In this blogsite you will find a comprehensive worldview of what we believe addictive behavior to be in terms of altered neurobiology and in terms of cognitive-affective mechanisms such as stress and emotion dysregulation. You will also be shown how these models contribute to a comprehensive understanding of […]
Part 3 The overall emotion regulation network contains the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) ventromedial prefrontal (VM PFC) regions including the anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala and the striatum as well as the insular cortex and the hippocampus. Studies show increased activity in motor areas of the brain during emotional processing (), suggest […]
Part 2 A Brief History of Addiction as Affective Disorder Cheetham and others are not the first, however, to suggest an affect centred view of addiction. Rado in 1933, described substance use as a way of coping with excessively difficult states of emotions (3). Others have interpreted addiction […]
Part 1 In our previous neurobiological model, we highlighted how the addiction cycle may be viewed as a transition towards increasingly chronic stress and emotional dysregulation, with persistent states of emotional distress, at the endpoint of addiction, ultimately acting as a stimulus response to the activation of compulsive […]
Translating Accurate Diagnosis into Effective Treatment, Part Two The way addicts and alcoholics themselves talk about their condition (“an emotional disease,” “a parasite the feeds on our emotions”, “an emotional cancer,” “a fear based disease”) is rarely considered in theories of addiction. Within the frame of the current […]
In my PhD I was attempting, to show, that there is an inherent decision making deficit in a variety of addictions and that this is due to an emotional processing deficit which means the prefrontal cortical, rational areas of the brain are not recruited in relatively simple task […]
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.
Mostly addiction and recovery stuff
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
Transmissions from the heart, because in the end, we're all just walking each other home.
Life, Sober
Inside The Alcoholic Brain 
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