Updated: Feb 21
© Liberated Living, 2024
When we find ways to occupy our time, such as spending excessive hours working or engaging in activities that provide us with temporary relief, it can be an unhealthy distraction and is driven by codependent behaviors that can spiral into an addiction. But, what are we escaping?!
Addictions, which are not limited to substances like drugs and alcohol, can manifest in various forms. Anything that becomes habit-forming and becomes a compulsion to numb, escape pain, or distract ourselves from life's daily challenges can be defined as an addiction.
Our brain contains a specific area known as the "pleasure center" or "reward pathway" that plays a crucial role in addiction. When activated through certain behaviors or substances, this center overpowers the part of our brain that governs our willpower, judgment, logic, and morality. This neurological imbalance makes it difficult for individuals to break free from unhealthy patterns and behaviors, even when they recognize the negative impact it has on their lives.
By understanding the underlying mechanisms behind addiction, we can gain insights into how we can break free and regain control over our lives. It is crucial to recognize and address the sources of stress, loneliness, and depression that drive us to these destructive behaviors. Addressing these underlying issues through therapy, counseling, or self-care practices can provide more sustainable solutions than just relying on temporary distractions.
Additionally, seeking support from loved ones, joining support groups, or seeking professional help from addiction specialists can greatly aid in recovery. The journey to overcoming addiction can be challenging, but with dedication and perseverance, it is possible to break free from the grip of codependent behaviors and unhealthy distractions.
Identifying the underlying emotion remains the key to resolving this poor coping method, as it is a recurring cycle and the primary cause of sabotage patterns.
When a person goes through this sabotage cycle, whether it's relating to their finances, career, health, or family and relationships, their brain develops addictive behaviors and experiences a significant decline in neurotransmitters, the happy chemicals, and mood regulator.
An unhealed brain has the power to destroy successful marriages, families, good-standing health, friendships, careers, education, income production, and so forth. Trauma will result in a myriad of mental conditions, namely; multiple personality disorders by developing a perceived safer facade or persona. The brain most commonly will dissociate by switching to a better brain channel that feels otherwise safe and comfortable, thereby seeking dopamine or forgetting the harsh reality through denial or memory loss. If the cycle is left untreated it will become the silent killer.
Escaping into external stimuli to evade cumulative trauma, particularly from persistent conditions like childhood abuse, often precipitates other issues like mental health disorders.
Among these, a notable manifestation of trauma's impact is attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These complex brain disorders involve decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), compelling individuals to self-medicate with stimulants, and exacerbating the cycle of maladaptive behaviors.
Individuals with ADD find that intensified concentration efforts lead to reduced brain activity in the PFC. Driven by an unconscious quest for increased stimulation, many resort to self-medicating with stimulants like caffeine, nicotine, methamphetamines, or cocaine, explains Dr. Daniel Amen, Neuroscientist & Psychiatrist in Healing ADD and Making a Good Brain Great. Notably, they may also engage in conflict-seeking behavior, leveraging the production of adrenaline for brain stimulation, and fostering dependency on the ensuing emotions.
ADD disorders, often underestimated in severity, can profoundly impact self-esteem, learning capabilities, social relationships, and work if left untreated. Research indicates that individuals with ADD use twice as many medical treatments as those without. Left unaddressed, up to 35 percent of untreated ADD teens may not complete high school, and up to 50 percent may engage in substance abuse. However, ADD and ADHD are highly treatable disorders, with diverse interventions, including exercise, a high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet, and supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (Amen, Healing ADD and Making a Good Brain Great).
The lingering pain of trauma can cast a shadow on self-worth, leading to needless suffering throughout a lifetime. The harm inflicted by past abuse becomes an insidious companion, driving unconscious acts of self-harm. Consequently, the hidden dangers of trapped emotions emerge as a silent but potent threat.
Fear of abandonment plays the trump card among the mental health challenges. This potent force can override other mental health factors, leaving individuals feeling devoid of love and desperately seeking it externally. The void of feeling unloved becomes the core motivator for escaping pain and pursuing pleasure, manifesting at its zenith in narcissistic or histrionic behaviors intertwined with unforgiving addiction.
On the flip side, individuals who engage in abandoning behaviors out of fear might be driven by their own unresolved traumas or anxieties. Abandoning out of fear can manifest as a reluctance to form deep connections, a pattern of distancing oneself emotionally, or a tendency to end relationships abruptly. This behavior is often rooted in a self-protective instinct, where the individual believes that leaving first shields them from potential emotional harm.
Addressing these deep-rooted emotional wounds is integral to breaking free from destructive cycles and fostering lasting healing and self-love.
The insights provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the mental health and brain activity of individuals grappling with addiction exhibit tangible alterations in crucial areas responsible for judgment, decision-making, learning, memory, and behavior control. The dopamine system, a key player, undergoes modification, focusing its response primarily on the chosen substance or coping mechanism.
The nucleus accumbens (NAc), renowned as the ventral striatum, serves as the epicenter of this neural transformation, with dopamine release triggered predominantly by external stimuli related to addictive behaviors. Regrettably, this reorientation often diminishes our responsiveness to other potential rewards, sabotaging the very motivation required for vital goal pursuit.
Yet, the impact of addiction extends beyond dopamine, affecting neurotransmitter systems such as serotonin and glutamate, pivotal in regulating mood, sleep, learning, and memory. As Chris Prentiss illuminates in "The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure," our engagement in compulsive activities is essentially a quest for chemical stimulation, creating a cascade of effects in the brain that we become addicted to over time.
Whether it's the pursuit of emotions like excitement, anger, or joy, or the consumption of addictive substances, our brain's relentless demand for the dopamine hit is the underlying force. The persistent cravings and withdrawal symptoms arise when our conditioned expectations are unmet. Beneath it all lies a fundamental desire for self-worth and love, echoing author, Karol C. Truman's wisdom in "Feelings Buried Alive Never Die."
In essence, the bottomless journey into external sources or codependency originates from an innate longing for emotional fulfillment—a sentiment aptly captured by Truman's profound statement.
In the holistic journey towards recovery from addiction and mental health challenges, recognizing the intricate interplay between nutritional well-being and psychological health is paramount. Acknowledging the prevalence of deficiencies in individuals with addiction disorders, coupled with the intricate web of co-occurring disorders, provides a comprehensive understanding of the holistic approach required.
Research indicates that approximately 40% of those diagnosed with psychiatric disorders concurrently grapple with substance abuse or dependence disorders (Horsfall et al., 2009). While a well-balanced and nutritionally dense diet can theoretically provide the necessary nutrients for neurotransmission modulation, the harsh reality is that many individuals, especially those with psychiatric and substance use disorders, often struggle with poor diets, absorption issues, and metabolic disorders, leading to severe nutrient imbalances that detrimentally impact brain functioning (Walsh, Glab, & Haakenson, 2004). This can be argued that the psychological damage has impacted the physical health of the individual.
The brain, often likened to a chemical factory, incessantly produces neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. The raw materials fueling this intricate process are amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and various other nutrients (Walsh, 1997). This intricate dance of nutrients serves as the foundation for regulating brain chemistry, influencing mood, and cognition, and potentially leading to maladaptive behaviors.
However, addressing neurotransmitters through nutrition and supplements is only part of the solution. To embark on a holistic healing journey, it is imperative to confront the underlying trauma or conditions that triggered the reliance on substances or maladaptive behaviors in the first place. Treating the root cause involves addressing anxiety, discontent, pain, or trauma, initiating a self-healing mechanism that kick-starts the brain into hyper-training mode, and unleashing a surge of stored neurochemicals to aid the healing process.
Exploring the classic mental conditions that surface in response to pain and trauma unveils the profound impact on mental health. Traumatic events, ranging from sudden deaths to life transitions like divorce or financial loss, trigger the brain's fight-flight-freeze response, often resulting in dissociation, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or reliance on external stimuli to escape accumulative trauma.
Understanding the effects of trauma is crucial in navigating the intricate landscape of mental health. The brain's adaptive response to trauma might involve creating a safer facade or seeking dopamine to forget harsh realities. Unfortunately, this coping mechanism can lead to maladaptive and manipulating behaviors, among additional mental and physical issues.
In conclusion, the panacea lies in a holistic approach that integrates the mind and body, addressing emotional, mental, and spiritual freedom alongside physical well-being. Recognizing the importance of both dimensions in complete integration defines true holistic medicine. By unveiling and liberating the shame hidden beneath trapped or repressed emotion, individuals can break free from the cycle of self-sabotage, reclaiming a sense of wholeness and completeness. The journey towards internal healing opens the door to a life filled with fulfilling moments, empowering individuals to pursue dreams and contribute positively to themselves and their communities.
If you want to guide clients to identify trapped emotions, heal shame or limiting beliefs or discover your own hidden barriers to success and are ready to address trauma or childhood patterns to transform conditions and need support on your healing journey with a PANACEA healing system and 7 step therapeutic workbook, consider applying as a holistic therapist or learning more with us in one or more of our fully accredited holistic programs and certifications.
Liberated Living: Understanding Addictions: The science & philosophy behind our addictive behaviors; why do we have them and is there hope [1-15]
Natural Library of Medicine Biochem Pharmacol. 2008 Sep 1, Epub 2008 May 20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18555207/