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The Life Cycle and Mechanics of
Addiction
By Gary W. Smith, C.C.D.C.
Executive Director Narconon Arrowhead
Part
One
Part Two
Part
Three
Part Four
Part Five
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The Life Cycle and Mechanics of
Addiction
Part One
Whether a person
is genetically or bio-chemically predisposed to addiction or alcoholism is a
controversy that has been debated for years within the scientific, medical and
chemical dependency communities. One school of thought advocates the "disease
concept," which embraces the notion that addiction is an inherited disease, and
that the individual is permanently ill at a genetic level, even for those
experiencing long periods of sobriety.
Another philosophy argues that
addiction is a dual problem consisting of a physical and mental dependency on
chemicals, compounded by a pre-existing mental disorder (i.e. clinical
depression, bipolar disorder, or some other mental illness), and that the
mental disorder needs to be treated first as the primary cause of the
addiction. A third philosophy subscribes to the idea that chemical dependency
leads to "chemical imbalances" in the neurological system.
The fact
remains that there is scientific research to support all of these concepts, but
that none of these theories are absolute. Based on national averages we have a
16% to 20% recovery rate. The message is clear that we have a lot more to learn
if we are to bring the national recovery rate to a more desirable level.
There is a 4th school of thought, which has proven to be more accurate.
It has to do with the life cycle of addiction. This data is universally
applicable to addiction, no matter which hypothesis is used to explain the
phenomenon of chemical dependency.
The life cycle of addiction begins
with a problem, discomfort or some form of emotional or physical pain a person
is experiencing. The person finds this very difficult to deal with.
Here is an individual who, like most people in our society, is
basically good. He has encountered a problem or discomfort that he does not
have the ability to resolve. This could include problems such as difficulty
"fitting in" as a child or teenager, anxiety due to peer pressure, identity
problems or divorce as an adult. It could also include physical discomfort,
such as a broken arm or a bad back.
The person experiencing the
discomfort has a real problem. He feels this problem is a major situation that
persists and he can see no immediate resolution or relief from it.
We
have all experienced this in our lives to a greater or lesser degree. The
difference between which one of us becomes an addict and which one does not
depends on whether or not, at the time of this traumatic experience, we are
subjected to pro-drug or alcohol influences via some sort of significant peer
pressure when the problem is manifesting itself. The painkilling effects of
drugs or alcohol become a solution to the discomfort because the person
experiences relief from the negative feeling associated with the problem.
As soon as the addict experiences relief from the discomfort, he
inadvertently attaches value to the drug or drink, because it helped him feel
better. Even though the relief is only temporary, it is adopted as a solution
to the problem and this assigned value is the only reason the person ever uses
drugs or drinks a second, third or more times. At this point, it is just a
matter of time before the person becomes fully addicted and loses the ability
to control their drug use.
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The Life Cycle and Mechanics
of Addiction
Part Two - The Barriers to Successful
Recovery
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Once an addict has been through treatment there are three main
reasons for relapse: 1) mental and physical cravings; 2) depression; and 3)
guilt associated with the moral degradation and dishonesty that becomes part of
an addict's life style. These manifestations can haunt someone for years after
they have sobered up and more times than not, if left untreated, will trigger a
relapse. These unresolved symptoms, whether physical or mental in origin,
create an underlying, low-level type of stress, which cannot be completely
ignored by the addict. The addict can "just say no" a thousand times, but it
only takes him saying "yes" one time to start the cycle of addiction
again.
The first barrier to successful recovery from substance abuse is
overcoming the mental and physical cravings for the drug of choice. Drugs and
alcohol are broken down and filtered in the liver. There is a byproduct from
this detoxification process called a metabolite. These protein-based
metabolites can and do find their way into the person's body fat. Keep in mind
that each time anyone has ever used a drug or alcohol, they have a complete
recorded memory of that life experience. Whether good times or bad, happy or
sad, all emotions, feelings and sensations that were present at the time the
drug or alcohol was ingested is filed away in the person's memory. Even if a
person is in a blackout, the experience is still recorded in the mind. So each
metabolite is connected to a memory of the life experience related in some way
to the drugs or alcohol at the time they were consumed.
The body will
metabolize and burn fat any time a person undergoes a life experience that
causes the heart rate to speed up. Stress can do this, as can strenuous
exercise or intense emotion. We all experience these things on a fairly regular
basis.
When an addict experiences these life
situations and their heart rate speeds up the body begins to mobilize and burn
fat. The fat contains toxins or metabolites from past alcohol and drug use. As
the fat cell burns, it releases the metabolite back into the person's blood
stream.
The metabolite is a byproduct of the
drug. That metabolite is connected to the memory of the life experience in
which the drug or alcohol was taken. The toxin finds its way back into the
blood stream and acts as both a physical and mental reminder of the drug or
alcohol consumption. It also acts as a reminder of the emotional effect the
person experienced after consumption.
In short,
the toxin re-enters the blood and triggers or stimulates a physical reminder of
the drug or alcohol and the memory of feelings, thoughts, sensations and
emotions connected to that experience. The person remembers feeling and
thinking like they did in the past when they were under the influence and so
are prone to relapse at these times.
The reactive
compulsion to continue to use drugs or alcohol is, in part, caused by the
drug's interaction with the body's natural chemistry. Some of the body's
natural chemicals act as a built-in reward system that encourages us to eat
exercise and procreate. Other natural body chemicals act as natural painkillers
that activate when we physically injure ourselves. In short the natural
chemicals are directly related to our physical survival and or well-being.
As a person's addiction
develops the brain and body identify the drug as an aid that either enhance the
release of or replace these natural chemicals. As the person starts to use
chemicals on a regular basis, the body becomes depleted of key nutrients and
amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for natural chemicals called
neurotransmitters. These nutritional deficiencies prevent the body from
receiving the nutritional energy necessary to produce the natural chemicals.
The brain gets fooled as it has identified the drug or drink as an aid to
releasing or replacing the natural chemicals. This is what causes the
uncontrolled compulsion an addict feels to continue to use. This compulsion is
so strong within the individual that the desire to use more drugs or drink
overrides the negative and often times life-threatening consequences an addict
is faced with on a day to day basis. The drug or alcohol gets misidentified as
an aide to the production and release of the natural chemicals when in fact it
is suppressing the body's ability to manufacture
neurotransmitters.
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The Life Cycle and
Mechanics of Addiction
Part Three - The Barriers to Successful
Recovery |
Guilt is
another component in the life cycle of addiction. Most addicts are basically
good people before they become addicts and have some sense of right and wrong
with no intention of hurting others. As they become dependent on the chemical,
they begin experiencing situations where they are doing and saying things they
know deep down aren't right. They begin to lose their ability to control
themselves. They become trapped in a vicious circle of using drugs, lying about
it, stealing to support more drug use and at each turn the addict is
accumulating memories of each these negative incidents.
The addict
commits a negative action; he records a memory of that moment, which includes
whoever he was involved with at the time. The addict knows these negative
actions are wrong and so feels bad about them after the fact.
These memories of guilt can then get
triggered in the present or future when he sees the people and places that were
involved when the transgressions were committed in and they feel bad about it.
In time these transgressions are committed more and more often and the people
in the addict's life where these transgressions have occurred become "triggers"
of the dishonest act or deed. The people, family members, loved ones and
friend's appearance to the addict triggers the guilt. Family or friends don't
necessarily have to say a word to the addict; just the sight of them can
trigger the guilt. To avoid these unpleasant guilt feelings, the addict will
use more drugs to insulate himself from the guilt.
The addict will also begin to withdraw
more and more from friends and family as the transgressions committed by the
addict increase in number. They will eventually pull away from the family,
seclude themselves and/or become antagonistic towards those they love.
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The Life Cycle and Mechanics
of Addiction
Part Four - Overcoming the Barriers to
Recovery |
Cravings, depression and guilt make up the
harness that keeps an addict in the downward spiral of drug addiction. In
almost all cases these symptoms are generated after a long term of substance
abuse.
So then what is the best approach to tear
down these barriers to successful recovery? Remember cravings are the first
barrier to recovery. These are caused by drug or alcohol residues that store
primarily in body fat in the form of metabolites. And as mentioned in an
earlier article, metabolites are the byproduct of the body trying to digest and
breakdown the toxin once ingested into the system. These metabolites are
connected to memories the addict has of the time and experience associated with
ingestion of the chemical. These metabolites will activate at times when the
addict's metabolism increases. Once the metabolite activates, an uncontrollable
urge to use more drugs overcomes the addict. The active metabolite triggers or
reminds the addict at a physical and mental level of drug
use.
There are a number of methods that are being
used today to address the fat storage aspect of drugs. Some include intravenous
ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) treatments another is fasting. More and more we are
seeing the emphasis being shifted to holistic treatments as a significant
component of substance abuse treatment planning. One of the most effective
means of ridding the body of drug metabolites has proven to be the use of
aerobic exercise combined with a nutritional program that utilizes Vitamin B3
(niacin) and extended periods of sweating in a dry sauna. This detoxification
method was researched and developed by L. Ron Hubbard in 1978 and has helped
increase the rate of recovery by eliminating the physical triggers that create
drug cravings. It is this process called The New Life Detoxification Program
that is utilized at the Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation
program.
Depression is another one of the
barriers to recovery. The depression an addict experiences is two fold. There
is a chemical imbalance that drug and alcohol abuse creates in the body. Drug
and alcohol abuse inhibits the production of natural body chemicals and in some
cases replaces them. This impacts the natural reward system that encourages our
physical well-being or eliminates pain after an injury. This biophysical aspect
of the chemical imbalance present in drug abusers is driven by nutritional
efficiencies that occur when someone uses drugs or alcohol on a regular basis.
In most cases the emotional depression that an addict experiences follows after
a person comes off drugs or alcohol not before. This is because of the
declining quality of life an addict experiences and a decayed state of health.
In most cases an addict has alienated themselves from family members and loved
ones. There is often criminal behavior that comes about from the need for money
to purchase drugs. Depending on the degree and type of drug abuse an addict
frequently finds himself in trouble with the law. Addicts don't want these
situations to occur but cannot control the circumstances in their lives. As
broken relationships or legal problems develop, the addict feels down or bad
about these situations and will display characteristics of depression or
lethargy.
Remember that all addicts are
basically good people before the addiction begins. They start encountering
problems brought on by their addiction. Then they get involved in the arduous
task of trying to hide or cover up the deeds that led to these problems. At
this point they begin to feel guilty. This guilt then causes the addict to
withdraw from family, loved ones and friends or they will become antagonistic
towards those close to them who do not abuse drugs or alcohol. This anti-social
behavior is a direct result of his or her wrong doings and dishonest life
style.
In order to remove these barriers to
successfully recovery, addicts must experience a positive change in moral
values. They must get honest-which is probably the toughest part of recovery.
As a general rule people do not enjoy admitting their wrongs. This process is
particularly difficult for the person who is addicted. However, the age-old
basic premise of effective counseling still holds true - "confession is good
for the soul." This is certainly true in remedying drug or alcohol addiction.
If an addicted person can confess honestly their sins and can make up the
damage that was done by committing these sins, he will experience tremendous
relief. They will not feel guilty any longer and will be able to better
calculate how to improve their quality of life.
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The Life Cycle and Mechanics
of Addiction
Part Five - Overcoming the Barriers to
Recovery |
There are different methods
utilized in substance abuse counseling to bring about positive moral change in
an addict. Probably one of the most commonly used is the 12 Step approach
practiced by the Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous groups. In this method steps
4 and 5 and steps 8 and 9 deal with life inventory of the wrong deeds done and
who was effected by them. In addition to this the addict then makes up the
damage done as a result of these negative actions. This method is effective in
recovery so long as the person's addiction has not progressed to the point
where the individual has lost his or her ability to confront and communicate or
to identify and solve problems. If an addiction persists long enough, an addict
will lose even the basic social skills needed to perform in group therapy and
to admit their wrong doing. In cases where drug addiction began in the
adolescent years, individuals have not had the opportunity to develop these
life skills. As a result, they do not perform as well in a 12 step program or
other traditional treatment settings. In these cases the addict needs to be
educated or reeducated in these basic life skills before there can be any real
hope of success in raising moral standards and permanent sobriety.
When
conventional approaches are not working with a drug addicted person there are
effective alternatives to pursue in recovery before one gives up. What has not
proven effective is substitute drug treatment e.g. methadone, anti-depressants
or other prescribed medications designed to mask the symptoms of addiction
mentioned in this article. This in effect just trades one addiction for
another. It does not aid the addicted person in developing the life skills
necessary to raise their moral values or their quality of life. Nor does it
provide them with the necessary tools to remain sober and so relapse becomes
immanent.
One effective alternative method to recovery is the life
skills training and moral inventory used by the Narconon program. This program
provides a specific course of treatment which includes training in
communication, a full body detoxification process, counseling in problem
identification and solving, as well as counseling in personal values and
integrity. These programs help individuals to accomplish heightened moral
standards and sobriety with an improved quality of life.
Over 30 years
ago author and researcher L. Ron Hubbard identified the basic barriers to
successful recovery which have been discussed throughout this series of
articles on addiction . Through his research he developed a means of treating
them successfully. When Narconon was founded in 1969 by William Benitez it was
based on Mr. Hubbard's research and developments in the field of drug and
alcohol rehabilitation. Benitez developed a working relationship with Hubbard
and together they established the first Narconon program in Arizona.
Narconon has been using this treatment method successfully for over 30
years. It has only been within the last 5 or 6 years that the scientific and
medical research have caught up with these methods of treating addiction. It is
now acknowledged by the medical community that drugs do store in the body in
the form of metabolites and that the chemical imbalances created by drug
addiction are nutritionally driven. Further nutritional program components have
been added to just about every type of treatment method and is recognized as a
valid form of therapy in chemical dependency treatment.
If you now
someone in need of help, I recommend that you research all of your treatment
options. Take the time to thoroughly inspect the treatment program available.
Determine how these programs address the mechanics of addiction. Find out what
their long term recovery rate is. Drug rehabilitation does not have to be a
revolving door if you take the time and effort to pick the right recovery
program. |
© 2004 Narconon International. All Rights Reserved. Narconon and the Narconon logo are trademarks and service marks owned by the Association for Better Living and Education International and are used with its permission.
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