Addictive Disease
The World Health Organization defines addiction as a recurring pathological relationship with a person, thing or event with life damaging consequences. It’s not what you do or how often you do it: it’s what happens to you and your relationships as a result of the use that determines whether or not the behavior is pathological or addictive. In order for something to be addictive it must have the ability to alter ones mood or produce euphoria, it must be available, quick acting to feed the addicts need for immediate gratification, have unclear cultural guidelines surrounding its use, and the individual will experience tolerance changes with continued use over time.
Relapse Prevention
Relapse is returning to an addictive behavior after the person has demonstrated a time away from the addictive behavior. Addiction is characterized by a loss of choice once the addictive behavior has been engaged in. It is said that relapse is a part of addiction recovery. I disagree with that assessment. It does not have to be a part of recovery. This article is about this point in particular.
Co-Dependency Recovery
Co-dependency is simply the loss of sense of self. It is when you do not have the conscious ability to separate yourself emotionally from another or others.
Addiction is a Brain Chemistry Disease
I have been in the addiction recovery field since 1973. I remember when I was at the University of Houston Chemical Dependency Counselors School hearing about the work of Kenneth Blum and neurotransmitters, but after I graduated I heard nothing more them so I forgot about the knowledge he had taught. I am a healthcare professional who was western medicine/psychology trained since 1973. Then in 1989 I made the switch to being holistic after I saw addicts and alcoholics being successfully withdrawn from alcohol and drugs with acupuncture, hypnosis and massage therapy. I studied the works of Carolyn Myss in the Anatomy of the Spirit and later her book "Why People Don't Heal and How They Can". My expansion has continued til today and will into tomorrow.