RDBplus3

I watched a video again, ‘Pleasure Unwoven’, which is the best presentation I have seen showing the overall processes and functions that become the deep-seated reality of addiction. Along the same model as AVRT, these originate in the deep-rooted part of the brain that operates on survival instinct pleasure-pain motivations, well below the rational thought processes. However, much more advanced than the simplistic model of AVRT, which only acknowledges a Beast Brain / Rational Mind scenario, the processes and functions affected by ongoing addiction are much more complex. I am not bashing the AVRT model, because it has given me a very valid, simple concept to use for committed abstinence.

I then related this elaborate overall addiction-corrupted function of the brain to an old emotionally charged memory. I can try to remember events from my teen years long ago, and not have much come to mind. However, if I get in a particular situation, say a dispute with an authority, one or more memories can come flooding in, fully charged with the emotional impact, and my automatic response will be to act out that memory, applied to the current situation. Cry, manipulate, attack, etc…..because that is the way my instinct-survival brain is wired, to immediately operate before taking time for rational analysis…because it could be a survival situation…my Beast Brain is wired that way. This directly relates to my addiction, no matter how long I have been abstinent, because just like my memory function, the rational ‘I’ does not control that initial brain function.

This is where I prefer the Secular approach to ‘Freedom from Addiction’, because ‘I’ have to take responsibility for the processes in my brain, especially when my actions and behavior caused and reinforced the addiction-corrupted brain processes to be there. I cannot realistically ask ‘God’ to remove my ‘Addiction’ any more than I can ask ‘God’ to remove my memories so they don’t trigger automatic survival functions.

However, there is a Mind / Brain function that for me seems mis-construed to various extremes by the various camps of ‘Addiction Recovery’. This Mind / Brain function deals with our ‘highest ideals’, whatever they may be. Some of us believe in a ‘God’, others in the concept they believe ‘Science’ has determined, others don’t think about it much, but EVERYONE still forms their own ideas and beliefs about what are their ‘highest ideals’. This IS each person’s concept of ‘Spirituality’ whether ‘God’ based or other.

The concept that works best for me gives me a proper perspective of the ‘Spirituality’ component. The initial impulse to use originates below the rational thought process. The rational conscious ‘I’ must then take responsibility for my actions, and negate the impulse to use, because ‘I’ have made a determination that ‘I’ am ultimately in control of my actions. One problem however, is the expanded reality of the ‘Addiction-corrupted Brain’ shows there are also corrupted components and pathways in the part of my brain that is responsible for ‘MY’ rational thoughts. This is left out of the simplistic AVRT model. The benefit of acknowledging, and engaging the ‘Spirituality’ component, is that ‘I’ DO have this additional resource in a different part of my brain that can help over-ride any addiction-corrupted rational thought processes and help ‘ME’ make the decision I have committed to (Sobriety, Abstinence, Big Plan, etc).

Final notes: The video ‘Pleasure Unwoven’ is based on the premise of ‘proving’ the ‘disease model’. The term is irrelevant because the information and affected brain functions are real, regardless of the interpretation of which term to use. Also, the AVRT model does refer to the use of ‘higher ideals’ in making a Big Plan, but the authors personal views and quirks over-shadow much of his presentation, although the information presented in AVRT is very valid and functional.