How You Can Prevent Going Back to Your Old Ways of Drinking and Drugging.

Relapse is a cardinal feature of addiction, and one of the most painful.

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

Web: www.coachingwithsubstance.org.au

Email: info@coachingwithsubstance.org.au

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.

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.

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.

Link Between Emotions, Feelings and Addictions.

ADDICTIONS AND FEELINGS

Real addiction is not about the drug, but to the high. The real addiction is not physical, but emotional, the psychological dependency, the belief in the need and continued use in spite of harmful consequences. Anything that removes or alters unwanted feelings – anger, pain, fear, sadness, anxiety-can become an addiction.

The process of addiction is reinforced by the fact that the more we use-whatever vehicle we use to relieve the feeling-the less ability we have to deal with that feeling, so the more we need the addictive activity or substance. For example, some people hate anger. Whenever they have a conflict, they tend to eat. In fact, they watch "refrigerator" the way some people watch TV. They open the door, the light goes on and they watch things grow old and mold, They watch things disappear. While they are watching "refrigerator", the conflict is escalating while their ability to deal with the conflict is decreasing. This means they need to use food all the more to deal with their anger. Food has enabled them to deny and disconnect from any feeling of anger. At the same time, the unwillingness to fight, to deal with the conflict, escalates the conflict.

Passive Aggressive

This unwillingness to deal with the conflict might even become the conflict. This “eating at someone” when we’re mad may be called passive aggressive. It’s a very common posture. We don’t get mad: we get even. We do this by withdrawing, by using our drug of choice , going away physically or emotionally. Leaving often causes the other person to become aggressive-aggressive, even out of control, raging, or bitchy.

The passive aggressive posture is a controlling posture. We shut down, go away and leave our anger with the other person to deal with, along with their own anger and their rage about our leaving. We keep our anger inside. Passive aggressive is like a big dog with its paws on your shoulders, licking your face and peeing on your leg at the same time. You don’t always know you’re getting it, but you are.

In families, there is no passive. Sometimes we think we had one parent who was a raging lunatic or angry, aggressive and hostile. The other parent might have looked gentle, quite and withdrawn, but in reality the gently quietness is often the passivity. In relationships and families there is not passive, there is only passive aggressive. The withdrawing, the quietness, is punishing to others.

Addiction is a process of decreasing choice, a compulsion is like an urge that limits choice. The repetitive acting out of compulsive behavior eliminates choice. Addicts seem to have choice; occasionally they can choose not to act out their addiction or to limit their use. Even periodic acting out without choice that results in harmful consequences is addiction. Sometimes we act out with food or alcohol for a period of time to cope with stress or crises. This may not be addiction, it may be a release or trade off or meeting needs and we don’t hold on to much denial about it. It may not be repetitive or cause major life problems.

Addictions are primarily about feelings, a need to alter, avoid, or distract us from our feelings. Some of the questions that are raised include:

. Why do we need to do this?

. Why do we need to medicate our pain to distract ourselves from our emotional reality?

. Why do we protect our addictions?

If these addictions are feeling diseases, then where do we learn about our feelings?

. What did we learn about our feelings?

. How did we learn to express them or repress them?

In childhood we find out whether or not our feelings are OK. Feelings are part of the flow of life. They are present, expressed, affirmed and then go away. We pass through them on our way to new feelings. Feelings that we don’t express, that don’t get affirmed, become repressed and acted out. Addiction is one of the more common ways that we act out the feelings we can’t express. With feelings, we either talk’em out, work’em out, or act’em out.

Addiction involves a set of compulsions, highs, habits, fantasies, rituals, settings and beliefs that become repetitive, designed to produce a desired goal. If we can’t do the addiction, we can do the ritual or we can seek the setting or fantasy.

Addiction is a complex disorder and treatment must address our emotional life, including trauma, not just modifying behaviour, however we have to modify the behaviour first (stop the medicating) before we can deal with the emotional problems.

If you or someone you love is in the grips of ANY Addiction call us today for assessment.

 IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS IN THE GRIPS OF AN ADDICTION CALL US TODAY FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. PHONE 07 560 66315

Web: www.coachingwithsubstance.org.au

Email: info@coachingwithsubstance.org.au

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.

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.

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.

How Bipolar Contributes to or Exacerbates Addiction Issues

Bipolar Patients with Comorbid Substance Use Disorders; Diagnostic and Treatment Considerations:

Comorbidity of bipolar disorder (BD) and alcoholism and substance use disorders (SUDs) represents a serious public health problem and a major challenge to treatment systems.

Bipolar disorder is among the top causes of disabilities worldwide, and reportedly the fourth leading mental illness as a source of disease burden in established market economies. Large epidemiologic surveys in the United States have consistently confirmed a high association between bipolar disorder and SUDs. The Epidemiological Catchments Area Study reported bipolar I and bipolar II disorders as having the highest association with SUDs when compared with any other major psychiatric disorder.

The prevalence of lifetime alcohol abuse or dependence in persons with bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorders were found to be 46%, and 39.2% respectively.

Similarly, the National Comorbidity Survey reported respondents with mania to be 8 to 9 times more likely to have an additional lifetime disorder of drug or alcohol dependence compared with the general population. The most recent and largest epidemiologic survey of more than 42,000 respondents in the United States, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), reported that mania and hypomania were associated with very high rates of SUDs. Those with mania were 6 times more likely to have alcohol dependence and 14 times more likely to have drug dependence over the past 12 months.

Research from; Psychiatric Annals, Volume 38 · Number 11, NOVEMBER 2008

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS IN THE GRIPS OF AN ADDICTION OR BIPOLAR EPISODE, CALL US TODAY FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. PHONE 07 560 66315

 

Web: www.coachingwithsubstance.org.au

 

Email: info@coachingwithsubstance.org.au

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.

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.

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.

Avoiding A 'Wet Brain'

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome or ’Wet Brain’ 

Background: In 1881, Carl Wernicke first described an illness that consisted of paralysis of eye movements, inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements, and mental confusion in 3 patients. The patients, 2 males with alcoholism with progression to coma and death. Wernicke detected holes and bleeding affecting the grey matter in some parts of the brain. 

S.S. Korsakoff, a Russian psychiatrist, described the disturbance of memory in the course of long-term alcoholism in a series of articles from 1887-1891. 

In 1897, Murawieff first postulated that a single cause of a disease was responsible for both syndromes – Wernicke syndrome and Korsakoff syndrome. Or, in common terms – ‘wet brain’. 

The term Wernicke encephalopathy is used to describe the symptom complex of paralysis of some nerves of the eye, inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements, and an acute confusional state. If persistent learning and memory deficits are present, the symptom complex is termed Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. 

Cause; A lack of thiamine (vitamin B-1) is responsible for the symptom manifested in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and any condition resulting in a poor nutritional state places drinkers at risk. 

Heavy, long-term alcohol use is the most common association with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Alcohol interferes with active stomach juice transport, and chronic liver disease leads to decreased activation of thiamine, as well as a decreased capacity of the liver to store thiamine. 

Statistics 

* Prevalence data have come primarily from post-mortem studies, with rates of 1 to 3%. 

* The rate has been found to be significantly higher in specific populations, ie, homeless people, older people (especially those living alone or in isolation), and psychiatric inpatients, where alcohol use and poor nutritional states predominate. 

* The death rate is 10-20%. That is if you get it you have a 10 to 20% chance of an early death. 

* In general, full recovery of eye function occurs. Fine horizontal eye movement can persist in as many as 60% of cases. 

* Approximately 40% of patients have complete recovery from inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements. 

* Only 20% of patients recover completely from partial loss of memory deficit. 

* The rates of the disease are similar across races. 

* The condition affects males slightly more frequently than it affects females. 

* Age of onset is evenly distributed from 30-70 years. 

Eye/visual disturbances 

* Painless vision abnormalities 

* Double vision 

* squint 

Gait abnormalities 

* Wide-based, short-stepped gait 

* Inability to stand or walk without assistance 

Mental status changes 

* Apathy, indifference, insufficient speech 

* Hallucination, agitation 

* Confabulation: Patient fills in gaps of memory with data that can be recalled at that moment. 

Medical Care: Wernicke encephalopathy is a medical emergency. Prompt recognition of the symptoms and a high index of suspicion are crucial to ensure early treatment. Intravenous thiamine (50-100 mg) is the treatment of choice. 

alcohol drugs Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome 

Functional Alcoholic? 

Early treatment can rapidly reverse the eye problems and improve inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements and early mental confusion, as well as prevent development of the partial loss of memory state. In advanced cases, where severe prolonged deficiency has led to permanent structural brain damage, permanent thinking deficits remain. 

 

Long-term alcohol use is the most common aetiology for Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and abstinence provides the best chance for recovery. Referral to an alcohol recovery program should be part of the treatment regimen. 

A balanced diet should be resumed as early as possible. Vitamin and should be adhered to in addition to a well-balanced diet initially, and supplementation can be tapered as the patient resumes normal intake and demonstrates improvement. 

Due to gait abnormalities, unassisted ambulation is discouraged during the initial phase of treatment. Patients may require physical therapy evaluation for gait assistance. Gait abnormalities may be permanent, depending on the severity at initial presentation and the timeliness of therapy. 

Recovering patients will require outpatient follow-up care to evaluate for continued progress or relapse. 

Patients should continue taking thiamine supplementation, as well as other vitamins and electrolytes, until a well-balanced diet can be maintained. Long-term supplementation may be required in patients who cannot maintain adequate nutritional intake, whether from noncompliance or the underlying disorder. 

If you or someone you love or care about is in the grips of alcoholism, call us today for help with choosing addiction treatment options that is right for you at 07 56 066 315.

Web: www.coachingwithsubstance.org.au

 

Email: info@coachingwithsubstance.org.au

About Coaching With Substance

 

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. 

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 registered public benevolent institution, charity and not-for profit association in Australia that focuses on wellness instead of illness, using coaching principles for peak performance. 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 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 also welcome enquiries from English speaking people from Asia, Europe, Africa, India and South America. 

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 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.