Resistance Vs Reward
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
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Resistance Vs Reward
I thought I'd share a documentary I saw last night which separated 2 different parts of the brain through various experiments.
It started with explaining the reward aspect of the brain, which creates increased dopamine release at the thoughts prior to a particular activity, funny enough the amounts released are higher prior to the event than during the actual event, such as eating, drinking, smoking etc, but the interesting part put forward by the documentary is that this part of the brain has evolved over thousands of years, it's a very long established part of the brain.
In contrast the resistance part of the brain, what we call willpower, resisting something just through sheer determination, is a far more modern part of our brains, evolved more recently than the reward system our brains developed long before it.
The documentary then explained and showed through experiments that this is why sheer will power is no match for the reward section of our brains, the big brother pushes the little brother around, they then linked it to addiction, which is why I found it so interesting.
Addiction therefore by nature should be far superior than our own will power as a result, and so we need something more than simply resisting, whether it's distraction, support, encouragement etc etc
It sounded pretty sensible to myself watching it, but I'm not a scientist, something to ponder I guess!!
PK
It started with explaining the reward aspect of the brain, which creates increased dopamine release at the thoughts prior to a particular activity, funny enough the amounts released are higher prior to the event than during the actual event, such as eating, drinking, smoking etc, but the interesting part put forward by the documentary is that this part of the brain has evolved over thousands of years, it's a very long established part of the brain.
In contrast the resistance part of the brain, what we call willpower, resisting something just through sheer determination, is a far more modern part of our brains, evolved more recently than the reward system our brains developed long before it.
The documentary then explained and showed through experiments that this is why sheer will power is no match for the reward section of our brains, the big brother pushes the little brother around, they then linked it to addiction, which is why I found it so interesting.
Addiction therefore by nature should be far superior than our own will power as a result, and so we need something more than simply resisting, whether it's distraction, support, encouragement etc etc
It sounded pretty sensible to myself watching it, but I'm not a scientist, something to ponder I guess!!
PK
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 554
Which is why the one day at a time philosphy works for so many I suppose. Most of us can make it through one day, and the reward comes when we string those days together and we start to feel great--the reward is the clear head, the better life. I don't believe in willpower at all. Sure I believe in it for things we are not addicted to, but is it willpower than? or just a decision?
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 985
What I learn from what you've explained is that for me to choose sobriety, I have to associate with positive reward, more than associating using/drinking with negative consequence. That makes sense to me.
I have already been doing that sort of subconsciously - today, for example, is a rainy day here, and throughout my work day I've thought often of how much pleasure I will have getting home and curling up in front of the fire and reading.
It might be that both the repetition of those thoughts and the "looking forward to" feeling may build a healthy relax and reward response in the brain.
If you think about it, the addict voice is constantly programming and manipulating that reward center with false anticipation, so why can't I do the same with intention?
I'll keep doing it, but more deliberately now. No matter what, it is an emphasis on the positive. Thanks for sharing the info.
I have already been doing that sort of subconsciously - today, for example, is a rainy day here, and throughout my work day I've thought often of how much pleasure I will have getting home and curling up in front of the fire and reading.
It might be that both the repetition of those thoughts and the "looking forward to" feeling may build a healthy relax and reward response in the brain.
If you think about it, the addict voice is constantly programming and manipulating that reward center with false anticipation, so why can't I do the same with intention?
I'll keep doing it, but more deliberately now. No matter what, it is an emphasis on the positive. Thanks for sharing the info.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: CA.....Hometown : Sioux Falls
Posts: 2,624
There were plenty of times when I would get excited and high with the thought of getting something to drink and the picture of drinking it and the pleasant feelings, etc. I would follow through going to the store, pour it, put it on the table next to me and then forget it was there for a few minutes..weird! Then I would have some and think why did I do this? I'm not even enjoying it? The though was much more entertaining than the action. My addictive voice really wanted to party! I hear you liar and the party is over! You get ice cream.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
That sounds interesting but I can't help thinking there is a missing link. Looking at my own drinking experience, the only time I felt half OK was with some alcohol in my system. In the early years it was far and away the greatest reward I had ever felt.
When it stopped working and life got miserable, the only good times (rewards) I could recall experiencing were alcohol related, so even though it had stopped working, I kept going back there hoping for the good times, that this time it would be ok. This was a delusion, but I stuck with it because talk of other types of rewards was beyond my experience. Whenever I tried to stop in order to have the better life everyone else seemed to know about, life was miserable.
And about this point I think the missing link came in. Take away the booze and do nothing else, and I was left with a set of warped values and ideas about life, and the way I attempted to conduct my affairs, based on my old thinking, kept me miserable. The willpower was trying to combat that obsession of the mind, while my alcoholic mind was sabotaging any chance of feelings of reward.
Today it is true that the rewards of my sober life far outweigh anything the booze did, and I am sure the reason I keep living this way is because it is so rewarding. But to get to this spot I had to get past my alcoholic mind.
When it stopped working and life got miserable, the only good times (rewards) I could recall experiencing were alcohol related, so even though it had stopped working, I kept going back there hoping for the good times, that this time it would be ok. This was a delusion, but I stuck with it because talk of other types of rewards was beyond my experience. Whenever I tried to stop in order to have the better life everyone else seemed to know about, life was miserable.
And about this point I think the missing link came in. Take away the booze and do nothing else, and I was left with a set of warped values and ideas about life, and the way I attempted to conduct my affairs, based on my old thinking, kept me miserable. The willpower was trying to combat that obsession of the mind, while my alcoholic mind was sabotaging any chance of feelings of reward.
Today it is true that the rewards of my sober life far outweigh anything the booze did, and I am sure the reason I keep living this way is because it is so rewarding. But to get to this spot I had to get past my alcoholic mind.
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