How It Works Here we address a question I have asked myself many times – why does AA and other 12 step fellowships seem to have a better understanding of the alcoholic/addict and offer better treatment of them than that suggested by the findings and conclusions of scientific […]
Research on alexithymia (1) has found significant positive associations between alexithymia, difficulties identifying feelings, difficulties describing feelings and alcohol problems (Thorberg, Young, Sullivan, & Lyvers, 2009; Thorberg, Young, Sullivan, Lyvers, Connor & Feeney, 2010). Individuals with alcohol-dependence and alexithymia report more severe alcohol problems compared to those with alcohol-dependence […]
We recently blogged on how alcoholics, and children of alcoholics, have difficulty with recognizing and differentiating external signs of emotions such as facial emotional expressions, now we will consider increasing evidence that alcoholics have difficulties with identifying and differentiating internal emotional states also. Both these areas of research point […]
Predicting relapse via extent of emotional dysregulation? by alcoholicsguide Even the most experienced counselors have difficultly spotting a recovering alcoholic in danger of relapse. Brain imaging scans might do a better job according to a study last year by researchers at Yale University. They suggested that alcoholics with […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Given the relative paucity of research into the processing of emotions (as opposed to recognition of emotions etc) we will have to consider how a known disorder of emotional processing Alexithymia relates to addiction. Alexythymia and Addiction Effective emotion regulation skills include the ability to be aware of emotions, identify and label […]
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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.
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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