Cravings, Chemistry & Chronic Traumatic Stress—A Recipe for Addiction

Roller coasters are fun! First you slowly chug up, up, up and then whoooosh—down you fly at breakneck speed, screaming your fool head off. After about three to five minutes you are asked to vacate your seat for the next victim and off you go blissed out on adrenaline, dopamine and endorphins. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?  How would you feel about riding that same roller coaster every single day, several times a day, whether you wanted to or not? Still fun? Not so much.

Whether your addiction is—

• Sugar
• Refined carbohydrates
• Alcohol
• Cocaine
• Heroin
• Excessive sex
• Gambling
• Pornography
• Shopping
• Social media
• Life risking activities
• Other

          It is ALL related to your brain chemistry. Yes, there are other factors. But if you do not address the brain chemistry portion of the problem, which is massive, you will probably never happily overcome your addictions. Why do I say happily? Go to any Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and ask around about how deliriously happy they all are now that they are 100% abstinent from alcohol. I’m not knocking AA, they are a deeply caring and committed organization and recovering alcoholics are well-served by the safety net of camaraderie found there. 

But, ask how many of them smoke cigarettes and how many packs per day. Ask them how many cups of coffee, or bottles of soda, or energy drinks they consume daily. Ask them how many times a day they consume sugar. Ask them how much weight they’ve gained since they quit drinking. Ask how many of them battle depression and especially, ask them if they still crave alcohol. Those same questions, or some version thereof, could be asked of any addict of any type of addiction.

        The fact that any addict is able to abstain from their jones at all, without first replenishing their depleted brain chemicals, is a monumental testament to the strength of the human will. They deserve all our admiration. The truth is it does not have to be that hard. Sheer indomitable will power is not a prerequisite for recovery from addictions. How can that possibly be true, you ask? Learn more in ~

WORTHY A Personal Guide for Healing Your Childhood Trauma available at Amazon along with its companion Workbook of the same name.