Part 1 This excellent review (1) covers many of the brain regions we have discussed as being implicated in all the addictive behaviours. We have previously suggested also that these brain regions are connected in impaired decision making deficits and that these deficits in decision making are […]
This article (1) looks at how sufferers of PTSD have heightened activation of the emotional or fear based part of the brain, the amgydaloid part of the brain. We have suggested before in various blogs that this hyperactive amgydaloid region takes over from the more reasonable prefrontal cortex […]
Part 1 Here we have a comprehensive but hypothetical review of what effect mindfulness meditation may be having on the addicted brain. First we look at areas of the brain effected in addiction and in relapse before looking at how mindfulness meditation may, via mediation based neuro plasticity […]
In various blogs we have suggested that one of the main aspects of addictive behaviours is to act as the result of distress-based impulsivity or negative urgency. Here we explore in more details what we mean by that term negative urgency. Here we borrow from one article (1) […]
Alcohol dependence is thought of as a disorder with an overwhelming impulsive and compulsive “drive” towards alcohol consumption (Kamarajan et al. 2005), and an inability to “hit the brakes”, or inhibit alcohol consumption despite negative biological, psychological, legal, and social consequences (American Psychiatric Association 1994). Functional neuroimaging studies […]
Following up from our previous blog on the abnormalities in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in alcoholics, brain regions which govern emotional regulation, we came across another study which appears to show that adolescents at increased risk for later alcohol use disorders (AUDs) may also be showing an […]
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 […]
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 […]
In this blog we have considered two main and fundamental areas:- 1. that alcoholism appears to be an emotional regulation and processing disorder which implicates impaired functioning of brain regions and neural networks involved in regulation and processing emotion such as the insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and […]
A core aspect of alcohol dependence is poor regulation of behavior and emotion. Alcohol dependent individuals show an inability to manage the appropriate experience and expression of emotion (e.g., extremes in emotional responsiveness to social situations, negative affect, mood swings) (1,2). Dysfunctional emotion regulation has been considered a […]
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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
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Life, Sober
Inside The Alcoholic Brain 
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