LaFemme

Sigh, muh better...that is until I read the posts below...lol

Plasticity, grey matter or whatever, I do think we can change the way we think!

MTWildflower

It's like that episode of Buffy: Fire bad, tree pretty. {Don't drink.}

recycle

Sorry LF, I am kind of a geek when it comes mind-body questions. Besides learning was one of my first addictions, one I hope not to lose.

LaFemme

Now that was excellent TV!

No worries Recycle, I'm the same way, I've actually had friends tell me to stop asking questions:-) I'm just punchie and silly tonight because I'm too sick to sleep:-(

MTWildflower

Hope you feel better soon. I will send Spike, or Angel, or both! over to comfort you.

LaFemme

MTW, Angel has turned out to be a cheating douche:-( I think Spike just got married (the real guys obviously:-) I'd rather have a werewolf of the Jacob persuasion!

In case it get's locked in the other thread, here is a link to an interesting article about biomedical aspects of addiction.

Understanding Alcohol Addiction

luckedog

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luckedog

LeFemme, You make a great point about walking away from some arguments-(debates).
I try to choose my battles carefully! If it is an insigifinate topic- It is better to ignore and move on. If it is something I am passionate about it is hard for me to ignore.
Like you my dad and I used to go at it hot and heavy-We never got mad at one another, rather we usually learned something from the other one and modified our outlook a little!
The trouble comes when someone takes everything they don't completely agree with personally, as though because you don’t agree you are attacking them on a personal level. I try to stay away from that type discussion. I would never intentional hurt anyone. I just think I'm right till someone SHOWS me I'm not I spent several years in the "Show Me" state!! I’m sure that ruined me.

LaFemme

Hey luckedog! I'm kind of an all or nothing person...I can temper my extremes somewhat, I have learned that much in life. But I find it hardest to do online, alas, I am a continual work in progress:-)

recycle

Zencat, I am hesitant to offer this because you didn't ask advice, and I am going to sound like a new age cosmonaut, but have you ever tried EFT? It is not a cureall for me, but I have used it lessen headaches and anxiety. It may just be a placebo, but it is harmless, free to learn, and quick. (And no it does not work after a couple of drinks.)

LaFemme

I'm.going to look into that tomorrow if my head feels better!

luckedog

recycle, Thanks for the link to EFT. I found it facinating!

recycle

I find it pretty weird that it works. I don't use it a lot, but once in a while it is handy to have. I tend to procrastinate about certain things, like calling clients with less than great news, it really helps lower the anxiety level for me. I would think it would work well for short duration high intensity cravings like cigs. I don't tell a lot of people about it, because I sound like such a loon promoting it. But what the heck, no sense being embarrassed in this crowd, we all have a few skeletons.

Supercrew

Recycle, I appreciate the link to the EFT as well, and I will continue to play with the "tapping" thing. I think it relaxed my a little bit last night, but it did nothing for the pain I have in my elbow. But if it really worked, why wouldn't I put it to work on my drinking problem and say "too much dopamine is released when I have alcohol, but I still except myself", then tap my hand, face etc., and make my alcoholism go away and be able to drink like a normal person? Just sayin.

recycle

Supercrew, I have thought about that a lot. I think the buzz is stronger and more persistent than the inhibition response. Neuro-chemicals don't last very long in the brain, but it is easy get enough alcohol in your system to last hours. So the stimulation lasts hours and the inhibition only lasts minutes.

Similarly, I worked with a hypnosis program that was supposed to help with moderation - it didn't. Although I did learn a lot from that program, after a drink or two it was off to the races.

I don't think we understand alcoholism nearly as completely as we think we do. I have never seen any science on the effects alcoholism on the enteric nervous system. There are a million or so neurons in your abdomen that can act autonomously from your brain but do provide feedback to the brain. If these neurons get as messed up as the ones in your brain by drinks then I think we have more to learn about the physical nature of alcoholism.

All of this is just speculation on my part. EFT may just be a placebo. If this is the case, then as long as it does not replace a viable therapy it does no harm other than to foster an illusion.

Supercrew

I agree that it could be a placebo effect, but I did notice myself becoming more relaxed as I did the process. I also tried self hypnosis, I tried Kudzu, (an herb), informational products on how to drink yourself sober, etc, and even changed my drinks to help with the effects when I didn't moderate. It's funny how much work and research I put into something when I really want to do it. If I would have known that if I just quit drinking there wouldn't be a problem to begin with I would have saved alot of time. But thanks again for the link!

LaFemme

Funny, I never really thought I could do moderation, all my attempts were for complete sobriety, which I failed time and again. I had to get to the point were I not only was ready to let go, but desired the freedom from alcohol more than anything else. (This is not a description of Rock Bottom, or having to stop.because it was killing me, I knew it was killing me long before I stopped).

I plan on spending the rest of my life nourishing and feeding that desire, in any way shap or form I can:-)

Supercrew

I never honestly contemplated quitting, because my life and who I was, was based on my drinking. I also never looked at my issue as physical in nature, I thought I had a mental control issue that I could overcome and moderate. If I knew a long time ago that my body reacts differently by releasing more dopamine when I drank than everyone else and it would create this need for me to keep drinking I think I would have quit sooner. I just thought I was being mentally weak and it was something that I could eventually fix.

If you don't understand the nature of your problem it becomes impossible to solve.

LaFemme

I almost posted something that would have been deleted so I am going to pat myself on the back for not posting it.

But, I completely agree with Supercrew, if we understand the logical, scientific aspects of our addiction it gives us a powerful tool in fighting cravings...Amen;-)

Supercrew

Something that would have been deleted? Did I say something wrong? I apologize it I did.