Retrain my brain
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Lexington, MA
Posts: 6
Retrain my brain
Hey Everyone...
My name is Denise and I'm an addict. Currently nothing seems to work for me to help me quit my drug for any length of time. This has got me thinking back the steps that led to my addiction and it has become clear to me that given my genes and my early childhood upbringing, there was only a slim chance I'd survive this life without having become an addict.
This made me start thinking about my brain chemistry. I have begun to wonder if I can retrain my brain to be the way it would have been if I'd not had any trauma in my childhood.
This came from hearing someone speak on being re-born as if today was my first day on earth...I took it to my addiction and doesn't it seem possible that my brain can be re-born, or I guess rebooted?
I say yes immediately as I ponder how I will go about doing this to kick my drug habit. Unable to beat cravings immediately comes to mind. I think I need to retrain my current habits then my brain. Maybe I can retrain my brain first on how it responds to cravings and negative aspects of life that make me immediately turn to my drug?
Any thoughts?
My grandmother says you put on your big girl panties, suck it up and say NO. This isn't working for me though.
Denise
My name is Denise and I'm an addict. Currently nothing seems to work for me to help me quit my drug for any length of time. This has got me thinking back the steps that led to my addiction and it has become clear to me that given my genes and my early childhood upbringing, there was only a slim chance I'd survive this life without having become an addict.
This made me start thinking about my brain chemistry. I have begun to wonder if I can retrain my brain to be the way it would have been if I'd not had any trauma in my childhood.
This came from hearing someone speak on being re-born as if today was my first day on earth...I took it to my addiction and doesn't it seem possible that my brain can be re-born, or I guess rebooted?
I say yes immediately as I ponder how I will go about doing this to kick my drug habit. Unable to beat cravings immediately comes to mind. I think I need to retrain my current habits then my brain. Maybe I can retrain my brain first on how it responds to cravings and negative aspects of life that make me immediately turn to my drug?
Any thoughts?
My grandmother says you put on your big girl panties, suck it up and say NO. This isn't working for me though.
Denise
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
Welcome to the Forum Denise!! 
I think a large part of Sobriety is about change, changing our habits and pattern of life to not facilitate our addictions anymore, but also re programming our minds to overcome the thought processes that we have been used to.
The good news is habits can be broken and new ones forged, it can be done!!
SR is full of support to help, it's great to have you onboard!!
I think a large part of Sobriety is about change, changing our habits and pattern of life to not facilitate our addictions anymore, but also re programming our minds to overcome the thought processes that we have been used to.
The good news is habits can be broken and new ones forged, it can be done!!
SR is full of support to help, it's great to have you onboard!!
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,491
Yes, changing daily routines and patterns helped me a lot in the early days. Shaking things up in my normal routine really helped me, because I am by nature, a creature of habit.
I don't know about re-training our brains, but I do believe that we stop developing emotionally when we become addicts. I think there is a lot to learn in early recovery about dealing with life on life's terms.
I don't know about re-training our brains, but I do believe that we stop developing emotionally when we become addicts. I think there is a lot to learn in early recovery about dealing with life on life's terms.
Hears The Voice
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Unshackled
Posts: 7,901
Welcome to SR.
I was not able to train my brain to stop wanting my drug of choice. I was, however, successful in training my brain to stop choosing to use.
I saw two opposing forces at work in my head. My rational self that wanted to quit, and my addiction that wanted to continue. Through trial and error I made lists of the things that made each of those forces stronger. By pursuing the activities that made the rational me stronger and avoiding the things that made the addiction stronger I have been able to consistently choose rational behavior.
Best of Luck on Your Journey.
I was not able to train my brain to stop wanting my drug of choice. I was, however, successful in training my brain to stop choosing to use.
I saw two opposing forces at work in my head. My rational self that wanted to quit, and my addiction that wanted to continue. Through trial and error I made lists of the things that made each of those forces stronger. By pursuing the activities that made the rational me stronger and avoiding the things that made the addiction stronger I have been able to consistently choose rational behavior.
Best of Luck on Your Journey.
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