The Health and Wellness Show - 21 Aug 2015 - Addictive behaviors

[3DStudent]

I too can be a "dopamine addict". Sometimes I take the easy route and look for a quick and easy fix. It can be watching youtube videos, or eating some 100% chocolate. But I haven't been doing those things lately.

Yesterday I was a little hungry after eating and cut off two or three tablespoons of butter. It seemed like I needed more fat. That wasn't binging, and I'll sometimes eat more fat if I feel less than satiated. But chocolate with xylitol can pile on the carbs and gives an insulin spike. I'm trying smoking again, and today the traffic was pretty bad, and even though I had one already this morning, I pulled out a cig and it helped with the stress. I'm looking into myo-inositol powder to help with serotonin, but it is a carb so I will see how that goes when I get some.

 

[Maimun]

I struggle with food addiction, so it's interesting to hear about the origins of addictive behaviors. I didn't use to feel addicted (somehow), but I definitely do now. I feel that I tend to overeat when stressed, experiencing difficult emotions, and/or tired. I've experienced that since childhood. I also notice when I interact with certain people I feel tired and later crave something sweet and carby. It's refreshing to see it presented in terms of brain circuits and dopamine rather than purely failings of morals and willpower. There's a lot to think about.

Anyways, great show!

 

[3DStudent]

Hi Maimun, I'm not sure if you're keto, but it really helps with cravings. Fat is satiating, and if you keep the carbs really low, there is little or no desire for overeating. You can checkout the Diet and Health section and the Ketogenic Diet thread. It is recommended to read the whole thread before making any changes.

 

[Erykah]

I struggle with food addiction, so it's interesting to hear about the origins of addictive behaviors. I didn't use to feel addicted (somehow), but I definitely do now. I feel that I tend to overeat when stressed, experiencing difficult emotions, and/or tired. I've experienced that since childhood. I also notice when I interact with certain people I feel tired and later crave something sweet and carby. It's refreshing to see it presented in terms of brain circuits and dopamine rather than purely failings of morals and willpower. There's a lot to think about.

Anyways, great show!

Great to hear you enjoyed the show Maimun :D What you share is pretty common and recognizing the addictive behaviors is the first step in overcoming them. It really is about the addictive qualities of carbs and sugar that send us into that addictive mode, stress doesn't help either . I found when I was transitioning out of a carb based diet, when cravings arose instead of indulging I would eat a big tablespoon of coconut oil and that seemed to satiate the craving (good fat), some days were better than others but after a few months the cravings were less often and less intense. The Four step method developed by Dr. Schwartz can be really helpful when your in that 'addictive moment', helping to identify where the compulsive and self harming pattern originates. Keep at it moment by moment day by day!

These steps are an adaptation to the healing of addiction of the Four Step method
developed by Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz at UCLA for the treatment of OCD. They may be
used not just for OCD or addiction, but for any compulsive, repetitive and self deprecating,
self-harming thought pattern.

The four steps should be practiced daily at least once, but also whenever an addictive
impulse or self-undermining belief pulls you so strongly that you are tempted to act it
out—or if you are just mentally stuck in such a pattern. Find a place to sit and write:
preferably a quiet place, however even a bus stop will do if that’s where you happen to
be when the addictive urge arises. You’ll want to keep a journal of this process, so
carrying a small note book with you is an excellent aid.

 

[PhoenixToEmber]

Finally getting around to listening to this episode. Really important topic, especially because most people only think of drugs when they think of addiction, and fail to make the connection to the multitude of other behaviors we fall into that can also become addictive. I've been reading Cupid's Poisoned Arrow and it breaks down the psychology and neurochemistry of addiction beautifully, particularly the function of dopamine and the "reward system". Although the book is primarily about sex and compulsive sexual behavior, it uses a lot of examples of other addictive (compulsive) behaviors and shows how the neurochemistry and psychological processes of sex addiction is the same as any other addiction. The beauty of the book is that is stresses that even though our brains can become wired into learning these unhealthy habits, we can also learn better behaviors, rewiring our brains to stop the limbic system from hijacking the rational brain, although it takes a lot of will power to do so.

 

[Maimun]

Hi Maimun, I'm not sure if you're keto, but it really helps with cravings. Fat is satiating, and if you keep the carbs really low, there is little or no desire for overeating. You can checkout the Diet and Health section and the Ketogenic Diet thread. It is recommended to read the whole thread before making any changes.

Hi 3D Student, No, I'm not keto yet. I've tried to switch over in the past but fell off the wagon. If doing keto the right way can reduce cravings, then I feel it's something I need to work on implementing soon. The keto diet thread is daunting in its length, but I'm going to go ahead and pace it out over the course of a couple weeks. Thanks!

Great to hear you enjoyed the show Maimun :D What you share is pretty common and recognizing the addictive behaviors is the first step in overcoming them. It really is about the addictive qualities of carbs and sugar that send us into that addictive mode, stress doesn't help either . I found when I was transitioning out of a carb based diet, when cravings arose instead of indulging I would eat a big tablespoon of coconut oil and that seemed to satiate the craving (good fat), some days were better than others but after a few months the cravings were less often and less intense. The Four step method developed by Dr. Schwartz can be really helpful when your in that 'addictive moment', helping to identify where the compulsive and self harming pattern originates. Keep at it moment by moment day by day!

It's inspiring to hear the post-keto changes. I'll keep it in mind as I work on transitioning. I'm definitely going to try the 4+1 steps as well--I just got a journal to write it out. Thanks for the support, Awapuhi!

 

[3DStudent]

I had some notes from the show that I didn't post. I guess I've mentioned before that I'm an addictive / dissociation type. I recall in the podcast that videogames were mentioned. I used to play mmorpg's and they were a real time sink. But they eventually became really routine and without anything fulfilling. And I could see where the road lead to, with no real benefits in the end. It was just the same thing over and over. The next level, item, or quest complete. And it meant nothing.

Doug mentioned that you can see where it is headed. And eventually the hype doesn't meet with reality and it fizzles out and loses energy. So it's best to just not ever get started, or to give in to that "hook". This goes with any time-waster, not just games. I'd recommend Brain Lock for anyone with OCD, or curious about the connection to addictions in general. I printed out the summary and put it in a few places on walls around me, in the car, and at work. Here's a pic: