psychology and Counselling) in London and gained further experience while training in Arizona with Pia Melody. She is a leading expert in Developmental Trauma, practising in Europe but mainly in London. She also has trained therapists in Holland and Bangladesh. Currently Barbara is concentrating on her private practice, as well as organising trauma workshops and CPD trainings. Read the full article

#CopingMechanism #Expertadvice #Intimacy #LoveAddiction #LoveAvoidant #Psychotherapy #Relationships #Therapy #Treatment

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Let's Talk About Sex!

Diagnosing Sex Addiction The first challenge for any addiction professional is how to know when sexual behaviours and pornography use is an addition; when it’s a high sex drive and when it’s simply a ‘habit’ that challenges the client’s personal value system. Traditional questions around quantity of usage and harmful life consequences are often not sufficient to make an accurate diagnosis. For example, a client who visits sex workers once a week may be troubled by his behaviour because it breaches his values of monogamy to his partner. But if his partner is nonsexual for some reason, how can you know that this isn’t simply a substitute for a non-existent relational sex life that satiates a physical desire? There are two key questions that can help a therapist determine this:- 1. What is the function of the behaviour? Sex addiction is not about sex – it’s about addiction. People who compulsively view pornography, visit sex workers, engage in cybersex, go cruising, use hook up apps, or any number of other sexual behaviours, are not doing it for sexual satiation. The behaviour is driven by dopamine, by a craving akin to that of any other addiction, not a desire for sexual release and orgasm. When you see a client who says they’re ‘addicted’ to porn, it may be helpful to ask how many hours a week they use it, but it’s even better to ask what they’re doing when they do. Do they masturbate throughout, as some assume, or is a second porn screen always open to distract from boredom at work? Or are they collecting and cataloguing images? Or crafting an animated storyline? Or ‘chatting’ to other users? Or ‘edging’ (the term used when you stimulate to maintain erection but avoid ejaculation)? If the purpose of the behaviour is to ejaculate, then perhaps it’s not addiction (and unlikely to take much time), but if the function is to escape reality for hours, to numb emotional pain, to defuse anger – it’s more likely to be addiction. Similar questions can be used for relational acting out behaviours, is it really for the sex, or to ease loneliness or to feel validated or wanted? 2. Has there been escalation? Like all addictions, sex and porn addiction almost always escalates and this can be a key indicator that the motivator is dopamine not testosterone. Sexual desire does of course fluctuate, but when someone reports that they need more sex at 60 then they did at 20, or need more online porn than they ever did offline, then it is not their drive that has grown but their addiction. Similarly research into what’s known as erotic plasticity, shows that sexual tastes, especially men’s, don’t vary much over the life cycle. But many people addicted to porn say that their tastes have morphed into images that no longer match their sexual orientation or behaviours that used to repulse them. The bottom line is that when someone is engaging in sexual behaviours that they frequently do not enjoy or find satiating, but nonetheless can’t stop, it’s probably an addiction.  Establishing Sexual Sobriety Establishing sexual sobriety is perhaps one of the biggest challenges that traditional addiction specialists face because abstinence, at least for most, is not the goal. And whilst this might also be true when working with eating disorders, unlike food, there are no standardised ‘healthy’ guidelines’ to adhere to. So how do we define healthy sexuality? The term itself is a value loaded one because after all, the opposite of healthy is ‘unhealthy’, and perhaps ‘unnatural’. One of the hardest factors when helping a client determine their sexual sobriety goals is to ensure you’re not inadvertently prescribing your own, or societally imposed moral values and sexual norms. And hence it’s more helpful to talk about ‘positive’ sexuality. A way of living and being that is fulfilling emotionally, physically, psychologically and perhaps spiritually. The goal of recovery from sex addiction is better sex and greater fulfilment, not less, and this needs to be an integral part of establishing long term recovery. Clients can be helped to think about their sexual behaviours by asking themselves if they are: - In line with personal values Respectful of self and others Pleasurable Mutually fulfilling (when partnered) Not shameful Confidence and esteem building Once a client has begun to think along these lines they can then be asked to complete the circle exercise below as a tool for discussion with their therapist:- The circle exercise This exercise has been adapted from the 3 circle exercise used by Sex Addicts Anonymous. To complete it, the client first needs to get a sheet of paper and list every kind of sexual activity they have ever been involved in, alone and with other people. That might include masturbating with porn, masturbating without porn, having sex with a partner, engaging in cyber sex, telephone sex, viewing late night TV channels, voyeurism, visiting massage parlours, sex cinemas, sex workers, dogging sites, stranger sex, affairs, one night stands and so on and so on. Once this has been done, the challenge is to separate the list into the appropriate areas. The top OK circle is where they write all the behaviours that fit with their values and they’re completely comfortable with. The bottom NOT OK circle is for the behaviours that are definitely outside of their value system. The overlap IFFY area is for those behaviours they’re still currently unsure about. They may be unsure because they need more time to think about it, or because it might lead to the NOT OK circle. For example, someone who’s addiction has been to visiting sex workers may not have an addiction to internet pornography but they may put internet porn in their middle circle because they know they are much more likely to be tempted to visit sex worker sites when online. This exercise is more challenging then it looks as ultimately there should be nothing in the IFFY section. So, where will you put masturbation? And what about fantasy? If you were working with a chemically addicted client, you would not be supporting the idea that they ‘fantasise’ about injecting heroin or snorting cocaine, so if masturbation is to be continued, how will you teach a client to masturbate ‘mindfully’? There are also cultural differences. What about working with people of faith; or people in open non-monogamous relationships? How will you challenge what may be limiting cognitive distortions without appearing judgemental? Therapist comfort and competency Working with sex addiction requires a level of sexual comfort and competency that is rarely found in counsellor training. Therapists need to have an understanding of ethics and the law to know when a client has strayed into offending behaviour. Therapists also need to be knowledgeable and confident when talking about fetishes and paraphillic behaviours. A first step for anyone who finds themselves, or chooses to work in this field is to read up on the topic. Good basic books include my own Understanding & Treating Sex Addiction (Routledge 2012) and I’d also recommend Sex at Dawn by Ryan & Jetha (Harpers 2010) which looks at some of the social and evolutionary theories of sex addiction and A Billion Wicked Thoughts by Ogas and Gaddam, (Plume 2011)which provides an up-to-date overview of gender differences and diverse behaviours. Therapists also need to know how to work positively with erotic transference. It is not uncommon for a client to be sexually attracted to their therapist, or to find themselves triggered by a shapely figure or well meant physical gesture such as a smile or an encouraging compliment. Comfort with your own sexuality is essential in this field as is self awareness of both the sexual, and shame messages, that your body may unconsciously convey. It’s also helpful to consider in advance how you will respond empathically and ethically to the courageous client who confesses that they have fantasised about you.  Conclusion There is not enough space here to explore all the nuances of working with sex and porn addiction, let alone their partners – but below you will see details of further training available. It is a challenge to keep up with the ever growing body of research on the neuroscience of sex and pornography and the links with sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation and loss of libido. Sex and porn addiction is a problem that is growing year on year as technological advances provide ever more ways of administering the ‘drug’ and so our learning must also go on. PAULA HALL is a UKCP Registered Sexual Psychotherapist as well as a trained sex addiction specialist. She is Chair of the UK’s professional association for therapists working with sex addiction (ATSAC) and author of Understanding & Treating Sex Addiction, Routledge 2013. She also provides specialist training for addiction professionals who wish to ‘up skill’ to work in this challenging field. Read the full article

#counselling #PaulaHall #Pornography #Relationships #SALA #SexAddiction #SexualSobriety #Therapy #Treatment

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Improve Your Recovery - Recovery Strategies

Improve Your Recovery - Recovery Strategies

The US substance abuse department (SAMHSA) defines addiction recovery as ‘a process of change through which an individual achieves abstinence and improved health, wellness and quality of life’ They go on to provide 12 guiding principles of recovery There are many pathways to recovery. Recovery is self-directed and empowering. Recovery involves a personal recognition of the need for change and transformation. Recovery is holistic. Recovery has cultural dimensions. Recovery exists on a continuum of improved health and wellness. Recovery is supported by peers and allies. Recovery emerges from hope and gratitude. Recovery involves a process of healing and self-redefinition. Recovery involves addressing discrimination and transcending shame and stigma. Recovery involves (re)joining and (re)building a life in the community. Recovery is a reality. It can, will, and does happen. I generally wish all my clients a slow and long recovery, hopefully one that lasts a lifetime. Recovery is at the same time an intensely individual process, a collective endeavor and a well-researched area or personal development. Core to long-term stable recovery is an attitude of open-minded learning and discovery. Whilst it’s very personal and needs to be individually tailored there are some well known ways of improving your recovery. In addition to thinking about the guiding principles above research also suggest long term stable recovery is helped by: Meditation: mindfulness in particular helps in many areas of recovery – impulse control – emotional regulation – stress reduction – improved decision-making – relapse prevention – management of depression and anxiety. Additionally Loving Kindness based techniques help with trauma management Yoga: evidence suggests that yogic breath work in particular helps similarly to mindfulness in trauma reduction, anxiety and depression management, and yoga practice also it improves muscle tone, flexibility, joint function, respiration and blood circulation Exercise: the mental and physical health benefits of regular exercise are well known. It will help with mod, sleep, and weight management. Currently one of the major relapse points is around over eating. Evidence is suggestive that regular exercise break compulsivity. So it will help in relapse prevention Psychotherapy: recovery focused therapy will help with insight, developing new life skills, trauma reduction, relapse prevention, repair of attachment trauma, mood management, improved decision making Healthy Eating: unhealthy over eating is a major relapse point particularly amongst men currently. Obesity is also a national public health issues. Learning and maintaining healthy eating habits is crucial for all people in recovery, not just those who identify as primarily eating disordered. Healthy eating not only means a healthy body but it improves your self-esteem Volunteerism: Relapse is much harder when connected to others. The sense of duty and obligation is a useful motivation to stay well. Additionally being of service to others less fortunate gives perspective and improves self-esteem and worth. It also does make the word a better place. Gather experiences: learn and grow and develop. By this I mean, travel, join adult education classes, learn to play an instrument, make memories. Having a lot of things to look forward to in your diary and life will make using look less appealing! Noel McDermott Read the full article

#Guidance #HelpandAdvice #personalexperience #Recovery #RecoveryTips

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Talking About Suicide

Talking About Suicide Laura Graham examines the recognised causes of suicide and outlines strategies for helping people deal with suicidal ideation The sad death of Robin Williams recently sparked a wide debate about suicide. Generally, the media handled the subject sensitively; a positive development amidst a deeply tragic situation, as suicide stills remains a taboo subject. Suicide is a much misunderstood subject, yet there is a whole and mature science (suicidology) dedicated to trying to understand it so that we may be able to prevent it. An estimated one million people complete suicide world- wide each year, ranking suicide as the world’s tenth leading cause of death. World Health Organisation figures show that globally, suicide is the third leading cause of death amongst 15 to 44 year olds, and the second amongst 10 to 24 year olds. The reasons for suicide are complex. However, there are increased risks in people with conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder, OCD, insomnia, anxiety and addiction (and partners of addicts – spouses of gambling addicts have a risk of suicide three times greater than the average population). There is an increased risk of suicide in people who have experienced trauma (as a one off event or over a long-term period), and suicide has strong links to the ending of a significant relationship (the death of a loved one, the ending of a relationship). A history of previous attempts of suicide is a risk of completed suicide, as is a family history of suicide (possibly as the result of a “normalisation” of suicide, or as the result of the trauma associated with losing someone to suicide).  The presence of a physical condition such as a brain injury or a serious illness can increase risk – a diagnosis of cancer can double the risk of suicide to that of the general population.  There is a strong link between suicide and the experience of being bullied (with an increased risk amongst young people, and in a prison environment). Suicides without warning are rare. The science of suicide has found some features that may indicate suicidal ideation. In no particular order they are: Making a will – “getting their affairs in order” Suddenly visiting or contacting loved ones (to say goodbye) Writing a suicide note Acquiring the means to end their life (stock-piling medication, or making a ligature) Giving prized possessions away Anhedonia – a loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed Persistent thoughts of future problems – “something bad is going to happen” Expressing feelings of being “trapped”, “seeking revenge” or being “a burden to others” A preoccupation with death A peek in mood – suddenly becoming calmer or happier following a period of despair – this is a stark warning sign as the individual has gone from feeling hopeless about the future and without a solution to the current crisis, to having a sensation of relief once they believe suicide to be the answer. Similarly: An increase in energy is a danger sign as suicidal thoughts transfer into action. It is important to understand that people who are considering suicide rarely confide in their therapist about this. If they are to initiate a discussion about their thoughts, it will more likely be with a family member or friend. When working with people who may be at risk of suicide, it is vital to have an open line of communication with the individual’s family and friends to ensure that their concerns about the individual are known by the therapist. Many people are uncomfortable about opening a dialogue about a person’s intention to kill themselves. However, asking the question, “Do you ever feel so bad, that you have thoughts about suicide?” is entirely appropriate if there are signs that they are. People who are not considering suicide will be horrified by the question. Asking the question will not “trigger” suicidal ideation in a person who is not already having thoughts about suicide, but provides space for discussion about how they might go about it, and when, in people who are considering suicide. Asking the question could save a person’s life. However, there is little point in asking the question if you do not know how to respond to a “yes” reply. Obviously, if someone is in imminent danger of attempting suicide, the response should be to call the emergency services. If someone has expressed current or recent thoughts of suicide, there are several things to consider. Firstly, look at protective factors against suicide. These can include the absence of current mental illness (they are sad in response to a recent life event rather than clinically depressed); they are drug-free and sober – alcohol and other drugs can act as a dis-inhibitor during suicidal ideation; the presence of a strong social support system; and having children under the age of eighteen. A previous history of suicidal ideation is a risk factor for completed suicide, but is also an asset to work with, as this person has experience of what helped them before – having overcome previous episodes of suicidal ideation suggests that this person has a history of being hopeful rather than hopeless. Medications may be considered in helping through an immediate crisis, but talking therapy is considerably beneficial. CBT and DBT (the latter in particular with people who have Borderline Personality Disorder) have been found to be useful in helping people to understand how their thoughts and behaviours affect each other during a period of crisis, and that thoughts are not permanent. This can be supported with a compact or contract between the individual and their therapist. Some people who are considering suicide are “bargaining” with themselves and their immediate concerns – “If this happens (or doesn’t happen), I’ll kill myself” – and may respond well to an agreement with their therapist which can be incorporated into care-planning. Within any care plan, it is important that there is an agreement about who else should know about the suicidal thoughts. One person is not enough to support someone through a suicidal crisis – other health/care professionals may need to be informed, friends and family also – suicide in the company of others is rare – the more people who can keep this person active and engaged, the fewer opportunities there are for this person to kill themselves. Safety planning is important to preventing suicidal thoughts becoming actions. This can include distraction techniques but a list of contacts to be able to reach-out to during a period of crisis will enhance this security. Having a safe place to stay will also help – though it is not advisable to stay in an unfamiliar environment (such as a hotel room) alone during this time. A stay in a residential facility may be appropriate. Supporting someone through a suicidal crisis is hard and not all attempts to prevent suicide will be successful. However, keeping an open dialogue about the subject helps. Talking helps. Keep talking. World Suicide Prevention Day – 10th September. For more information visit: http://www.iasp.info/ Laura Graham is an Independent Consultant/ Researcher in addiction, mental health and offender management. She spent three years developing suicide prevention policy in prisons. ([email protected]) Read the full article

#Addiction #berievement #Depression #mentalhealth #suicide #wellbeing

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Love Addiction - The causes - The signs and impacts of Love Addiction

Love Addiction Introduction When talking about love, we usually think of positive emotions and experiences. Love addiction, however, is the complete opposite. While it may seem to an outsider as though love addicts are just seeking love, they’re actually more interested in  the feeling of being in a new relationship, rather than being in a healthy, loving relationship. Love addicts are usually codependent - this is what drives their need to be in a relationship or intimate with someone at all times, but it’s extremely unhealthy. The causes of Love Addiction   It’s hard to pinpoint what causes love addictions for each individual addict, as there are so many ways the addiction could begin. However, most believe the addiction usually stems from traumatic early life experiences such as abandonment or childhood abuse. These experiences sadly lead people to lack the self-confidence needed to build healthy relationships, whether romantic or platonic. Love addicts are often labelled as “clingy” as they become more and more desperate to maintain these already unhealthy relationships for fear of being rejected or abandoned due to the fact that some may never have experienced love as a child. The signs and impacts of Love Addiction One of the most obvious signs of a love addiction is that the addict will fall in love easily and constantly crave being in a relationship as they feel they are too vulnerable and unable to cope alone. Sex is often used as a coping mechanism when an addict isn’t in a relationship, as it helps them feel less lonely. Addicts will have sex with multiple different people in order to feel as though they are in a relationship and can sometimes mistake meaningless sex for love, leading them to feel they need to keep the person they are sleeping with around, so when the person they have slept with leaves, the addict may be left feeling unnecessarily used and abandoned. An addict might also unintentionally be prone to putting themselves and others in danger by returning to a relationship which was unhappy, unhealthy and sometimes in the worst case scenario, abusive in order to save themselves from the vulnerability of not being in a relationship. How Love Addiction can be treated Whilst at the moment, there are no ways to treat someone for a love addiction specifically, doctors and therapists believe that cognitive behavioral therapy (which is usually used to treat drug addictions) is a useful treatment. CBT allows therapists to help addicts resolve their problems by helping them understand what caused them to become addicted in the first place, whilst also showing them ways in which they can adapt certain behaviours they may have picked up due to the addiction into more positive ones. An online form of CBT known as computer-assisted cognitive-behavioral therapy is also sometimes offered to patients who are either unable to find transport to see a face-to-face therapist or to those who live in areas where there are no local therapists available.   Read the full article

#LoveAddiction #loveaddiction anonymous #loveaddiction book #loveaddiction recovery #loveaddictionsymptoms #loveaddiction test #loveaddiction treatment #loveaddiction withdrawal #whatcauses loveaddiction

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Do you Manipulate or Negotiate?

Recovery Coach Dufflyn Lammers Asks…

Do you manipulate or negotiate and offers advice on how to tell and what to do

Negotiating has a tone of “us,” as in, how can “we” find some common ground? A tone of goodwill. This involves two or more people having an open discussion of whatever task or issue is at hand and finding a compromise where both parties can take some satisfaction. Manipulating has a tone of “I win, you lose.” A tone of convincing. This happens when one or more parties introduce guilt or fear into the conversation as a means of controlling the other’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Many of us in recovery have habits of manipulating that we are not aware of, or we may slip in and out of awareness. Is it any wonder considering what many of us have been through? The first step to negotiating not manipulating is to become aware of one’s own behaviour. Begin to notice if you… Guilt others into doing things your way Scare people into doing things your way Negate your needs in the interest of maintaining closeness with others Hold others responsible for choices you have made Take some time to examine your own style and the style of those you are in relationships with. Remember, you can’t change anyone but yourself. Others may respond differently to you, or they may not. This is also great information. Communication is about sending and receiving thoughts and ideas. There is infinite nuance in tone of voice, body language, word choice, rhythm, and so on. When we are authentic in our communication we do not experience any ambivalence because we are being honest with ourselves and with those we are negotiating with. One clue that someone is manipulating is when their actions do not match their words. Can you observe this in yourself and others? Another clue that we might be manipulating is when we fail to listen. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we will say next (in order to get what we want from the other person) that we do not really hear what the other party has said. On the other hand have you ever had someone listen to you, and when you’ve finished speaking repeat back to you what they heard and say something like, “It makes sense you would feel frustrated.” Feels much better doesn’t it? Once we have become aware of our habits, we are ready to make changes. Here are a few simple steps to becoming a better listener—a negotiator rather than a manipulator. Breathe deeply and relax. Trust yourself and others enough to just be present. Give the conversation the time and space it deserves. When you are having a conversation, note any tension in your body, any desire to jump in, any urge to “teach” or correct. Stop and ask what your intention is before you speak. Make statements of truth. Resist the urge to tell stories or bring up the past. You will connect much more effortlessly if you stay in the moment. Once the other person has finished speaking, summarise what they have said aloud, and reflect back to them the feelings they have expressed verbally and/or what you have intuited. Read the full article

#Addictbehaviours #DufflynLammers #Personaldevelopment

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Dr. Robert Simpson – Working with Fellow Professionals Experiencing Difficulties

Ask The Expert – An Interview with Dr. Robert Simpson reveals some practical advice for working with fellow professionals experiencing difficulties

By Elisabeth Escobar MA M.Ed Dr. Robert Simpson was born in England, though he completed his medical training at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He graduated from there, with honours, in 1997 and went on to complete his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Baylor University Medical Center. In 2000 he moved to Utah to train in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Utah. He remained there as faculty before retraining in Addiction Medicine. He is board certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine and joined Cirque Lodge in 2014. Dr. Simpson has a passion for recovery and for helping others find freedom from the suffering of addiction. Particular interests include acute detoxification, residential treatment and the treatment of impaired professionals. What issues arise for Professionals with Addiction or other mental health Issues that may differ from the general population? The biggest difference is that many professionals over-identify with their profession. Getting into recovery helps clients develop a healthier relationship with their professional identity, we also work on helping clients understand that the disease is the same…addiction doesn’t care where you came from. Professionals who are in the fields of medicine, law, education, clergy, law enforcement, CEO’s – they will all be affected by this disease like the rest of the population…about 12-15 %. We help people embrace recovery. The job comes back, but now, people can hold the whole thing in a healthier way. Do you see many Addiction Professionals in treatment? Yes, we do. It is a bit of a “classic set up” and by that, I mean that these professionals often have their own life-changing event when they get into treatment. They want to become an addiction counselor so they go into the field. They get busy and listen to client’s problems and they may not understand that working in treatment does not equal their own recovery work…they become, ‘compulsive helpers’ which is another way of saying extremely co-dependent. This can cause burn out. What are some of the major themes that people who are in Recovery themselves and who work in the field, come into treatment with? Often, the primary focus is others and not their own recovery…it is so easy to move into unhealthy helping behaviours! They forget to take care of themselves and get busy taking care of others…..we use the airplane analogy here, ‘be sure to put the oxygen on yourself first before helping others’……this is so important to work in field of addiction for anyone. How do you help people realize that they have become Compulsive Helpers? This is a disease that is waiting in the wings for us. We become ‘in demand’ ….when what we need is to be ‘egoless’ and serve as a conduit to help others get into Recovery….or else we become puffed up….We become too busy to look after ourselves, and it is a mistake and can be a short fall from grace…..Then we become reluctant to ask for help. People who work in the field sometimes forget they are as vulnerable as anyone else and maybe more so. I had a colleague and friend whom I worked with in a treatment program and after 20 years of sobriety, he relapsed. He was asked to leave but I was surprised at the reaction of some of my colleagues. They were angry with him; they refused to talk with him. This is coming from people who are also in Recovery and working in the field. Is this common? Blame and Shame become rampant when Love and Tolerance needs to be our code. We need to monitor each other without being Co-Dependent. We have Team Meetings three times a week to discuss our patients and, and this is very important, our transference issues…..that must be discussed. Clients can trigger us. Shame is predictable-as night follows day. If we have blurred boundaries, we are more likely to get into trouble. Being in Recovery means attending meetings, meeting with your sponsor and reading the literature……whether you work in the field or not. If you don’t do these three things, it spells trouble for any one of us. Is there a particular issue that is slippery? Yes, as already mentioned, the compulsive helping and also, sexual issues. Sexual relationships can be a bigger problem than a relapse from chemicals. I would like to see, say, more retreats for professionals who work in the sector…I think this is a good idea… perhaps a two week refresher course every few years.” There is a great paradox here….folks get a great life through Recovery then life becomes demanding and we lose the Recovery……a good treatment programme will address the stress in their employee’s life so that this doesn’t have to happen. Any parting thoughts? We are baffled by our own behaviours and most people don’t understand that these behaviours are symptoms of their disease. I feel it is not a horrible secret I have to keep. I see it as my responsibility …. to have the freedom to put it out there – it is one facet of who I am and not the whole package. I am more than willing to share, especially if it helps others understand the disease of addiction. Read the full article

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