Brains of Addicts Are Inherently Abnormal

Originally posted by MarlboroRedCowgirl
reply to post by BLKMJK

 

Thanks, I identify with your testimony. This article struck home for me as well, as I am in recovery and have a sibling who is active in her addiction. That's why I didn't need to be convinced on the truth behind this article, I live it.'

A great example of how this information is misread and misunderstood: my husband and I are both in recovery for addiction. My mother-in-law told me I should never have children because they would be born with "that gene." As if we were one-hundred percent going to have a child grow up to be an addict/alchohalic.

That is wonderful that you and your husband are in recovery.(((CyberHug for you and your Husband)))) And I am sorry that your Mother-In-Law made such a statement to you. That is really heart breaking. Please read my "Letter to self" I wrote while trying to get clean. It helps remind me how easily I can fall back.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

so elephants eating fermented fruit
and getting drunk are doing so cause of brain abnormality?

reindeer eating fly agaric have a brain abnormality?

and little kids that whirl around to get dizzy have brain abnormalities?
better ban swings and Sit 'n Spins as they pander to the abnormally brained.


sure ...

now tell me what a normal brain is supposed to look like.

good luck with that one

reply to post by BLKMJK


Thank you so much for sharing this with me! Moments like these are to be cherished. I believe that there is a postive side to a relapse, it is an opportunity to put another tool in your toolbox and delve into issues unresolved. When my husband and I go to meetings together people always ask us, "did you meet at AA?" I say, "Nope, we met in addiction." It was a long, hard, uphill battle to be where we are now, as it is for any of us. It is always worth it.

I friend ed you! And to see what I was like when I was in my addiction, check out some of my older posts. Ungly, just ugly. I think I am a much better contributor to ATS in sobriety!

reply to post by predator0187

The doctor writes: We doctors have realized for a long time that some form of moral psychology was of urgent importance to alcoholics, but its application presented difficulties beyond our conception. What with our ultra-modern standards, our scientific approach to everything, we are perhaps not well equipped to apply the powers of good that lie outside our synthetic knowledge.

Written by a Doctor specializing in addiction. Synthetic knowledge being the scientific explanation for addiction which always comes out with a new non habit forming drug like methadone.

Originally posted by predator0187
Source

Drug addicts have inherited abnormalities in some parts of the brain which interfere with impulse control, said a British study published in the United States on Thursday.

Previous research has pointed to these differences, but it was unclear if they resulted from the ravages of addiction or if they were there beforehand to predispose a person to drug abuse.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge compared the brains of addicts to their non-addicted siblings as well as to healthy, unrelated volunteers and found that the siblings shared many of the same weaknesses in their brains.

That indicates that the brain vulnerabilities had a family origin, though somehow the siblings of addicts -- either due to environmental factors or other differences in brain structure -- were able to resist addiction.

"Presumably, the siblings must have some other resilience factors that counteract the familial vulnerability to drug dependence," said the study led by Karen Ersche of the University of Cambridge, published in the journal Science.

"An individual's predisposition to become addicted to stimulant drugs may be mediated by brain abnormalities linked to impaired self-control."

1. What's a 'Drug Addict', defined by whom, when and why?
2. 'Inherited Abnormalities': Which ones Abnormailties? Inherited how? What is an 'Abnormaility', defined by whom and why?
3, 'Some parts of our brain': My brain, your brain, whose brain?"
4. 'Interfere with Impulse Control': What is 'Impulse Control'? As established by whom, when, where, how?

And that's only from the first two lines of a very flimsy article, that tells us... exactly nothing, other than a few one-liner of useless info, so we can get on with our day and think there are 'Abnormal' people out there.

Don't mean to be a party-poop, and nothing against the OP.

But maybe we should look a little deeper and do our research on the issue of drug use and abuse, before jumping on the 'scientific' bandwagon.

Just a thought.

Ah, and now the topic shifts to the medicalization of recovery. I love it!

This trend is rather interesting to me. I, personally, used to medical means to find sobriety, but I know many people who have. Methadone was mentioned earlier, and I hope "non-habit forming" was a piece of sarcasm. I have known many, many people in recovery strictly for methadone, subozone, and other synthetic opiates.

Addicts do a curious thing. I call it cross-addiction. Rather than dealing with the underlying reasons an person is active in addiction, they will switch to another; less harmful substance. I have done it, and have known many who have also. This is where drugs like methadone become harmful. The addict now has another piece of validation, "I cant be addicted to this, my doctor prescribes it to me. It keeps me from relapsing" ect.

Drugs like methadone are meant to be used in short term, tapering down dosages. They are not to be used over months and years. Do people use is properly? yes, of course. Do people abuse it? yes, of course.

My experience with alcohol is that the more i use it, the more i crave it, till the point where i actually drink more or less daily... But the wierd thing is, it works the other way arround too, if i stay away from alcohol long enough, i won't even think about using it. So my theory is that maybe alcohol "damages" my brain in a abnormal way that pretty much results in instant addiction....but with time, my brain will repair it..

Natually i now stay completely away from alcohol, and have done so for almost 9 month (and have no cravings now!)

reply to post by MarlboroRedCowgirl


Yes...sarcasm. My point is that with all the scientific knowledge of the mechanics of drugs on the brain, the best solution for those of us who experience addiction personally is spiritual.

reply to post by iamdavid


Congradulations on your sobriety! And what a milestone! Its so awesome when the obsession is lifted.

reply to post by type0civ


I could not agree with you more, spirituality is my rought to recovery. Which is why I have been reading my bible more than my big book, but I think tonight I will take your advice and crack it open again. (:

reply to post by MarlboroRedCowgirl


Right on!! I'll take my own advice too. BTW if you have a droid...there is a recovery app that's too cool.

reply to post by type0civ


OOOOH i love recovery apps! I have an ipod touch, I usually use stepsaway. It tells you where meetings are based on your location, really cool; I've even used it in other countries. Whats yours like?

reply to post by MarlboroRedCowgirl

Daily meditations from all the good texts plus stuff from NA and AA books 12x12. It's called RecoveryApp by MAT.

reply to post by type0civ


I just searched for it and I don't think the apple market has it, how lame it sounds awesome. Hopefully it crosses over into the apple store soon.

Originally posted by Stormdancer777
reply to post by predator0187

 

Previous research has pointed to these differences, but it was unclear if they resulted from the ravages of addiction or if they were there beforehand to predispose a person to drug abuse.

That was my first thought, how do they know that the abuse didn't cause the abnormalities, so if they don't know, the study proves nothing.

...was also my first thought!
...talk about putting the cart before the horse and calling them both one vehicle...
Ass about tit, if you ask me.

Everyone is susceptible to addiction...in fact everyone has one 'addiction' or another...drug 'dependency' stems from the initial usage, and is established through various agencies within the body...either physical or chemical or environmental...you never hear of people who are 'drug dependant' BEFORE they take drugs...and while it in no way proves a cause and effect phenomena, that fact remains...drug dependancy occurs AFTER the introduction of drugs...a predisposition to its chemical effects can 'pre-drugs' be present, a psychological predisposition can be present...but, unless and until 'drugs' are introduced to a system, they will not affect an individual directly.

...or, you cannot 'abuse' an action which you are not doing...

Akishla

Originally posted by type0civ
reply to post by MarlboroRedCowgirl

 

Dr. Silkwoth actually..

Yes, the other good and kindly doctor friend to A.A. His "allergy" theory has been pretty much scientifically disproven, however it remains a very valuable recovery "allegory" that has helped many addicts get a new and helpful perspective.

May your higher-power--and mine--bless our recoveries and by extension our family and communities.

Good to see so much support and love here.

reply to post by The GUT


I had no idea the were so many of us on this site...for me, the Dr.'s opinion is the most profound piece of info I've read on addiction...and Dr. Paul o,'s story is my favorite.

Originally posted by MarlboroRedCowgirl
The sibling research is interesting. I believe there is a genetic pre-disposition to addiction, however there are some people who are genetically predisposed who never become addicts because of life-long abstinence. Alcoholics and addicts are also much more likely to be what Psychologists call "Type A" personalities.

I've heard this said before. Contrary to this, though, I had/have an opiate addiction that is under control now thanks to MMT (methadone), but I am highly introverted and not of the Type-A personality. I also do not have an "addictive personality" as some like to call it.

But I threw a lot of things away in order to chase that heroin high. Nothing else fazed me -- not alcohol, nor crack, nor sex. Just opiates.

Originally posted by type0civ

Written by a Doctor specializing in addiction. Synthetic knowledge being the scientific explanation for addiction which always comes out with a new non habit forming drug like methadone.

Okay, I have to reply to this... methadone is not a non habit-forming drug. Methadone is a potent synthetic opioid that has all of the addictive qualities of heroin, morphine or oxycodone. The reason methadone patients improve their lives is because of the following reasons, although not limited to:

- Legally getting the drug, which means staying out of withdrawal. Withdrawal makes people do things they normally would never think of doing.
- Getting the drug at an affordable price. See above.
- Grants the above, and imposes consequences for failing drug tests, such as losing privledges or being kicked off the program.

The patients on methadone programs would be just as successful if they were handing out heroin (under the same conditions with said consequences) or any other opiate. It is called "methadone maintenance" for the sole reason that it allows you to maintain your habit legally.

One of the main, huge reasons for peoples' lives falling apart due to addiction is because of the ILLEGALITY of the drug on the street!

reply to post by The GUT


I know, I was wondering if the OP knew that this would become the ATS recovery support threat haha! It's so wonderful to know there are so many brothers and sisters in recovery here.

reply to post by type0civ

I agree. The entire Big Book is pretty amazing. I read it first before I would even think about going to a meeting.

I pretty much read it straight-through (2 sittings) and decided maybe I might check out a meeting after all...and did.

The most amazing thing about the book and that meeting was that for the very first time, EVER, I felt some Hope.

If anyone reading this should have that 'hopeless' feeling, give the Big Book a chance. Those wild-eyed, crazy, early A.A.s might just be some of the most 'relatable' folk you've ever come across. And purty darn smart too.