Most people who struggle with
addiction will have one or more relapses - the return to drug use after a
drug-free period - during their ongoing attempts to recover. This can be extremely
frustrating for patients and for families, as they have already experienced
great pain.
What leads to relapse?
Multiple - and often
interactive - factors can increase the likelihood of relapse. These are some of
the commonly cited precursors:
* drug-related
"reminder" cues (sights, sounds, smells, drug thoughts or drug
dreams) tightly linked
to use of the
preferred drug(s) can trigger craving and drug seeking
* negative mood states or
stress
* positive mood states or
celebrations
* sampling the drug itself,
even in very small amounts
The motivation to seek a drug,
once triggered, can feel overwhelming and sometimes leads to very poor
decision making: the user will pursue the drug, despite potentially disastrous
future negative consequences (and many past negative consequences).
Individuals have different
brain circuitry
Brain-imaging is helping us to
understand the paradox of the decision to pursue a drug reward despite such
consequences. For example, very recent imaging research shows that visual drug
cues as short as 33 milliseconds can activate the ancient reward
("go") circuitry, and that this process does not require conscious
processing - it can begin outside awareness.
By the time the motivation does
reach awareness, and is recognized and labeled, the reward circuit has a strong
head start. This head start means the frontal brain regions may be less
effective. This area of the brain is responsible for weighing the consequences
of a decision and for helping to "stop" or inhibit the impulses
toward drug reward.
Imaging research also shows
that some individuals have less effective "stop" circuitry. For these
people, the job of managing the powerful impulses toward drug reward may be
even more difficult.
When it comes to the
vulnerability to relapse, and to addiction itself, we are not all created
equal. We differ both in our brain response to drug rewards and in our ability
to manage the powerful impulses toward drug reward.
Hope through research
Relapse is a long-term
vulnerability, but intensive ongoing research is targeting the problem. The
tools of brain imaging and genetics promise to help us understand our
vulnerabilities - and our strengths - to help us realize more effective relapse
prevention.
Relapse prevent is a major
feature of our program so if you
or someone you love is in the grips of ANY addiction, call us for immediate
HELP and begin the admission process into the your recovery.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS IN
THE GRIPS OF AN ADDICTION CALL US TODAY FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, PHONE 07 560 66315
ABOUT COACHING WITH SUBSTANCE (WINNER Best Not-for-Profit 2014)
We are Australia's leading award winning addiction treatment and rehab consultants for gambling, drugs, alcohol, sex, eating and internet addiction, along with eating behavioural disorders and co-dependency for Australasia and New Zealand. Call us on 07 5606 6315 if you want to speak to an Addiction Specialist.
We are Australia's leading award winning addiction treatment and rehab consultants for gambling, drugs, alcohol, sex, eating and internet addiction, along with eating behavioural disorders and co-dependency for Australasia and New Zealand. Call us on 07 5606 6315 if you want to speak to an Addiction Specialist.
Our
Founder, Maria Pau is a 4x No. 1 best-selling author on the subjects of
addiction and co-dependency and spiritual wellness. She is the Program
Director of Coaching with Substance, the first of its kind in Australia
as registered public benevolent institution, charity and not-for profit
association that focuses on wellness using coaching principles of peak
performance. She is currently completing her PhD on Recovery Coaching
and is the first registered Recovery Coach in Australia.
We run a cutting edge holistic addiction treatment program and outpatient rehabilitation consultancy firm that ensures you are released from the shackles of addiction once and for all. Primary care at CWS is personalised to treat each individual using programs that integrate mind, body and soul. CWS programs are enhanced by highly effective group coaching and therapeutic processes as well as individual coaching, spiritual insights, therapy and extensive aftercare assistance.
We run a cutting edge holistic addiction treatment program and outpatient rehabilitation consultancy firm that ensures you are released from the shackles of addiction once and for all. Primary care at CWS is personalised to treat each individual using programs that integrate mind, body and soul. CWS programs are enhanced by highly effective group coaching and therapeutic processes as well as individual coaching, spiritual insights, therapy and extensive aftercare assistance.
All
clients are thoroughly assessed by a highly trained and experienced
recovery coach, registered provisional psychologist, ordained Taoist
Monk, mental health officer and certified naturopaths (including
Ayurveda and Acupuncturist). Clients may also be referred for
psychometric testing and assessment, if needed. International clients
welcome.
We welcome enquiries from all English speaking people from Asia, Europe, Africa, India and South America.