Addiction is currently labelled as a medical "disease."
This is because our brain changes with addiction, like other organs that change in structure or function in the progress of disease. However, Marc Lewis, neuroscientist and professors of developmental psychology, explains in his book "The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction is not a Disease" that our brains change in fact all the time (also called neuroplasticity). Our brains have to change to enable learning to take place.
Lewis believes addiction is learning and developmental process - a learnt habit. This means that a learned habit could therefore be "unlearned" with the right conditions - and that "re-learning" can take place.
Of course this is never easy - like kicking any habit. Particularly in early recovery, extra help and support is crucial.
But imagine this: if we had the right external and internal conditions available to us from early on, would there even be the need to have to create a reward boost in our brains or to numb our feelings with substances or addictive behaviours? With healthy intimate and loving connections our bodies would receive and create natural chemicals of happiness, like endorphins and oxytocin. But to be able to develop and maintain healthy relationships and connections to others we also have to learn how to have healthy relationships with ourselves. We need to become aware of our underlying emotions and feelings, and start to feel free to express them, develop a healthy sense of self and create healthier boundaries. It is also connecting with these in a stable enough way, to learn to express them honestly and have them heard to release them.
In my practice with my clients, a large part of the work is aiming towards connection. As well as exploring the way we connect to ourself and others and the relationship between the two. In this way, psychotherapy can help serve as a bridge in this process of “re-learning”.
If you like to know more about this, what could help and how to find relief, visit our Blog this month on "Addiction - the Opposite of Connection & Learnt Habit?".
We'd love to hear from you what you think about the topic, and please contact us with any questions.
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Equine Therapy - Only a Few More Sessions Available!
Our last two months of equine therapy in the UK are filling up quickly. We have a few more sessions available in April. Let us know if you would like to try it!
Equine therapy can work well on its own and as a useful adjunct to your existing room-based therapy. But how does it work? We have taken this opportunity to write our latest blog on Top 7 Reasons Why Horses Can Change Your Life.
Since we are talking this month about addiction, equine therapy can be a very embodied and more creative way to deal with the challenges that underlie addiction behaviours. Horses are amazing therapeutic facilitators. Some of the reasons in my blog include that they can:
- Really Get You
- Challenge You
- Move You
- Let You Experience
- Show You
- Heal You
- Transform You
We hope our blog article can help reveal a little more how equine therapy works. Feel free to have a look on our website to find out more. We would also like to hear your thoughts on equine therapy.
Contact us for more information!
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Do you need any support but can't travel to us or are located in a different country? We now offer more slots for online therapy support, contact us for more.
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Picks of the Month for you for March:
A video animation explaining addiction based on journalist Johann Hari's New York best-selling book "Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs."; his TED Talk on the topic "Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong". Also a recent best seller (audio)book "The Mindful Path to Addiction Recovery: A practical guide to regaining control over your life." by Lawrence Peltz MD, a beautiful yoga session with Jeni Hilman to connect with yourself more and a delicious recipe from the Yummly App to up your veggie intake and to nourish your senses.
Enjoy!
Warm wishes,
Lara & the ADADSU Team
www.adadsu.com
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Of course, all of us could do with a little help in the process of getting through some difficult times and to be able to move forward. If you need any help or support, or have any questions about it, feel free to contact us or find more information at www.adadsu.com.
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Video of the Month: Addiction [6 mins]
What causes addiction? Easy, right? Drugs cause addiction. But maybe it is not that simple.This short video animation is adapted from Johann Hari's New York Times best-selling book 'Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs.' It questions here how we treat and see addiction and if there is not another way.
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