Addiction Recovery

The word addict comes from a Latin term meaning “to be enslaved by.” There is perhaps no better way to illustrate how it feels to be addicted to something. Addiction is most often associated with substances like tobacco, alcohol, and opiates, yet those are just three of the dozen or more other substances and behaviors we can become addicted to. For some, it may be specific substances, for others, it may be process additions such as shopping, gambling, food, sex, or technology. The common thread is the way these substances and behaviors can affect the brains and the lives of those addicted to them.

If you or someone you’ve loved has ever suffered from an addiction, you can understand the sense of pain, powerlessness, guilt, and shame that comes with it. The good news is, by taking a brain-based, integrative approach to addiction, we are not only addressing the behavioral and cognitive aspects, but also the neurophysiological roots that are making it harder for you to break free from whatever has enslaved you.

You don’t have to be alone in this, and maybe it doesn’t have to be as hard as it has been. Rather than just “gritting your teeth and bearing it,” let us help you overcome your addiction by addressing the underlying imbalances in your brain that are making it harder for you to overcome your addiction–and that possibly led you to become addicted in the first place.

HOW IT LOOKS IN THE BRAIN
Addiction is not an indication of a weak constitution or moral standing, but rather a consequence of the brain essentially being hijacked. The pleasure-reward circuits in the brain, such as the nucleus accumbens, are largely responsible for “feel-good” sensations and motivational processes. The hippocampus and the amygdala then store information related to past pleasurable and painful experiences to encourage us to either repeat or avoid the same behaviors in the future. This process is designed to help us learn what is good for us to encourage more of that behavior in the future. For example, eating food releases dopamine, which encourages us to continue seeking food to fuel our system. We also receive a dopamine response when we get rewarded for something, such as a “good job” from our boss.

When we consume or do something we’re addicted to, it activates this reward circuit and releases dopamine into our system. In most cases, this substance or behavior has served us in some way (at least initially). For some individuals, certain substances or behaviors actually flood the brain’s reward center with dopamine, creating a “high,” “rush,” or other pleasurable sensation that causes their brain to seek such pleasure again in the future. For others, the substance or behavior serves to relieve a pain or unpleasant sensation, such as anxiety, pain, or insomnia, causing their brain to seek the same relief again when presented with the same stimuli.

When this dopamine flooding occurs, these structures are especially likely to hang onto that memory and seek out that experience again. Some individuals might also be predisposed to addiction if these reward centers are not producing sufficient dopamine in the first place, leading them to seek substances or behaviors that induce a higher release of dopamine in an attempt to find balance. Unfortunately, these dopamine surges actually interfere with the functioning of the reward system by overwhelming dopamine receptor sites, leading the brain to overcompensate by producing even less dopamine after the initial release. If this process continues over time, the brain will try to protect itself by further reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the brain. This means that people will need to do more of the same thing to get the same effect and can no longer recreate that “first high” experience, ultimately leading to tolerance and dependence. Alterations to dopamine production and receptors can also result in mood disturbances (e.g., depression and anxiety) and make it increasingly harder to feel joy and pleasure in everyday life.

HOW WE CAN HELP

The first step of any treatment package is a comprehensive assessment that includes QEEG brain mapping, LORETA 3D neuroimaging, various testing, and a thorough discussion of symptoms and goals. This allows us to assess the brain patterns most commonly associated with addiction.  At Peak Performance Institute, we customize our clients’ evaluation to provide each individual with the information they need.

The Neuropsychological Evaluation with QEEG will provide the client with a thorough and comprehensive diagnostic picture and specific treatment recommendations.  In a collaborative exchange, Dr. Mustin will work with each client to explore the nature, purpose, practicality, and affordability of each treatment.  modality.  

For the client in recovery from addiction, psychotherapy is customary and may include trauma recovery elements such as EMDR, Bilateral stimulation, and other somatic therapies.  EEG neurofeedback is often recommended to assist the brain in eliminating cravings and restoring balance and optimal function to support sobriety.

Both Neurofeedback and Neuromodulation through Brainwave Entrainment with auditory stimulation can be used to restore healthy brainwave activity. These techniques balance the pleasure-reward centers of the brain, calm overactive regions related to stress and emotion, and boost power in regions required for healthy coping, impulse control, and future-oriented decision-making.

These Neurotherapy interventions have also been found to improve the production of neurotransmitters and neurohormones, such as dopamine and serotonin. Furthermore, our virtual Neuromodulation services can be helpful for in-the-moment support when you are facing cravings or triggers.

Heart Rate Variability training and Mindfulness training can further help you gain control over your autonomic nervous system. They allow you to improve your focus on the here-and-now and modulate physiological responses like breathing, heart rate, body temperature, and muscle tension. This can help you be less overwhelmed by negative sensations, respond better to triggers, and more easily resist cravings.

Whichever services you choose to engage with, we will work collaboratively with you to address your brain-body wellness from an integrative lens so you can be the best version of you!

ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS

We encourage our clients to participate in community-based Twelve Step Programs and other recovery programs, if they so choose.  The Twelve Step Program of Alcoholics Anonymous is known as the most successful in the world.  We believe that motivation for long-lasting change comes from spiritual, emotional and physiological factors and we trust our clients to assemble a personalized recovery program that suits them best.  

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS