The Addicted Mind Podcast

Our guest on this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast is Lori Kandels, a therapist in the Bay area specializing in anxiety. Anxiety is often the result of trauma and can manifest as fear, stress, self-doubt, and persistent negative stories ruminating in the mind, and can sometimes lead to addictions as a way to escape. The repetition of these stress responses creates neural pathways in the brain that become a cycle that can be difficult to break and usually negatively impacts the individual’s metabolism, concentration, sleep patterns, and ability to relax.The key to understanding and treating anxiety is realizing that anxiety is only about the past or the future. With discipline and intention, anxiety can be overcome with practices such as mindfulness, meditation, EMDR, and the Emotional Freedom Technique or tapping. By identifying the triggers and developing a practice that gets the person used to relieve the anxiety, there is absolutely a way out of this stress cycle.Lori wants to encourage those struggling with anxiety that you have control over this, you are safe now, and you do not have to live like this. Seeking help can provide you with a hope you may not have felt in a long time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast, we are joined by a returning guest, Adina Silvestri of Life Cycles Counseling in Richmond, Virginia. Adina’s practice works with individuals battling eating disorders partnered with addictions with the goal of transferring their shame to hope and healing.The combination of eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating) with substance or other addictions is very harmful to the health and wellbeing of those struggling and can even lead to death in untreated cases. It is common for men and women to struggle with eating disorders and addictions for years, silently suffering due to their shame, before reaching out for help. While there is not much literature available on treating these two disorders together, Adina has found that mindfulness and support and accountability groups are effective and life-changing resources for those struggling.In these situations, there is always an underlying issue that the individual is trying to heal or escape from, causing them to develop an eating disorder and/or an addiction. Armed with coping mechanisms and the support of family and friends, hope and healing can be found. If you are struggling, reach out for help right now. You are not alone and you do not have to handle this alone.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast, Timothy Wienecke joins us to discuss his work in advocacy, clinical mental health, and an educational institute for veterans and first responders. A military veteran himself, Tim recognized the need for clinicians to focus on the mental health of veterans and first responders, who are prone to mental injury on a daily basis. He found that non-combat veterans and combat veterans with a dishonorable discharge have almost no access to resources to help them cope with PTSD and/or traumatic brain injuries, not to mention the typical struggles with finding purpose, integrating into civilian life, and learning how to be present with their families again. During their time in the service, members of the military are required to make very few major life decisions, but when they get out, they are bombarded with decisions but their identity is so wrapped up in their roles in the military that they struggle to process it all.We have all heard that 22 veterans commit suicide every day, but 11 of those are veterans of Vietnam and Korea, 6 of those are non-combat veterans, and 5 of them are combat veterans. Most people enter the military to run away from something (adolescence, family issues, educational pressures, etc.), and often the uniformity required by the service allows them to hide from those issues by focusing on the ultimate mission rather than themselves. When they get out, the issues pop back up and they have not been equipped to cope with things, so they find the ultimate escape in taking their own lives. Tim and his colleagues are committed to helping them find the resources and hope that they need.While there are organizations on the national and local levels to support veterans, there are almost no support structures in place for first responders (firefighter, police officers, EMS professionals, ambulance drivers, dispatchers, etc.) as they experience frequent trauma which they are trained to just push to the side so they can do their jobs efficiently. While some of the calls they receive are routine and not traumatic, they have to be prepared for the worst every time, which takes a mental and emotional toll on them. There is a stigma around mental health in the first responder community which causes those individuals to either not seek treatment or do so in secret, fearing that they will be demoted to desk duty if their department finds out that they have anxiety in any form. Tim has found that providing these professionals with emotional regulation skills such as mindfulness and DBT followed by the tools that will help them answer the existential questions that may arise as a result.Tim wants veterans and first responders to know that you do not lack purpose just because your service is over. There is always something in the world to connect to, and there is always help if you are willing to seek it.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest on this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast is Dr. Jack Bloomfield, a specialist in the ARISE model of interventions. This model is an alternative to the “traditional” form of confrontational interventions created in the 1960s by Dr. Johnson. In this confrontational model, the focus is very much on the addict, usually involving an ambush-type situation where several family members trick the addict into coming to a certain location where they are presented with some type of “go to rehab tomorrow or else…” ultimatum.Due to the heartfelt emotions in this situation, addicts are likely to agree to go to rehab, but 70% of them will leave rehab within 2 weeks because they didn’t make the decision to enter on their own terms.They usually feel anger and resentment towards their family which proves to be counterproductive to the family’s original desires and plan.The ARISE model of intervention is different and successful in 3 areas: It is an invitation model. The addict is invited to a “family meeting” where they likely know what will be discussed. The dialogue changes from “you have a problem” to “we, as a family, have a problem.” 80% of addicts will come when they are invited. 50% of those happen because they recognize that they have a problem 50% will go because they don’t think they have a problem and want to defend themselves The focus is on the family. The family indicates that they recognize that they all have things they need to work on in themselves, and they have reached out to someone who can help them all as a family. The addict does not feel singled out. The interventionist works with the family for 6 months. By committing to continuing care, the family creates a safe place for all of them to work on and discuss their issues and their progress during weekly accountability phone calls. This timeframe empowers the addict to make their own choices and not feel forced or pressured into action. They may decide that rehab, intensive outpatient treatment, or just consistent AA meetings are their best option. During and after the addict addresses their issue, the family is all on the same page and speaking the same language because they have all been on a healing journey together. The incredible statistic is that while 70% of addicts who enter rehab as a result of a confrontational intervention will leave within 2 weeks, only 2% of addicts who enter rehab as a result of an ARISE intervention will disappear within 30 days.This gives so much hope to the families waiting for a breakthrough in the life of their loved one who struggles with addiction. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast, our guest is Dr. Scott D. Miller of the International Center of Clinical Excellence in the field of mental health. Dr. Miller has used his decades of experience in the industry to develop outcome measures with the goal of increasing the effectiveness of therapy. These outcomes are not merely “milestones” or objective progress markers, but are more subjective and are focused on the client’s well-being and function.Previous training for therapists had been targeted towards treating the symptoms that the client had, but often even when the symptoms had gone away, the person wasn’t feeling much better. Using the ORS and SRS scales that Dr. Miller developed allows the therapist and the client to maintain an open dialogue regarding the effectiveness of their treatment and their satisfaction with their relationship overall, which is key to the success of the therapy. This practice of consistently tracking and reporting results allows the therapist to adapt their methods for each client, allocating the care and energy necessary to develop a healthy relationship that has proven to be essential for the treatment to be effective.Dr. Miller shares that a significant portion of the population that needs help does not seek it, and the main reason that is cited for this deficit is the misconception that therapy is not effective. However, the average treated person is better off than 80% of people with similar problems who are not receiving any care. Additionally, 80% of people would instead talk to someone about their issues than receive a medication to treat their issues from their general physician.When someone does decide to seek treatment for their issue, the most crucial step is to find the right therapist for them. This therapist is going to be getting to know you very well, so you must make sure that you can develop a trusting relationship with them and know that their advice and methods are for the best. Be prepared to call or visit several therapists to find the right fit for you and do not be discouraged when one does not work out.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest on this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast is Amy Smith, founder of the Worth Recovery podcast, which has grown into a community of mutual support. Amy began her recovery journey in 2011 when she realized that her multiple failed “relationships” were a result of sex addiction and the notion that intimacy was nothing more than a transaction. On the very same day that she promised to do something to change her situation, her father – with whom anger had characterized her relationship – told her that he had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.Because women with sex addiction seem to be a taboo subject, where Amy had to overcome stigma and shame that men with the same issue would not have to deal with due to the social acceptability. At the time, she was living in Seattle, where she found a great therapist and women’s 12-step group that embraced her on her road to recovery. A couple of years later, she moved to Salt Lake City and expected to find similar resources, but she saw nothing but skepticism and discouragement. There were no meetings for women in the area, and though she eventually found the right therapist for her, she encountered many professionals and peers who told her that it was not possible for her to have a sex addiction. Amy’s sponsor kept encouraging her to see this as an opportunity, and eventually, Amy started a meeting in her home for women who grew to the point that there is now a network of support for women in Salt Lake City.Knowing that there is healing in both hearing other people talk about their struggles and in telling others about our own, Amy decided that there might be a few other women outside of Seattle or Salt Lake City who needed to know that they are not alone in their recovery from sex addiction. She started her podcast to tell her story, hoping that it could reach 20 people outside of her region, but the podcast is averaging nearly 600 downloads per day, reinforcing the need for a community to support each other through recovery.Amy’s parting words for anyone struggling with sex addiction (or any addiction) is to believe that you are worth recovery, and do not let anyone make you think or feel otherwise.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of The Addicted Mind podcast, we are joined by Robert Weiss, a digital-age intimacy and relationship expert and author of several insightful books on the topic (links below). Rob’s non-alarmist approach to the impacts of our digital age on intimacy and relationships as well as on the minds and futures of our children is refreshing and encouraging, while still reminding us to be aware and informed. In his 25 years in the industry, Rob has noticed significant shifts in the accessibility of pornography, leading to an increased prevalence of problems with porn in today’s society.While previous generations had to wait until a certain age to legally purchase or rent pornographic magazines and videos – usually from a grimy store in a defunct area of town – the internet has allowed today’s adolescents and adults immediate, free, and convenient access to porn. This eliminates the need for mentally processing whether gaining access to the porn is worth the effort, because it takes little to no effort at all. Additionally, there are similarities between porn addictions and gambling addictions in that both arenas provide the consumer with both unlimited material and anonymity, aiding their participation in the experience of anticipatory fantasy, always driven to keep going for the euphoria of seeing what comes next.For these compelling reasons, the consumption of pornography which could lead to an addiction is becoming a more prominent issue in our world, and with the coming universality of virtual reality in American households, experts are only expecting the issue to become larger. With the tolerance of overt sexuality in our culture, adolescents are prone to jump straight from flirting to sexual acts – either online or in person – and they are not learning the necessary social experiences of true intimacy learned through making friends and being in a relationship that lasts more than a night.Understandably, today’s parents are worried about the culture where they are raising their children, but Rob encourages parents to focus on loving, caring for, and supporting their children above any concerns that they may have. Just as previous generations of children have adapted to the inventions of new technologies, this Digital Natives generation will do the same, and it will not ruin their lives. They can find more ways to use new technologies like virtual reality for good as they can for evil, and parents can help their children know the difference by being aware and well-informed.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast, we talk with Nicki Mosley about trauma-sensitive movement practice and the effective impact that this can have on those suffering from long-term trauma. Trauma-sensitive yoga was developed by The Trauma Center in Boston several years ago to give individuals a safe way to access their trauma and work through the sensations felt in the body by rebuilding the neural pathways related to making choices based on feelings. This is an evidence-based technique that does not get caught up in sticking to a certain process, knowing that participants will need different things during the class to find healing.During a trauma-sensitive yoga class, participants will be invited to be as comfortable as possible by choosing the area of the room where they set up their mats as well as by wearing clothing that allows them to move freely and then by having the ability to choose how they will participate in the movement practice based on what feels right to them. Being empowered to make these basic decisions and discover what their body is capable of slowly begins to integrate into their lives outside of class, giving them control that they may feel that they had lost during early childhood trauma or other types of trauma that had made them feel powerless. Nicki advises participants to have a therapist or counselor outside of class with whom they can talk and process their feelings and realizations from class.Nicki encourages those struggling with long-term trauma to investigate if this movement practice would be helpful to them and find a provider in their area.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of The Addicted Mind podcast, we are joined by Dr. Pam Peeke, a physician and scientist specializing in food addiction. Those struggling with food addictions fit into two categories: (1) people who practice disordered eating which eventually takes over all other aspects of their life, or (2) those who are recovering from another addiction and have turned to junk food and beverages as a transfer addiction.Disordered eating and food addictions mainly revolve around the chemical effects of processed foods on the brain’s reward center, which releases dopamine and conveys the feeling of pleasure to the body. When people continue to eat junk food, the reward center of the brain becomes overwhelmed and reduces the number of receptors that can process the dopamine being released, so eventually the feeling of pleasure attained by the release of a certain amount of dopamine doesn’t feel as good as it once did, which makes the person want to consume more junk food in order to reach the desired level of high. The food industry knows that processed but hyper-palatable food acts as a drug to the brain, impairing the frontal cortex which controls decision-making and discipline, so they try to create food that will make consumers feel that “bliss point” and crave even more junk food.Dr. Peeke has worked with registered dieticians to outline a plan in her book “The Hunger Fix” (link below) to empower people to switch out processed food with natural and whole foods and allow the brain to shift back to a healthy balance of active receptors so that people can adjust to feeling a natural high from eating healthy. While the first step of recovery is to eliminate processed foods from home, work, and your shopping list, a crucial second step is to seek help from a registered dietician and/or support and accountability from family and friends to get back into a healthy balance. A key to the recovery process from food addiction is to understand why food has this power over the person, and Dr. Peeke has found that it normally stems from some type of childhood or adolescent trauma, where food was the only life situation that the person could control, so they sought pleasure and safe haven there. A helpful exercise for someone wondering if they have a tendency toward food addiction is to honestly answer these two questions: If I consume this food/beverage, will I feel out of control? If I consume this food/beverage, will I feel shame, blame, or guilt? If the answer to these questions is “yes”, you should take a step back and evaluate the foods you are eating and seek a change.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest on this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast is Dr. Louise Stanger, a clinician, interventionist, author, and trainer specializing in the grief and loss experienced by the family members of an individual who dies of an opioid overdose. Since nearly all overdoses occur somewhere other than the hospital, there is not much scientific research on the opiate epidemic. We do know that in 2016, 155 people per day died of overdoses, and for every one of those people, at least four family members were affected. In addition to these overdoses, 88,000 people died in alcohol-related incidents in 2016.Families often approach Louise for an intervention for their loved one after they have tried everything else they can think of, and Louise uses the intervention to encourage systemic change in the addict’s life. Addiction is a disease which is treatable, despite the stigma attached to it that claims otherwise.Grief looks different for everyone; it could involve shame, casting/placing blame, embarrassment, relief, isolation, anxiety, and even feeling unworthy to mourn their loss. Family members often feel that they did too much to enable their loved one’s addiction or they did not do enough to encourage them to leave the addiction behind. The most helpful thing you can do to help someone experiencing this loss is to be there for them, to call them, bring them meals, help them run errands, babysit so they can have a few minutes to themselves, and listen to them. The best thing to do if you are experiencing this loss is to know that you are not alone and seek help in whatever form you feel comfortable.After experiencing the sudden death of a loved one, often the first person that family members interact with is the funeral director, coroner, or police officer, so it is imperative that these professionals have some training in dealing with this traumatic grief. Additionally, Louise believes that treatment centers and faith-based organizations must provide programs and support to these families as they cope with their loss.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.