Addiction
This can be a scary topic for people to bring to a session with any health professional, but such an important one. I am finding a lot more of my patients are discussing issues of addiction with me now than ever before, and I am so grateful for their courage, as it is often the first time they have been brave enough to share it with anyone. Addiction comes in many forms, and you may think that natural medicine couldn’t offer much in this space, but it certainly can. Addiction is related to changes in the brain, often brought about by trauma. It’s no surprise then that addictive behaviour has risen so sharply in the last few years, and it’s manifesting in many different ways.
Just this week I have already worked with patients struggling with addiction to devices, alcohol, drugs and food. What starts as an often pacifying activity for the brain can so easily result in behaviour that becomes harmful.
So what can we do? The first step of course is to identify the addiction, and then put in place a plan to follow for regulation. I will refer to the appropriate therapist if I think further support is required, but as a first port of call, working on brain biochemistry, stress and sleep are great places to start.
Three areas of the brain are affected in addiction: the brain stem, the limbic system and the cerebral cortex. The main neurotransmitter affected is dopamine. There are many signs of addiction, and not all are covered here, as I’m not going into the space of serious drug addiction, which absolutely requires specialist medical attention. The three main addictions I see are: alcohol, devices and food.
How do you know if your brain is exhibiting addictive behaviour? Here are some of the typical observations:
- Increased feelings of anxiety or depression
- Memory problems
- Mood swings
- Increased irritability
- Losing track of time
- Having set times of day when you engage in the behaviour (e.g. drinking when making dinner, using social media when you should be doing other things, over-eating at certain times of day)
- Defensiveness when someone else suggests that the behaviour may be a problem
- Knowing that it’s an issue for you but ignoring it, as the high outweighs the effort involved in getting help, or you find yourself procrastinating.
- There is shame associated with the behaviour
- Nothing feeling as satisfying as the behaviour
What can you do? This may be something that you are dealing with for yourself, or it may be something that you are concerned about in a loved one. Either way, the first step can be the hardest.
How can natural medicine support you?
Natural support for neurotransmitters: We have much in our repertoire to support healthy neurotransmitter behaviour
Natural support for anxiety: we have some great herbal tools to help with the feelings behind the pacifying addiction. Calming the anxiety can be a great first step toward making better choices.
Nutrient support: The brain requires many nutrients every day to function in a healthy way. We can test and ensure that you are getting plenty of good healthy nutrients to support healthy cognitive function and therefore healthy choices.
Note: In choosing support for addiction, we recommend working with a trained addiction counsellor also.
