Neurotransmitters and Addiction: A Close Link
By: Judy Phillips
Studies conducted at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine, in which smokers and non-smokers filled out a behavioral questionnaire revealed that nicotines biggest mood-changing influence was on people who scored high on sensation-seeking. This was true both for smokers and non-smokers (non-smokers who were given nicotine via a nasal spray). Heart rate and blood pressure responses were the same for smokers and non-smokers, suggesting that the psychological effects were more significant than the physiological ones. Doctor Keith Johnsgard, a psychologist and professor emeritus of psychology at San Jose State University in California, says that the explanation has to do with the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is the brain chemical that relates to pleasure and stimulation.
Nicotine creates a dopamine response. People who are high sensation seekers reportedly need more dopamine. This same phenomenon explains why nicotine and alcohol often go together. The answer, according to some, is to get your cravings under control and satisfy the need for sensation. A good route to go is to balance your brain chemistry with supplements of neurotransmitters. Since these chemical messengers get out of balance as a result of stress, in addition to any hereditary predisposition, taking such supplements can give you renewed energy while altering a jagged mood in a healthier way.
Doctor Charles Gant, a retired Washington D.C. physician and author of, End Your Addiction Now, is one of a handful of doctors who are convinced that the standard approach to alcoholism is missing an essential componenta biochemical way to loosen alcohols grip. This method, which is slowly gaining acceptance, puts a twist on the mind/body dynamic underlying traditional treatment programs. Another physician, Doctor Joseph Beasley, and author of a book called, How to Defeat Alcoholism: Nutritional Guidelines for Getting Sober, is an early proponent of research into the brain chemistry underlying addiction.
These physicians and their colleagues believe that the bodys needs must be attended to first. In their opinion, alcoholism is primarily a brain chemistry imbalance fueled by a deficiency in certain nutrients. Those missing nutrients have to be replenished by eating a diet high in protein, brain-healthy fats and high-fiber carbohydrates. In addition, taking supplements that include vitamins, minerals, and amino acids can actually re-wire the brain to reduce cravings. According to Doctor Beasley, For the alcoholic, metabolism is far stronger than free will, and diet and nutrition therapy should be part of any alcohol treatment program.
You would probably be surprised to know that relapsing after years of sobriety is more common for alcoholics than you think. The downside about modern alcoholism treatment is its appalling long-term success rate. Did you know that a commonly cited statistic for alcohol treatment programs is less than 20 percent recovery after one year? In other words, out of every five people who enter an addiction program, only one will actually stay sober. Most programs out there that focus only on the mind, consist of emphasis on daily counseling sessions and attendance at meetings. Alcoholism is a physical disease, says Joan Mathews Larson, a nutritionist who is the author of, Seven Weeks to Sobriety, and director of an outpatient treatment program.
We would also like to add that those who advocate a nutritional program do not think that AA-based programs are entirely off base. As a matter of fact, all the treatment programs that feature nutritional therapy also include either 12-step sessions or some other type of counseling. Lets just say that beating an addiction requires shoring up the body as well as the mind.
Alcoholism is not the only type of addiction that responds well to nutritional therapy. A young doctors story is a classic case. As a young resident, he became addicted to prescription drugs and went through the classic 12-step program. A year later, he again found himself in the same boat. This time, he chose a non-12 step concept that administrators of the program said had an 80% success rate. He is still clean today, three years later.
The nutritional program is much the same as those for alcoholics, with a slightly different formula of vitamins and amino acids. So, in essence, the supplements for people recovering from drug abuse are tailored to their particular brain chemistry.
Judy Phillips is the founder of Jash Botanicals, a manufacturer of physicians grade herbal extracts and medicinals. A naturopath and herbalist with over 25 years of experience, her passion for producing herbal formulas of exceptional purity and strength grew from a dissatisfaction with mainstream herbal products. She is an author of various natural health topics, from detoxification to dietary modification, and works to assist the expansion of knowledge to individuals in search of natural treatments. JashBotanicals.com offers a wide range of informative articles, including a monthly newsletter and a natural health blog.
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