UP TO 30 Scottish doctors each year are turning to counselling for addiction to alcohol and drugs.
A leading support group for the medical profession has revealed the extent of the problem of addiction among the country's doctors.
Alasdair Young, of the British Doctors and Dentists Support Group, said the main problem suffered by doctors approaching his group was alcohol but increasing numbers were addicted to illegal drugs including cocaine and heroin.
He said: "Doctors are less likely nowadays to dishonestly prescribe themselves drugs like Valium. There are more checks on these drugs nowadays and a chemist would spot this fairly quickly.
"There is also a lot of heroin, cocaine and ecstasy going on among young people and doctors are human too.
Over the past few years the proportion of doctors coming to our organisation with addictions to street drugs has increased from 1% to 10%. However alcohol is the most common addiction among doctor
s."
Young's support group works in a similar way to Alcoholics Anonymous, organising local meetings for doctors to get together and talk about their problems. It keeps its information confidential and relies on protocols within the NHS to pick up problems with drug or alcohol addicted doctors at work.
But experts said the real prevalence of addictions among the medical profession could be three times higher than known numbers because many doctors would not think their drinking or drug taking was a problem.
Rowdy Yates, an addictions expert in the Scottish Addiction Studies Group at Stirling University, said: "If this group is seeing 30% of problematic cases they are doing pretty well. There will be a proportion of doctors out there who think they are drinking a bit too much but not enough to worry about and there will be some who are using drugs to get them through a bad patch."
http://news.scotsman.com/
Friday, March 21, 2008
Hyslop helped others fight addictions with an open heart
Gerald Albert of Northway is the 17th person awarded the Patti L. Hyslop award in recognition for his leadership in sobriety and commitment to healing.
Leadership and commitment in the sobriety movement was the cornerstone of Hyslop’s life in the years before she was murdered in January 1995, said Faith M. Peters, a friend of Hyslop and a social service Indian welfare agent in Tanana.
Hyslop led the sobriety and healing movement in the village of Tanana after she successfully completed treatment herself, Peters said.
“In addition to sobering up, Hyslop wanted to heal the whole person,” Peters explained. “If anyone sobered up one day, she gave them a gift or a card. She never gave up on them.”
Hyslop was responsible for bringing the Talking Circle into Tanana and held Alcoholics Anonymous meetings there. She started a New Year’s Eve sobriety dinner dance and the Babes puppet program in the elementary school, which builds self esteem and combats drug and alcohol abuse among children.
“She encouraged us to journal, pray and share,” Peters said, her voice breaking at memories of her friend.
Peters said Hyslop was one of the people who was instrumental in her seeking treatment for alcoholism.
“She was willing to accept me for who I was and who I could become,” Peters said in an interview Thursday at the Tanana Chiefs Conference annual meeting. “She helped me into treatment within five days after calling her.”
Peters went to the Old Minto Recovery Camp with her young son 17 years ago.
“I have been clean and sober ever since then,” she said.
In his remarks after receiving the award, Gerald Albert said, “For 15 years, I’ve lived a great life,” attributing his sobriety to his family, his “five beautiful children” and foster children.
“I did it for them to live a healthy life and to go on the right trail. We can all do it together ... no matter who you are. ... One day at a time, that’s what we have to do.”
http://newsminer.com/
Leadership and commitment in the sobriety movement was the cornerstone of Hyslop’s life in the years before she was murdered in January 1995, said Faith M. Peters, a friend of Hyslop and a social service Indian welfare agent in Tanana.
Hyslop led the sobriety and healing movement in the village of Tanana after she successfully completed treatment herself, Peters said.
“In addition to sobering up, Hyslop wanted to heal the whole person,” Peters explained. “If anyone sobered up one day, she gave them a gift or a card. She never gave up on them.”
Hyslop was responsible for bringing the Talking Circle into Tanana and held Alcoholics Anonymous meetings there. She started a New Year’s Eve sobriety dinner dance and the Babes puppet program in the elementary school, which builds self esteem and combats drug and alcohol abuse among children.
“She encouraged us to journal, pray and share,” Peters said, her voice breaking at memories of her friend.
Peters said Hyslop was one of the people who was instrumental in her seeking treatment for alcoholism.
“She was willing to accept me for who I was and who I could become,” Peters said in an interview Thursday at the Tanana Chiefs Conference annual meeting. “She helped me into treatment within five days after calling her.”
Peters went to the Old Minto Recovery Camp with her young son 17 years ago.
“I have been clean and sober ever since then,” she said.
In his remarks after receiving the award, Gerald Albert said, “For 15 years, I’ve lived a great life,” attributing his sobriety to his family, his “five beautiful children” and foster children.
“I did it for them to live a healthy life and to go on the right trail. We can all do it together ... no matter who you are. ... One day at a time, that’s what we have to do.”
http://newsminer.com/
Thursday, February 14, 2008
LECTURE SERIES
Talks to focus on addictions
Horry-Georgetown Technical College will hold lectures that focus on addictions from 7 to 9 p.m. at the college's Burroughs and Chapin Auditorium in Conway. Dinner is served at 6 p.m.
On Feb. 21, Dr. Brian Adler and Harold Brown will discuss current medical treatment for addictions and dependency.
On March 6, faculty, staff and students will talk about their own experiences with addictions and recovery.
For information call 349-5378.
BLOOD DRIVE
Give the gift of life
Loris Healthcare System will hold a blood drive from noon to 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Center for Health and Fitness in Loris.
To sign up call 716-7381.
HEART HEALTH
Classes, seminars offered
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center will offer the following to raise awareness about heart health for American Heart Month, to be held at HealthFinders, the hospital's community resource center at Coastal Grand Myrtle Beach mall:
Friends and Family CPR Training | Classes will be taught Feb. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $15.
"Enjoying the Golden Years: Heart Health and Sexuality" | Dr. Tracey Golden, a gynecologist, will discuss heart health and sexuality for older adults at 6 p.m. today. Golden will discuss various health problems in older adults, including heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes, and what impact they could have on sexuality.
"What's New in Diagnosis and Treatment of Heart Disease" | Dennis Meador, with Grand Strand Regional Medical Center's cardiac catheterization lab, will discuss traditional and new technology to diagnose heart disease at 2 p.m. Feb. 20.
"Heart Disease: Know Your Numbers" | Cheryl Paul, nurse manager at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, will hold a question-and-answer discussion on normal versus abnormal lab work and its relation to cardiovascular disease at 2 p.m. Feb. 27. Individuals who participated in the hospital's health fair on Feb. 2 should bring their results.
To register or for information, call 839-9933.
SEMINAR
Raising heart health awareness
Learn ways to keep your heart healthy at a seminar by Loris Healthcare System at 2 p.m. Feb. 29 at the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center in North Myrtle Beach.
Cholesterol screenings will be offered for $10. Blood pressure screenings will be offered at no charge.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/131/story/349661.html
Horry-Georgetown Technical College will hold lectures that focus on addictions from 7 to 9 p.m. at the college's Burroughs and Chapin Auditorium in Conway. Dinner is served at 6 p.m.
On Feb. 21, Dr. Brian Adler and Harold Brown will discuss current medical treatment for addictions and dependency.
On March 6, faculty, staff and students will talk about their own experiences with addictions and recovery.
For information call 349-5378.
BLOOD DRIVE
Give the gift of life
Loris Healthcare System will hold a blood drive from noon to 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Center for Health and Fitness in Loris.
To sign up call 716-7381.
HEART HEALTH
Classes, seminars offered
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center will offer the following to raise awareness about heart health for American Heart Month, to be held at HealthFinders, the hospital's community resource center at Coastal Grand Myrtle Beach mall:
Friends and Family CPR Training | Classes will be taught Feb. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $15.
"Enjoying the Golden Years: Heart Health and Sexuality" | Dr. Tracey Golden, a gynecologist, will discuss heart health and sexuality for older adults at 6 p.m. today. Golden will discuss various health problems in older adults, including heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes, and what impact they could have on sexuality.
"What's New in Diagnosis and Treatment of Heart Disease" | Dennis Meador, with Grand Strand Regional Medical Center's cardiac catheterization lab, will discuss traditional and new technology to diagnose heart disease at 2 p.m. Feb. 20.
"Heart Disease: Know Your Numbers" | Cheryl Paul, nurse manager at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, will hold a question-and-answer discussion on normal versus abnormal lab work and its relation to cardiovascular disease at 2 p.m. Feb. 27. Individuals who participated in the hospital's health fair on Feb. 2 should bring their results.
To register or for information, call 839-9933.
SEMINAR
Raising heart health awareness
Learn ways to keep your heart healthy at a seminar by Loris Healthcare System at 2 p.m. Feb. 29 at the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center in North Myrtle Beach.
Cholesterol screenings will be offered for $10. Blood pressure screenings will be offered at no charge.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/131/story/349661.html
'Similarities' between opiate and nicotine addictions
The brain reacts in a similar way to both nicotine and opiates such as heroin, a new study has revealed.
Researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Centre have found that the effects of nicotine and opiates are equally strong in the nucleus accumbens, the brain's pleasure sensor.
A study using rat brain tissue found that within the nucleus accumbens, the release of dopamine - a neurotransmitter central to the body's system of reward and addiction - is almost identical whether the body has consumed tobacco or heroin.
Writing in the Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers say there is an overlap in the way the two drugs work, with the brain experiencing pleasure and the release of dopamine instigating a desire to experience the substance again.
"There is a specific part of the nucleus accumbens where opiates have been shown to affect behaviour, and when we tested nicotine in that area the effects on dopamine are almost identical," explained Daniel McGehee, associate professor in anaesthesia and critical care at the University of Chicago.
"It also demonstrates the seriousness of tobacco addiction, equating its grip on the individual to that of heroin. It reinforces the fact that these addictions are very physiological in nature and that breaking away from the habit is certainly more than just mind over matter."End of story
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/
Researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Centre have found that the effects of nicotine and opiates are equally strong in the nucleus accumbens, the brain's pleasure sensor.
A study using rat brain tissue found that within the nucleus accumbens, the release of dopamine - a neurotransmitter central to the body's system of reward and addiction - is almost identical whether the body has consumed tobacco or heroin.
Writing in the Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers say there is an overlap in the way the two drugs work, with the brain experiencing pleasure and the release of dopamine instigating a desire to experience the substance again.
"There is a specific part of the nucleus accumbens where opiates have been shown to affect behaviour, and when we tested nicotine in that area the effects on dopamine are almost identical," explained Daniel McGehee, associate professor in anaesthesia and critical care at the University of Chicago.
"It also demonstrates the seriousness of tobacco addiction, equating its grip on the individual to that of heroin. It reinforces the fact that these addictions are very physiological in nature and that breaking away from the habit is certainly more than just mind over matter."End of story
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/
Share your story of addictions, help others
The Leaf-Chronicle is looking for those willing to share stories about their addictions for a series on addictions and how they can be curbed.
Several interviews have been set up, but The Leaf-Chronicle is still looking for others to share their stories of addiction, no matter how minor they may seem. Examples may be addiction to eating, gambling, drinking, smoking, television or anything else that seems to control ones life.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/
Several interviews have been set up, but The Leaf-Chronicle is still looking for others to share their stories of addiction, no matter how minor they may seem. Examples may be addiction to eating, gambling, drinking, smoking, television or anything else that seems to control ones life.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/
Friday, December 28, 2007
Brain Imaging And Genetic Studies Link Thinking Patterns To Addiction
Scientists have for the first time identified brain sites that fire up more when people make impulsive decisions. In a study comparing brain activity of sober alcoholics and non-addicted people making financial decisions, the group of sober alcoholics showed significantly more "impulsive" neural activity.
The researchers also discovered that a specific gene mutation boosted activity in these brain regions when people made impulsive choices. The mutation was already known to reduce brain levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The newly found link involving the gene, impulsive behavior and brain activity suggests that raising dopamine levels may be an effective treatment for addiction, the scientists say.
The research is reported in the Dec. 26, 2007 issue of the "Journal of Neuroscience."
Lead scientist is Charlotte Boettiger, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Boettiger led the research as a scientist at UCSF's Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center. Senior author is Howard Fields, MD, PhD, a UCSF professor of neurology and an investigator in the Gallo Center. He also serves as director of the UCSF Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction.
"Our data suggest there may be a cognitive difference in people with addictions," Boettiger said. "Their brains may not fully process the long-term consequences of their choices. They may compute information less efficiently."
"What's exciting about this study is that it suggests a new approach to therapy. We might prescribe medications, such as those used to treat Parkinson's or early Alzheimer's disease, or tailor cognitive therapy to improve executive function" she added.
"I am very excited about these results because of their clinical implications," Fields said. "The genetic findings raise the hopeful possibility that treatments aimed at raising dopamine levels could be effective treatments for some individuals with addictive disorders."
The scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to image brain activity while subjects were faced with a hypothetical scenario: choose less money now, or more money later.
Boettiger recruited 24 subjects:19 provided fMRI data, 9 were recovering alcoholics in abstinence and 10 had no history of substance abuse. Another five were included in the genotyping analysis.
At the fMRI research facility at the University of California, Berkeley, financial decision tasks measured rational thinking and impulsivity. Sober alcoholics chose the "now" reward almost three times more often than the control group, reflecting more impulsive behavior.
While decisions were being made, the imaging detected activity in the posterior parietal cortex, the dorsal prefrontal cortex, the anterior temporal lobe and the orbital frontal cortex. People who sustain damage to the orbital frontal cortex generally suffer impaired judgment, manage money poorly and act impulsively, the scientists noted.
The study revealed reduced activity in the orbital frontal cortex in the brains of subjects who preferred "now" over "later," most of whom had a history of alcoholism.
The orbital frontal cortex activity may be a neural equivalent of long-term consequences, Fields said.
"Think of the orbital frontal cortex as the brakes," Boettiger explained. "With the brakes on, people choose for the future. Without the brakes they choose for the short-term gain."
The dorsal prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex often form cooperative circuits, and this study found that high activity in both is associated with a bias toward choosing immediate rewards.
The frontal and parietal cortexes are also involved in working memory - being able to hold data in mind over a short delay. When asked to choose between $18 now or $20 in a month, the subjects had to calculate how much that $18 (or what it could buy now) would be worth in a month and then compare it to $20 and decide whether it would be worth the wait.
The parietal cortex and the dorsal prefrontal cortex were much more active in people unwilling to wait. This could mean, Boettiger said, that the area is working less efficiently in those people.
The researchers also focused on a variant of a gene called COMT. The mutation is associated with lower dopamine levels, and the study showed that people with two copies of this allele (resulting in the lowest dopamine levels) had significantly higher frontal and parietal activity and chose "now" over "later" significantly more often.
"We have a lot to learn," Boettiger said. "But the data takes a significant step toward being able to identify subtypes of alcoholics, which could help tailor treatments, and may provide earlier intervention for people who are at risk for developing addictions."
The bigger picture, she added, is that her study provides more evidence that addiction is a disease, something even some of her peers don't yet believe.
"It's not unlike chronic diseases, such as diabetes," she said. "There are underlying genetic and other biological factors, but the disease is triggered by the choices people make."
"It wasn't that long ago that we believed schizophrenia was caused by bad mothers and depression wasn't a disease. Hopefully, in 10 years, we'll look back and it will seem silly that we didn't think addiction was a disease, too."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/92699.php
The researchers also discovered that a specific gene mutation boosted activity in these brain regions when people made impulsive choices. The mutation was already known to reduce brain levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The newly found link involving the gene, impulsive behavior and brain activity suggests that raising dopamine levels may be an effective treatment for addiction, the scientists say.
The research is reported in the Dec. 26, 2007 issue of the "Journal of Neuroscience."
Lead scientist is Charlotte Boettiger, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Boettiger led the research as a scientist at UCSF's Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center. Senior author is Howard Fields, MD, PhD, a UCSF professor of neurology and an investigator in the Gallo Center. He also serves as director of the UCSF Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction.
"Our data suggest there may be a cognitive difference in people with addictions," Boettiger said. "Their brains may not fully process the long-term consequences of their choices. They may compute information less efficiently."
"What's exciting about this study is that it suggests a new approach to therapy. We might prescribe medications, such as those used to treat Parkinson's or early Alzheimer's disease, or tailor cognitive therapy to improve executive function" she added.
"I am very excited about these results because of their clinical implications," Fields said. "The genetic findings raise the hopeful possibility that treatments aimed at raising dopamine levels could be effective treatments for some individuals with addictive disorders."
The scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to image brain activity while subjects were faced with a hypothetical scenario: choose less money now, or more money later.
Boettiger recruited 24 subjects:19 provided fMRI data, 9 were recovering alcoholics in abstinence and 10 had no history of substance abuse. Another five were included in the genotyping analysis.
At the fMRI research facility at the University of California, Berkeley, financial decision tasks measured rational thinking and impulsivity. Sober alcoholics chose the "now" reward almost three times more often than the control group, reflecting more impulsive behavior.
While decisions were being made, the imaging detected activity in the posterior parietal cortex, the dorsal prefrontal cortex, the anterior temporal lobe and the orbital frontal cortex. People who sustain damage to the orbital frontal cortex generally suffer impaired judgment, manage money poorly and act impulsively, the scientists noted.
The study revealed reduced activity in the orbital frontal cortex in the brains of subjects who preferred "now" over "later," most of whom had a history of alcoholism.
The orbital frontal cortex activity may be a neural equivalent of long-term consequences, Fields said.
"Think of the orbital frontal cortex as the brakes," Boettiger explained. "With the brakes on, people choose for the future. Without the brakes they choose for the short-term gain."
The dorsal prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex often form cooperative circuits, and this study found that high activity in both is associated with a bias toward choosing immediate rewards.
The frontal and parietal cortexes are also involved in working memory - being able to hold data in mind over a short delay. When asked to choose between $18 now or $20 in a month, the subjects had to calculate how much that $18 (or what it could buy now) would be worth in a month and then compare it to $20 and decide whether it would be worth the wait.
The parietal cortex and the dorsal prefrontal cortex were much more active in people unwilling to wait. This could mean, Boettiger said, that the area is working less efficiently in those people.
The researchers also focused on a variant of a gene called COMT. The mutation is associated with lower dopamine levels, and the study showed that people with two copies of this allele (resulting in the lowest dopamine levels) had significantly higher frontal and parietal activity and chose "now" over "later" significantly more often.
"We have a lot to learn," Boettiger said. "But the data takes a significant step toward being able to identify subtypes of alcoholics, which could help tailor treatments, and may provide earlier intervention for people who are at risk for developing addictions."
The bigger picture, she added, is that her study provides more evidence that addiction is a disease, something even some of her peers don't yet believe.
"It's not unlike chronic diseases, such as diabetes," she said. "There are underlying genetic and other biological factors, but the disease is triggered by the choices people make."
"It wasn't that long ago that we believed schizophrenia was caused by bad mothers and depression wasn't a disease. Hopefully, in 10 years, we'll look back and it will seem silly that we didn't think addiction was a disease, too."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/92699.php
The Food-Depression Link: What to Do When You’re Addicted to Food Due to Being Depressed
Many people have a love/hate relationship with food, reaching for it for comfort, entertainment, even companionship, then loathing it for the feelings of guilt this behavior produces.
Indeed, comfort foods (such as ice cream, potato chips, macaroni and cheese etc) are almost always high in bad fats, sugar, salt or a combination of the three. They provide instant gratification and pleasant feelings (albeit often short-lived ones) whenever you eat them.
It’s not hard to understand then why so many people suffering from depression become addicted to food; they want to feel better. And, conversely, why so many people who are addicted to food become depressed. The quick fix of eating a chocolate bar doesn’t satisfy them for long and their eating habits cause them to gain weight and put their health at risk. Both scenarios are vicious cycles.
Why We Crave Comfort Foods
Cravings for comfort foods, particularly during stressful times, are not just emotional. There are actual physical reasons why our bodies crave these high-fat, high-sugar foods, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study, conducted on rats, found that 24 hours after the rats’ chronic stress systems were activated, key stress hormones in the rats (similar to the stress hormone cortisol in humans) prompted them to engage in “pleasure-seeking” behaviors, including eating high fat foods.
"Our studies suggest that comfort food applies the brakes on a key element of chronic stress," said study co-author Norman Pecoraro, PhD.
Of course, in times past, eating high density foods when your body was stressed could mean the difference between surviving a long winter or dying. But today, when most people have access to food 24/7, using food to ward off stress can lead to obesity and health problems.
When we eat, dopamine, a “feel-good chemical” in the brain, is released, increasing the pleasurable feelings gained from food. The bottom line is that, for people with depression, food cravings are a double-edged sword, being driven by both physical and emotional factors.
The Emotional Side of Eating
Eating is a very emotional process. From the moment we sniff a loaf of bread or catch a glimpse of a pie fresh from the oven, our feelings are involved. Often, we associate experiences and memories with foods, which can make us want them even more (for instance, having an ice cream sundae when you’re upset, because that’s what your mom gave you as a child).
Those who are chronically sad may reach for a comfort food much like a drug addict reaches for a drug -- to comfort them temporarily, to relieve the sadness, only to need another “fix” in a short while.
"The brain circuitry that we use to find drugs or food has the same mechanisms involved in looking for anything rewarding," says Roy Wise of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in Maryland, in a Science News article.
With this in mind, it’s quite possible to be addicted to food, just as you can be addicted to drugs or alcohol.
How to Overcome a Food Addiction & Gain a Healthy Relationship with Food
To treat most addictions, people are told to completely avoid the substance, but with a food addiction, this is not possible. So how can someone with a food addiction develop a healthy relationship with the object of their addiction?
The key, according to Hale Dwoskin, CEO and director of training at Sedona Training Associates, is not about avoiding the substance, but rather looking into what is motivating you to want it.
“Avoiding the substance without dealing with what is motivating the addiction usually fails in the end. With any addiction the important factor is letting go of whatever feeling or belief is motivating you to do the behavior, even though you know it is not good for you,” Dwoskin says.
The Sedona Method is a tool that will help you to tap into your inherent ability to release whatever emotions, feelings and behaviors may be motivating you to reach for food in times of sadness. This is a simple, scientifically proven system that will dissolve your need to seek comfort in food, and can also help you let go of the symptoms of depression.
“Once you let go of the inner motivators,” Dwoskin says, “the actions follow with greater ease and effectiveness. Also, you can let go of the feeling that you must give your power away to the addiction.”
When you release these negative feelings and behavior patterns with The Sedona Method, you feel in control of your behavior, and you’ll easily make smart choices that will support your health and happiness now and in the years to come. Your mind will also become more open to the multitude of ways you can receive pleasure without food, such as reading a book, taking a walk in nature, or having a long conversation with a good friend.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=45815
Indeed, comfort foods (such as ice cream, potato chips, macaroni and cheese etc) are almost always high in bad fats, sugar, salt or a combination of the three. They provide instant gratification and pleasant feelings (albeit often short-lived ones) whenever you eat them.
It’s not hard to understand then why so many people suffering from depression become addicted to food; they want to feel better. And, conversely, why so many people who are addicted to food become depressed. The quick fix of eating a chocolate bar doesn’t satisfy them for long and their eating habits cause them to gain weight and put their health at risk. Both scenarios are vicious cycles.
Why We Crave Comfort Foods
Cravings for comfort foods, particularly during stressful times, are not just emotional. There are actual physical reasons why our bodies crave these high-fat, high-sugar foods, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study, conducted on rats, found that 24 hours after the rats’ chronic stress systems were activated, key stress hormones in the rats (similar to the stress hormone cortisol in humans) prompted them to engage in “pleasure-seeking” behaviors, including eating high fat foods.
"Our studies suggest that comfort food applies the brakes on a key element of chronic stress," said study co-author Norman Pecoraro, PhD.
Of course, in times past, eating high density foods when your body was stressed could mean the difference between surviving a long winter or dying. But today, when most people have access to food 24/7, using food to ward off stress can lead to obesity and health problems.
When we eat, dopamine, a “feel-good chemical” in the brain, is released, increasing the pleasurable feelings gained from food. The bottom line is that, for people with depression, food cravings are a double-edged sword, being driven by both physical and emotional factors.
The Emotional Side of Eating
Eating is a very emotional process. From the moment we sniff a loaf of bread or catch a glimpse of a pie fresh from the oven, our feelings are involved. Often, we associate experiences and memories with foods, which can make us want them even more (for instance, having an ice cream sundae when you’re upset, because that’s what your mom gave you as a child).
Those who are chronically sad may reach for a comfort food much like a drug addict reaches for a drug -- to comfort them temporarily, to relieve the sadness, only to need another “fix” in a short while.
"The brain circuitry that we use to find drugs or food has the same mechanisms involved in looking for anything rewarding," says Roy Wise of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in Maryland, in a Science News article.
With this in mind, it’s quite possible to be addicted to food, just as you can be addicted to drugs or alcohol.
How to Overcome a Food Addiction & Gain a Healthy Relationship with Food
To treat most addictions, people are told to completely avoid the substance, but with a food addiction, this is not possible. So how can someone with a food addiction develop a healthy relationship with the object of their addiction?
The key, according to Hale Dwoskin, CEO and director of training at Sedona Training Associates, is not about avoiding the substance, but rather looking into what is motivating you to want it.
“Avoiding the substance without dealing with what is motivating the addiction usually fails in the end. With any addiction the important factor is letting go of whatever feeling or belief is motivating you to do the behavior, even though you know it is not good for you,” Dwoskin says.
The Sedona Method is a tool that will help you to tap into your inherent ability to release whatever emotions, feelings and behaviors may be motivating you to reach for food in times of sadness. This is a simple, scientifically proven system that will dissolve your need to seek comfort in food, and can also help you let go of the symptoms of depression.
“Once you let go of the inner motivators,” Dwoskin says, “the actions follow with greater ease and effectiveness. Also, you can let go of the feeling that you must give your power away to the addiction.”
When you release these negative feelings and behavior patterns with The Sedona Method, you feel in control of your behavior, and you’ll easily make smart choices that will support your health and happiness now and in the years to come. Your mind will also become more open to the multitude of ways you can receive pleasure without food, such as reading a book, taking a walk in nature, or having a long conversation with a good friend.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=45815
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)