The Addicted Mind Podcast

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.

Our guest on this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast is Colleen Koncilja, a counselor based in the Chicago area who specializes in gambling addictions. Shortly after a casino riverboat became a permanent fixture just blocks away from her practice’s office in Elgin, Illinois, the town recognized that compulsive gambling would become an increasing problem and they gave Colleen’s team funding to assist the population who would suffer from this behavioral addiction.Problematic gambling, also referred to as compulsive or pathologic gambling, can begin when there is a progression in the amount and/or frequency of the gambling, gambling becomes consuming of other aspects of life, the individual does not do it for recreation anymore but to fulfill a need, and the individual has to start lying about where they have been and what they have been doing. Action gamblers become addicted to the euphoria or high that they feel when they are performing well and other people at the casino are recognizing their success, while escape gamblers are seeking to numb or escape anxiety, depression, grief, or loss by disconnecting with the real world. Much like substance use disorder and sex addictions, problematic gambling provides a behavior for the individual to process their emotional traumas or anxieties.Though most insurance companies do not recognize gambling addictions as something that their plans should cover, a significant portion of gambling addicts reach out for professional help at the urging of their family members, the criminal justice system, or out of sheer desperation. During this process, the counselor can help the individual process what benefits they feel that they gain from gambling and determine alternate ways to achieve these goals, such as coping skills, accountability relationships, or other resources available. 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 Jonathan Horowitz, founder and director of the San Francisco Stress and Anxiety Center. Jonathan is a clinical psychologist who studied anxiety research in graduate school before transitioning to being a clinician and opening the Stress and Anxiety Center.It is a misconception that anxiety is always a bad thing; in fact, our minds were built to experience healthy anxiety when our bodies sense that they need to be alert to their surroundings. Anxiety starts to become a problem when we cross the line from heeding the warnings of our anxiety and benefiting from it to worrying about our anxiety and taking steps to try to get rid of it. A significant number of Johnathan’s clients are high-functioning, high-achieving individuals who may be having a difficult time coping with the pressures of their careers. These individuals might develop behaviors like procrastination, avoidance, or even developing an addiction of some kind in order to numb the anxiety that they are feeling. Anxiety can also be the result of giving up an addiction because the individual does not know what to do in place of their previous addiction.Jonathan’s advice to those dealing with problematic anxiety is to (1) connect your change in behavior to something that is powerfully meaningful to you, and (2) establish goals and values for your life that involve emotional and cognitive steps or milestones. The goals can be achieved through mindfulness meditation training, breath work, cognitive restructuring, or other practices as directed by a clinician. Above all, it is crucial to know that anxiety, whether it is manifested in panic attacks, phobias, or social anxiety, is treatable, so seek the help you need.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, Curt Widhalm shared with us on his area of expertise, teens, and self-harm. Curt has observed two types of teens who are engaging in self-harm behaviors: (1) those struggling to find the opportunity to express their emotions due to their busy schedules, and (2) those whose friend groups are engaging in self-harm behavior for attention-seeking.In general, self-harm behaviors, which could include cutting, burning, or over-exercise, are quick ways for teens to release their emotions in a very visual way because they are often too busy to adequately learn how to deal with their stress or trauma. They could also act this way because their living environment does not allow them the space to express their emotions or release their negative energy in healthy ways, perhaps due to the demeanors of their parents or complications in their living situation. In Curt’s experience, a main source of stress for teens who engage in self-harm is the feeling that they will never be good enough for their parents, whether their parents are pushy and over-involved or very withdrawn.Signs that parents can watch for in their teens are emotional and physical withdrawal, explaining away repeated injuries, covering up their arms and legs even in very warm weather, intense emotions such as rage or anxiety, and their teen talking about other people who engage in self-harm. If and when parents notice these behaviors, they often have their teen begin seeing a therapist to address these behaviors. A therapist will primarily aim to establish a good connection with the teen by normalizing their behavior and just listening to them as they begin to open up about their emotions, and they will begin to equip the teen with healthy ways to cope with their feelings in an attempt to have the teen abandon their self-harming tendencies.To anyone struggling with self-harming behaviors, Curt encourages you to reach out for help by finding someone you can trust who will listen without judgment as you share your feelings. There are healthy ways to cope with your daily stresses and emotions, and it may be helpful for you to take a step back from a few of your activities to provide yourself with more capacity to cope.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, my guest is Kay Simmeth, a Marriage and Family Therapist certified in EMDR. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is a type of bilateral stimulation that activates both sides of the body and both sides of the brain. This dual action process of tapping on the client’s knees back and forth, listening to music or sounds that alternate between headphones, or feeling vibrations in alternating hands, the frontal cortex and the amygdala are both activated, which allows the client to access the portion of the brain where the trauma is stored and then shift those negative beliefs or cognitions to positive beliefs. Without being able to access both sides of the brain simultaneously, the client will just continue to feel the negative beliefs related to the trauma and not be able to go any further by consciously and logically thinking about the situation. Doing so through the 8-phase process of EMDR allows the client to “melt” the trauma so that they can still access the memory of the trauma, but the intensity of their emotions and reactions about the trauma become less immediate and significant. The trauma simply becomes an “event” in their lives rather than something that impacts everything they experience. Going through EMDR takes the emotional weight out of the memory in the present and frees the client up for a brighter future.Kay uses EMDR with 98% of her patients and she has found that the changes her clients exhibit stick more than with other techniques. Through this type of adaptive information processing model, the length of time or number of sessions that the client needs to go through EMDR depends on the proximity, length, and depth of the trauma in their life, but all clients will see change along the way. Kay’s advice to those experiencing trauma is to remember that they do not have to go through it alone and that there are plenty of resources for them to seek help. 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.