Raising public awareness about addiction
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Raising public awareness about addiction
Hi Friends,
I have not posted a thread of my own for a while. Approaching 8 months in recovery from drinking.
So, the title of this thread refers to one of my new activities. Through my job (I do research on addiction), I have opportunities to communicate with the public and raise awareness to the risks of addiction. We can also educate both young people (high school and college age) and adults about how addiction works. I decided to take up a role in being part of a team organizing such a public awareness event for early October.
We had the first "organizers meeting" today, to discuss it. I never expected myself to have any unexpected reaction... but geez... I did! We were discussing all these things about how to communicate with people, and with people that might have addictions in secret or risks for developing... I felt a build up of overwhelming emotions regarding all this, to the point that I could hardly formulate a decent sentence, let alone the brain storming I was expected to be part of. I felt like crying and running out of the room. But of course I stayed. Well, took a short bathroom break and went back. I made a few short comments on ideas I have about the event.
I will certainly need to learn to deal with this "mission" emotionally. I know... I love doing things that are inspired by my own thoughts or experiences, but it can be challenging.
But my main question for you ALL now. If there was a half-day meeting with scientists who study addiction and the brain - what would you guys want to hear about? Or ask? See?
I am asking to potentially cover things in this effort that people with addictions or vulnerability to it might want to know, as a fellow addict.
I have not posted a thread of my own for a while. Approaching 8 months in recovery from drinking.
So, the title of this thread refers to one of my new activities. Through my job (I do research on addiction), I have opportunities to communicate with the public and raise awareness to the risks of addiction. We can also educate both young people (high school and college age) and adults about how addiction works. I decided to take up a role in being part of a team organizing such a public awareness event for early October.
We had the first "organizers meeting" today, to discuss it. I never expected myself to have any unexpected reaction... but geez... I did! We were discussing all these things about how to communicate with people, and with people that might have addictions in secret or risks for developing... I felt a build up of overwhelming emotions regarding all this, to the point that I could hardly formulate a decent sentence, let alone the brain storming I was expected to be part of. I felt like crying and running out of the room. But of course I stayed. Well, took a short bathroom break and went back. I made a few short comments on ideas I have about the event.
I will certainly need to learn to deal with this "mission" emotionally. I know... I love doing things that are inspired by my own thoughts or experiences, but it can be challenging.
But my main question for you ALL now. If there was a half-day meeting with scientists who study addiction and the brain - what would you guys want to hear about? Or ask? See?
I am asking to potentially cover things in this effort that people with addictions or vulnerability to it might want to know, as a fellow addict.
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I'm interested in New medications for chronic pain patients that don't contain narcotics, but are equally as effective. I would also like to hear about new treatment options for addiction, medical or otherwise.
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I posted a thread a while back in the Alcoholic Section of the Forum, and it was in relation to a documentary on the brain and addiction I saw, which raised a fascinating topic, it was in the context and from the viewpoint of how to treat addiction and the hurdles to overcome.
The idea of the 2 parts of the brain, the addictive part vs the resistance (willpower) part, 2 actual biological areas of the brain that have been studied by scientists.
Scientists claim that in evolution the addictive part of the brain developed early on, it's been fine tuned over thousands of years, however the resistance (willpower) part of the brain was a more recent development, and this apparently is why the addictive part is far stronger and as a result the part that deals with resistance (willpower) is simply no match for it.
Hence why simply choosing to quit without any network of support or plan of distraction/new habits for many is impossible.
The other thing was the release of endorphins by the addictive part of the mind, apparently the release is much greater or higher at the thought of doing something, in other words prior to the event, rather than the actual moment we engage in an activity, and so cravings can dangerously blow away our resistance/willpower in an instant, simply the thought of doing something can get the endorphins (the addictive part of the brain) flowing.`
I'd happily sit through a talk on all these topics, this sort of thing can blow my mind (no pun intended)!!
The idea of the 2 parts of the brain, the addictive part vs the resistance (willpower) part, 2 actual biological areas of the brain that have been studied by scientists.
Scientists claim that in evolution the addictive part of the brain developed early on, it's been fine tuned over thousands of years, however the resistance (willpower) part of the brain was a more recent development, and this apparently is why the addictive part is far stronger and as a result the part that deals with resistance (willpower) is simply no match for it.
Hence why simply choosing to quit without any network of support or plan of distraction/new habits for many is impossible.
The other thing was the release of endorphins by the addictive part of the mind, apparently the release is much greater or higher at the thought of doing something, in other words prior to the event, rather than the actual moment we engage in an activity, and so cravings can dangerously blow away our resistance/willpower in an instant, simply the thought of doing something can get the endorphins (the addictive part of the brain) flowing.`
I'd happily sit through a talk on all these topics, this sort of thing can blow my mind (no pun intended)!!
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I'd like to know more about current theories regarding genetic predisposition to addiction/alcoholism. I feel like this belief does circulate (widely in recovery circles), but since environment surely impacts, I don't know if there have been discoveries regarding actual genetic markers or distinct brain structure. This doesn't have much pragmatic application to struggles with addiction, except that psychologically it allows me to accept the "disease" concept and perhaps have a bit more compassion for my own experience.
I have two young adult children as well, one of whom "uses" drugs and alcohol and the other who "abuses" drugs and alcohol. They were raised in a predominately clean and sober recovery household, so I guess I'm just curious. I recognize that the cultural environment plays an enormous role, but were they predisposed because of my brain's design?
ps. I did teach both of them the genetic theory as youth, and the awareness that their drug experimentation might move more quickly toward addiction than their peers did not deter them in the least, so maybe this doesn't inform young people in a meaningful way... everyone (especially addicts) thinks they are the exception to the rule. I wouldn't have bought "predisposition" to anything as a young person (or would have saved it in my pocket to use as a fatalistic excuse...).
I have two young adult children as well, one of whom "uses" drugs and alcohol and the other who "abuses" drugs and alcohol. They were raised in a predominately clean and sober recovery household, so I guess I'm just curious. I recognize that the cultural environment plays an enormous role, but were they predisposed because of my brain's design?
ps. I did teach both of them the genetic theory as youth, and the awareness that their drug experimentation might move more quickly toward addiction than their peers did not deter them in the least, so maybe this doesn't inform young people in a meaningful way... everyone (especially addicts) thinks they are the exception to the rule. I wouldn't have bought "predisposition" to anything as a young person (or would have saved it in my pocket to use as a fatalistic excuse...).
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Haha . . . yeah, I'm definitely not going to be winning the Nobel Prize or doing a PhD anytime soon!! 
The guy in the documentary that was explaining it thankfully kept it pretty basic, must of known I was tuning in!!
The guy in the documentary that was explaining it thankfully kept it pretty basic, must of known I was tuning in!!
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Join Date: Feb 2014
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If you were talking about the high school / college audience I think it would help to show them raw videos of people going through serious withdrawal. Maybe throw in some videos of someone with DTs and add throw some cold turkey opis / benzo withdrawals too. That might bring home the point about why people can't 'just quit'. If the case studies were people that they could relate to maybe it would help. At that age I figured it was just someone who was completely down and out who had an addiction. If you had a case study of someone who had the 'American Dream' from a financial, marriage, social status standpoint and then lost everything maybe it would help show that it could happen to anybody. We used to hear about how addiction affected the 'A' student as much as the 'F' student, but I remember blowing that off completely at the time. If there were real cases shown maybe something would have stuck.
Even with the adult audience, I don't know how much the science of addiction would stick if there isn't something showing that it can happen to anyone. As an addict, I would probably find the science part interesting, but I am not sure if that is the type of education you are talking about. When I think of education I think about preventive education. I already know that I ****** myself up, and sometimes it is depressing for someone to point out, in detail, exactly how bad I did so.
Also, if there is a video I would suggest making a good choice for a narrator. They would always have some narrator when they showed a video that sounded like he should have been narrating sex ed or something. I would have preferred someone with a voice like Tom Waits doing the voiceover. Maybe that would have gotten my attention more. At least I wouldn't have sat in the back and snickered.
This may be completely off topic if your mission is only to show the science behind the addiction. I thought I would throw it out there anyway just in case you have a broader directive.
Even with the adult audience, I don't know how much the science of addiction would stick if there isn't something showing that it can happen to anyone. As an addict, I would probably find the science part interesting, but I am not sure if that is the type of education you are talking about. When I think of education I think about preventive education. I already know that I ****** myself up, and sometimes it is depressing for someone to point out, in detail, exactly how bad I did so.
Also, if there is a video I would suggest making a good choice for a narrator. They would always have some narrator when they showed a video that sounded like he should have been narrating sex ed or something. I would have preferred someone with a voice like Tom Waits doing the voiceover. Maybe that would have gotten my attention more. At least I wouldn't have sat in the back and snickered.
This may be completely off topic if your mission is only to show the science behind the addiction. I thought I would throw it out there anyway just in case you have a broader directive.
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Haennie - Let us know when you pinpoint what brought up your agitation/turmoil at the meeting (if you are comfortable sharing what you figure out). I have visceral emotional reactions to unexpected things, and am always fascinated when I get to the center of the why.
It was unclear from your op whether you were moved in a positive way (at the realization that you're "at the table" as the adult professional with the potential to impact youth) or whether it was a warm-skin moment of feeling like you were holding the secret of your own addictions in a professional situation discussing addiction or ?something else?
I'm curious, because I move in work environments which are very different than my "secret" using/drinking life or my "pretty darn private" recovery life, and do sometimes find myself feeling strong emotions while expected to publicly (and dispassionately) discuss issues which have actually impacted me (and my community).
I hope to link my worlds more fully, but the nature of my work will likely never allow me to do that entirely. It is the awareness that I'm again compartmentalizing self that creates the surge of feeling. I am both selves, simultaneously, and the world is more comfortable with tidy identities.
Maybe that's not what you felt, but I wondered.
It was unclear from your op whether you were moved in a positive way (at the realization that you're "at the table" as the adult professional with the potential to impact youth) or whether it was a warm-skin moment of feeling like you were holding the secret of your own addictions in a professional situation discussing addiction or ?something else?
I'm curious, because I move in work environments which are very different than my "secret" using/drinking life or my "pretty darn private" recovery life, and do sometimes find myself feeling strong emotions while expected to publicly (and dispassionately) discuss issues which have actually impacted me (and my community).
I hope to link my worlds more fully, but the nature of my work will likely never allow me to do that entirely. It is the awareness that I'm again compartmentalizing self that creates the surge of feeling. I am both selves, simultaneously, and the world is more comfortable with tidy identities.
Maybe that's not what you felt, but I wondered.
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More of comment or suggestion really..
I have enormous admiration and gratitude for the addictions work of Dr. Gabor Mate (author of "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts..and various other titles). Are you familiar with his research? His work may be a resource to you...
I have enormous admiration and gratitude for the addictions work of Dr. Gabor Mate (author of "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts..and various other titles). Are you familiar with his research? His work may be a resource to you...
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Hey guys and gals , again. Thanks so much for all the feedback! It's overwhelming in a very good way.
"It was unclear from your op whether you were moved in a positive way (at the realization that you're "at the table" as the adult professional with the potential to impact youth) or whether it was a warm-skin moment of feeling like you were holding the secret of your own addictions in a professional situation discussing addiction or ?something else?"
All of these, really. I would prefer my focus to be on the outside, in the present, on the future... so I get engaged in initiatives like this, talk with people... but of course I'm holding the secret of my own ***
Yes I definitely hold this dichotomy and the mental challenges how to deal with it. But also, and I like this better: how to take all this to a further destination?
, again. Thanks so much for all the feedback! It's overwhelming in a very good way."It was unclear from your op whether you were moved in a positive way (at the realization that you're "at the table" as the adult professional with the potential to impact youth) or whether it was a warm-skin moment of feeling like you were holding the secret of your own addictions in a professional situation discussing addiction or ?something else?"
All of these, really. I would prefer my focus to be on the outside, in the present, on the future... so I get engaged in initiatives like this, talk with people... but of course I'm holding the secret of my own ***
Yes I definitely hold this dichotomy and the mental challenges how to deal with it. But also, and I like this better: how to take all this to a further destination?
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Join Date: Jul 2013
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I feel many believe the addiction is in the substance. For example alcohol is my problem but weed is fine. Or cocaine was my issue but a beer is fine, I am in NA. I think understanding how the brain is agnostic to the substance so much as stimulating certain pathways and what is occurring chemically in our brains, as well as the damage that is done such as reducing the neurotransmitters and how this affects the various cortices.
I think its also important to note that behaviors can activate the same reward motivation pathway systems.
I think its also important to note that behaviors can activate the same reward motivation pathway systems.
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Thanks so much, again, everyone! These responses really get me thinking, actually far beyond the event I've mentioned that we are organizing...
All of it reminded me of this this old song
Scorpions - Wind Of Change - YouTube
All of it reminded me of this this old song
Scorpions - Wind Of Change - YouTube
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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Looking for more feedback, closer to event
Hey Everyone!
I would like to revive this thread and ask for more questions, interests, suggestions, whatever you might have that you think could fit in the context of the educational event I described in the OP. We are closer now, it's in two weeks... We (the organizers) have had more meetings and discussions since and now we have a clear structure for the event.
It is going to be several sessions.
First a general "plenary" introduction about how substance abuse affects the brain, the basics on the neuroscience of drug abuse and addiction with animated and video presentations.
Then we will split it into two parallel, more interactive classes/groups. One class will cover alcohol and psychedelics, the other will focus on marijuana and opiates. The participants will be a mixed crowd of high school age kids and adults. It's an open forum so any age above high school age, some may likely also bring their families. I anticipate a mixed audience of people who have never had drug problems and those that did/do, or are recreational users and interested. Probably also friends & family of drug abusers.
I have more specific questions for you guys and gals now.
(1) What sort of public, social, cultural, etc myths would be good to clarify regarding drug abuse, addiction, and also separately for each drug groups I've mentioned above (alcohol, psychedelics, marijuana, opiates)? Reminder: we are neuroscientists, so these can be science-related questions., especially considering the brain.
(2) We plan to throw in some interactive games related to the topic that could hopefully engage the audience more. I don't want to give examples here but if you have ideas, please share. We'll have computers, projectors, can bring some basic art supplies. (No drugs to play with, though )
If you think this is interesting and have ideas, questions you would ask if you were there, or suggestions how to do this, please share! This is the first time for me getting involved in organizing such an event and something I am quite interested in doing more in the future, so it's a learning phase for me, the beginning in fact
I am especially interested in hearing what sorts of "myths" people (anyone, drug abusers, friends and family) want to hear clarified and discussed (bolded part above).
Thanks a lot in advance, and also thanks again for all of you that have already responded previously. I will answer all the questions I owe previous posters, as well as any new ones you might bring up, later in a post here. I just would like to keep this focused on your feedback for the time being.
I would like to revive this thread and ask for more questions, interests, suggestions, whatever you might have that you think could fit in the context of the educational event I described in the OP. We are closer now, it's in two weeks... We (the organizers) have had more meetings and discussions since and now we have a clear structure for the event.
It is going to be several sessions.
First a general "plenary" introduction about how substance abuse affects the brain, the basics on the neuroscience of drug abuse and addiction with animated and video presentations.
Then we will split it into two parallel, more interactive classes/groups. One class will cover alcohol and psychedelics, the other will focus on marijuana and opiates. The participants will be a mixed crowd of high school age kids and adults. It's an open forum so any age above high school age, some may likely also bring their families. I anticipate a mixed audience of people who have never had drug problems and those that did/do, or are recreational users and interested. Probably also friends & family of drug abusers.
I have more specific questions for you guys and gals now.
(1) What sort of public, social, cultural, etc myths would be good to clarify regarding drug abuse, addiction, and also separately for each drug groups I've mentioned above (alcohol, psychedelics, marijuana, opiates)? Reminder: we are neuroscientists, so these can be science-related questions., especially considering the brain.
(2) We plan to throw in some interactive games related to the topic that could hopefully engage the audience more. I don't want to give examples here but if you have ideas, please share. We'll have computers, projectors, can bring some basic art supplies. (No drugs to play with, though
)If you think this is interesting and have ideas, questions you would ask if you were there, or suggestions how to do this, please share! This is the first time for me getting involved in organizing such an event and something I am quite interested in doing more in the future, so it's a learning phase for me, the beginning in fact
I am especially interested in hearing what sorts of "myths" people (anyone, drug abusers, friends and family) want to hear clarified and discussed (bolded part above).
Thanks a lot in advance, and also thanks again for all of you that have already responded previously. I will answer all the questions I owe previous posters, as well as any new ones you might bring up, later in a post here. I just would like to keep this focused on your feedback for the time being.
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