Comments for Take Good Care of Yourself http://www.tgcoy.com If you don't, who will? Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:39:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on A Brief History of Transcendental Meditation by Nelly http://www.tgcoy.com/anxiety/a-brief-history-of-transcendental-meditation.html/comment-page-1#comment-588 Nelly Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:39:16 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/?p=1136#comment-588 A million thanks for posting this information! A million thanks for posting this information!

]]> Comment on Addiction–The Hijacked Brain by Addiction to Drugs and Alcohol: Self-hatred, cravings, and therapy | Psychotherapy in NYC | Thoughts on Therapy http://www.tgcoy.com/addiction/addiction-the-hijacked-brain.html/comment-page-1#comment-586 Addiction to Drugs and Alcohol: Self-hatred, cravings, and therapy | Psychotherapy in NYC | Thoughts on Therapy Sat, 14 May 2011 19:44:46 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/?p=327#comment-586 [...] Just what leads to addiction is a complex and highly-debated question. Some see addiction as a genetic or biochemical issue; others see it as a spiritual malady; some believe it is situational and reactive; and many see it as being due to historical psychological factors. In fact, addiction and alcoholism are multi-determined and include a number of interactive factors. The critical question in terms of helping people, at least early in their recovery, is not what caused it but what helps them change it. Once you take a substance into your body, it will change your biochemistry. At least from that point on, the addiction takes on a life of its own. One point of view is that the brain has been hijacked by the drug. [...] [...] Just what leads to addiction is a complex and highly-debated question. Some see addiction as a genetic or biochemical issue; others see it as a spiritual malady; some believe it is situational and reactive; and many see it as being due to historical psychological factors. In fact, addiction and alcoholism are multi-determined and include a number of interactive factors. The critical question in terms of helping people, at least early in their recovery, is not what caused it but what helps them change it. Once you take a substance into your body, it will change your biochemistry. At least from that point on, the addiction takes on a life of its own. One point of view is that the brain has been hijacked by the drug. [...]

]]> Comment on The Key to Dealing with My Son’s Drug Addiction–Setting Boundaries for Myself by Jean http://www.tgcoy.com/addiction/parenting-tips/1380.html/comment-page-1#comment-579 Jean Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:35:43 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/uncategorized/1380.html#comment-579 I set the boundaries but could not stick to them and my 21 year old son took total advantage of that. My wake up call was when his 24 year old "buddy" who's been in the court system over 7 years and still living with his parents asked my son to drive him to buy crack, using my son's money and promised to pay him back. My son wasn't using that particular night. We drove him over to his "buddy's" house at 10:30 pm that night to meet his parents. They told us that their son was going back to court in a few days and would probably be back in jail. My son would not get his money back and I told him I will now stick to those set boundaries. The next weekend he used again and was thrown out. I continue to pray for him every night. I set the boundaries but could not stick to them and my 21 year old son took total advantage of that. My wake up call was when his 24 year old “buddy” who’s been in the court system over 7 years and still living with his parents asked my son to drive him to buy crack, using my son’s money and promised to pay him back. My son wasn’t using that particular night. We drove him over to his “buddy’s” house at 10:30 pm that night to meet his parents. They told us that their son was going back to court in a few days and would probably be back in jail. My son would not get his money back and I told him I will now stick to those set boundaries. The next weekend he used again and was thrown out. I continue to pray for him every night.

]]> Comment on You Teach People How to Treat You by Debi Ursery http://www.tgcoy.com/relationship-advice/you-teach-people-how-to-treat-you.html/comment-page-1#comment-578 Debi Ursery Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:23:15 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/?p=415#comment-578 I love this post it is so true, we do have to teach people how to treat us. If we devalue ourselves we are opening the door to allow others to do the same. I love this post it is so true, we do have to teach people how to treat us. If we devalue ourselves we are opening the door to allow others to do the same.

]]> Comment on Addiction–The Hijacked Brain by Mat http://www.tgcoy.com/addiction/addiction-the-hijacked-brain.html/comment-page-1#comment-576 Mat Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:30:39 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/?p=327#comment-576 Great little summary of the Hijacked Brain Hypothesis. I have only one issue. A hijacked brain, in my opinion, is not a "disease." It's more a function of an atavistic evolutionary processes. From an evolutionary psychological perspective, human addictive behaviors are the result of how our brains evolved complex neurocircuitries that reward us for certain activities because those activities were advantageous for our survival. (Chemical addictions exist only inasmuch as they fire up the reward centers of the brain, as your article states.) Our brains are hijacked by certain behaviors (or chemicals) because certain behaviors were once advantageous to us or our species back in the Stone-age: promiscuity, sugar, salt, risk, sleep, etc. We may drive around in cars, play on computers, and enjoy reading philosophy, but underneath our modern skulls are stone-age brains. That's why certain behaviors are almost irresistible to almost all of us, and a few of us find them so irresistible that we become addicts: Fight or Flight, Sex , Eating, Sleeping. It's also why addictions are born, not made. Addiction in and of itself ain't got much to do with trauma, spirituality, morals, or "feelings." It's just a function of a rather primitive brain system that hasn't yet caught up with our "civilized" world. Nevertheless, addictions wreak havoc on our lives, and in the midst of that chaos there is trauma, betrayal, immorality, spiritual vacuity, and feelings of darkness and hopelessness. We can't be happy living like cavemen and cave women in our modern world. The good news is that, with lots of support, and perhaps some antidepressants, we can learn to listen to our prefrontal cortex and tell our addict brain to go jump in a lake. But, again, calling this system a "disease" is not helpful. It's not a disease. All of our brains are wired to seek out certain things as rewards--it could be work, another person, sex, food, risk, money, violence. But, these ancient instinctual impulses can, for some of us, in certain areas, become obsessive, excessive, and compulsive. Like your article points out, we have to cool things down in our brains, lower the dopamine levels, and start thinking in new ways. AA works for a lot of folks, because it does all these things, not because it’s etiology of addiction is based in fact. Thanks for the great article. Great little summary of the Hijacked Brain Hypothesis. I have only one issue. A hijacked brain, in my opinion, is not a “disease.” It’s more a function of an atavistic evolutionary processes. From an evolutionary psychological perspective, human addictive behaviors are the result of how our brains evolved complex neurocircuitries that reward us for certain activities because those activities were advantageous for our survival. (Chemical addictions exist only inasmuch as they fire up the reward centers of the brain, as your article states.) Our brains are hijacked by certain behaviors (or chemicals) because certain behaviors were once advantageous to us or our species back in the Stone-age: promiscuity, sugar, salt, risk, sleep, etc. We may drive around in cars, play on computers, and enjoy reading philosophy, but underneath our modern skulls are stone-age brains. That’s why certain behaviors are almost irresistible to almost all of us, and a few of us find them so irresistible that we become addicts: Fight or Flight, Sex , Eating, Sleeping. It’s also why addictions are born, not made. Addiction in and of itself ain’t got much to do with trauma, spirituality, morals, or “feelings.” It’s just a function of a rather primitive brain system that hasn’t yet caught up with our “civilized” world. Nevertheless, addictions wreak havoc on our lives, and in the midst of that chaos there is trauma, betrayal, immorality, spiritual vacuity, and feelings of darkness and hopelessness. We can’t be happy living like cavemen and cave women in our modern world. The good news is that, with lots of support, and perhaps some antidepressants, we can learn to listen to our prefrontal cortex and tell our addict brain to go jump in a lake. But, again, calling this system a “disease” is not helpful. It’s not a disease. All of our brains are wired to seek out certain things as rewards–it could be work, another person, sex, food, risk, money, violence. But, these ancient instinctual impulses can, for some of us, in certain areas, become obsessive, excessive, and compulsive. Like your article points out, we have to cool things down in our brains, lower the dopamine levels, and start thinking in new ways. AA works for a lot of folks, because it does all these things, not because it’s etiology of addiction is based in fact. Thanks for the great article.

]]> Comment on The Key to Dealing with My Son’s Drug Addiction–Setting Boundaries for Myself by Ron Grover http://www.tgcoy.com/addiction/parenting-tips/1380.html/comment-page-1#comment-530 Ron Grover Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:44:41 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/uncategorized/1380.html#comment-530 Dear Kathie, Thank you for your kind words concerning the article I wrote for The Partnership. I sincerely hope it can help others that are looking for answers to this terrible problem. I also have a couple of more articles on The Partnership concerning parenting an addict, about The Shame associated with being a parent of an addict. http://intervene.drugfree.org/2010/01/help-your-child-by-overcoming-your-shame/ And another one about 7 Thruths that took me 5 years to learn. http://intervene.drugfree.org/2009/11/7-truths-about-my-addict-that-took-5-years-to-learn/ If you think it will help feel free to use those also. For those interested in a more day to day look at parenting an addict feel free to check out our own personal blog: www.parentsofanaddict.blogspot.com Dear Kathie,

Thank you for your kind words concerning the article I wrote for The Partnership. I sincerely hope it can help others that are looking for answers to this terrible problem. I also have a couple of more articles on The Partnership concerning parenting an addict, about The Shame associated with being a parent of an addict. http://intervene.drugfree.org/2010/01/help-your-child-by-overcoming-your-shame/

And another one about 7 Thruths that took me 5 years to learn. http://intervene.drugfree.org/2009/11/7-truths-about-my-addict-that-took-5-years-to-learn/

If you think it will help feel free to use those also. For those interested in a more day to day look at parenting an addict feel free to check out our own personal blog: http://www.parentsofanaddict.blogspot.com

]]> Comment on What Causes Drug Addiction? by Top 10 Tips to Get Rid of Your Social Media Addiction! | Thoughtpick Blog http://www.tgcoy.com/addiction/parenting-tips/what-causes-drug-addiction.html/comment-page-1#comment-489 Top 10 Tips to Get Rid of Your Social Media Addiction! | Thoughtpick Blog Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:58:50 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/?p=1202#comment-489 Whether or not we choose to admit it, most of us are prone to having a certain addiction at some point in time or another and for a specific substance, object, or concept. Whether or not we choose to admit it, most of us are prone to having a certain addiction at some point in time or another and for a specific substance, object, or concept.

]]> Comment on When Your Kid Breaks Your Heart by Yvette http://www.tgcoy.com/addiction/parenting-tips/when-your-kid-breaks-your-heart.html/comment-page-1#comment-488 Yvette Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:34:08 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/?p=1173#comment-488 Thank you for this reminder! I so needed this right now! Much love & respect, Yvette Wagstaff Thank you for this reminder! I so needed this right now!
Much love & respect,
Yvette Wagstaff

]]> Comment on A Brief History of Transcendental Meditation by Dr. Keith DeBoer http://www.tgcoy.com/anxiety/a-brief-history-of-transcendental-meditation.html/comment-page-1#comment-358 Dr. Keith DeBoer Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:24:10 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/?p=1136#comment-358 Nice article! Nice article!

]]> Comment on Enabling Your Troubled Teen by Failure is an option http://www.tgcoy.com/addiction/parenting-tips/enabling-your-troubled-teen.html/comment-page-1#comment-352 Failure is an option Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:57:52 +0000 http://www.tgcoy.com/?p=314#comment-352 Don’t be afraid to let the people you love most fail. Because sometimes, failure is the greatest gift you can ever give someone you love. Don’t be afraid to let the people you love most fail. Because sometimes, failure is the greatest gift you can ever give someone you love.

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