Processing the Past via the actions steps, 4-12! by alcoholicsguide How The Alcoholics Anonymous’ program of action helps with emotional dysregulation. A Personal Perspective In this blog I will attempt to explain how the 12 steps of AA, principally the action steps 4 through to 12, have not only connected […]
A neural basis of so-called Alcoholic Denial? by alcoholicsguide Clinicians and treatment providers working with addicted individuals often talk about addicts denying their condition at least part of the time. Although denial has often been conceptualised within a psycho-analytic framework as being a defense mechanism guarding against anxiety some research suggests […]
In an earlier blog we asked the question whether neurobiological or “conditioning” or reinforcement models of craving predict relapse in abstinent alcoholics and addicts? For us this is the most essential question. How do we explain relapse in those individuals motivated to remain abstinent, especially when they have followed some […]
One of the leading researchers in the area of emotional regulation difficulties and the advocacy of acceptance-based Mindfulness in treatment of these emotional regulation problems is Kim Gratz. In the first in a series of blogs about how different treatments address the intrinsic emotional dysregulation at the heart […]
Throughout our blogs thus far, we have proposed that alcoholism is a psychiatric disorder in it’s own right. It may have “co-morbidities” such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or post traumatic stress disoder (PTSD) and so on but these do not necessarily fully account for the manifestation of […]
A constant thread throughout our blogs so far has been an assertion that alcoholism and addiction are primarily emotional regulation and processing disorders. So we were thus very interested to find this article (1) which describes how we are not the first to view alcoholism and addiction this […]
Throughout our blogs thus far, we have attempted to highlight how emotional dysregulation appears to prevalent to all aspects of alcoholism and addiction from pre-morbid vulnerability to endpoint compulsive addictive behaviours. Here we highlight a few articles which have considered how prevalent is emotional dysregulation in alcoholism and […]
Involuntary retrieval of drug related thoughts is a hallmark of addicted populations. Intensity of obsessive thoughts about alcohol predict relapse rate (1), with addicts motivated to use drugs to “silence” obsessive thoughts (2). The idea that abstinence automatically decreases alcohol-related thoughts is challenged by research (3) and supported […]
A recent article suggests that some people may have a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. Dr Alexander Niculescu and his team, identified 11 “risk” genes (1) that can predict which people are more at prone to becoming alcoholic. For those with a family history of alcoholism, the danger is even greater. All of […]
The idea that abstinence will automatically also decrease alcohol-related intrusive thoughts has been dismissed by research and vast anecdotal evidence. Practically all therapies for alcoholism e.g AA, SMART and so on suggest that urges create automatic thoughts about drinking. This has been demonstrated in research that distress automatically […]
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Engaging the unconscious in everyday life with Chuck Bender
BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
It started when I gave up smoking and went from there!
mostly poetry, partly peculiar.
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Practical Lessons for Everyday Life
This blog is about my journey towards a life grounded in balance, gratitude, creativity, and love.
Get your head on straight
The Courage To Shift is my Life Coach business that focuses on moving the client from victim, to VICTOR, regardless of their personal goals! Is there anything in life that you would like more of?
never judge a girl by her weight
Heal the past. Free the present. Bless the future.
Espiritu en Fuego -- A Fiery Spirit Expressing Herself
Ditching the drink and waking up
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Life, Sober
Inside The Alcoholic Brain 
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