How to change your brain-- Important!

[beatle]

This is an article that explains very clearly what an alcoholic is (and isn't) and what is chemically going on in an alcoholic's brain -- and how to change it!

Anyone who hasn't already read this-- please do it now. It could change your life.

Colums, June 2005

[lookingforhope22]

How to change your brain-- Important!

Hi Beatle,

Thanks for posting the article. I read it and found it very helpful as I have suffered from depression for 15 years now on and off. Its really hard to go with what feels right when so many different specialist have different advise... I can see by this article that diet and supplements are very important but you can really get lost in all that is available on the market.
Do you have any thoughts on this??

By the way I'm 3 day AF with no meds and just my usual supps i.e. Vit B, multi vitamin. Not sure if i should purchase all the others or i should ride it out and see how I feel.
A little confused!

[beatle]

How to change your brain-- Important!

It is hard to make out what is what when some experts tell you your drinking problem is a result of your emotionl/psychological problems and others say the opposite. I think it's more complicated than that and both the chemical imbalances and the emotional factors are part of a big equation. (btw, that same doctor also has written a book about general illnesses and he says all illnesses have a minimum of 7 primary causes-- I guess you could apply that to Alcoholism, as well).

Anyway, if you are really committed to beating this alcohol thing, I think you need to attack it from all sides. Yes, you have to confront and deal with your emotional baggage, your life situation, etc. But obviously, there are a lot of physical things going on and there is a lot you can do to help your body and your brain heal physically.

Even if you feel pretty ok now, if you have been drinking heavily and/or for a long time, you have abused your body and brain and they need help. Sticking to a good supplement programme and good nutrition will also make it much easier to STAY sober. I would say any recovering alcoholic MUST pay close attention to nutrition and take supplements-- or they are taking a huge risk with their health and will probably fail to stay sober, as well.

That said, I think you yourself have to decide just how to go about it. The easiest thing to do is to get the MWO stuff (or just follow the MWO guidelines) and add or substract as you see fit (tailor it to your needs).

If you decide you want to put your programme together on your own, using locally purchased supps, I recommend the following products from MWO no matter what else you do.

-kudzu (if you want to take it) (I don't trust any other kudzu than MWO)
- ALL ONE -- as a meal replacement if you ever have problems eating nutritious meals, this is great to have around even if you get your daily supps someplace else.
-B-50 caps (way superior to most B-complexes you will find in the stores)
-Milk thistle (I also believe this is superior to the local stuff, but I don't know what you get locally).
-True Calm (If you have anxiety or restlessness-- I take a double dose as needed).

If you are like me, and feel the need to do everything "all the way", I highly recommend the "Seven Weeks to Sobriety" book. Its main focus is on using nutrition and supplements to fix the recovering alcoholic's brain (and body). It is very specific about what to eat and what supps to take and when (It has a detailed schedule and explains each supplement and what it does). The Seven Week programme's out-patient rehab center has one of the highest success rates for alcoholic recovery in the world. You don't have to go to the center, though, because it's all in the book.

Seven Weeks works together with a Lab called "Bio-Recovery" and you can just order everything from there. There are many different packs that include the basic programme, but tailored for different problems, so you can choose which one is best for you (i.e. for anxiety, for depression, for fatige, etc..) You can also order every item separately, and they have a ton of good stuff. Just take a look.

Individual Product Ordering - BioRecovery

(Like MWO, the Bio-Recovery products are high quality, they deliver quickly and their prices are competitive.)

Anyway, this is what I've come to after more than a year of trying to stay sober (detoxing, sober, drinking, detoxing, sober, drinking...) and it was only after getting very serious about this that I can feel I am making progress (and feel much better physically as well). Good luck and feel free to ask me more or PM me if you like.

btw, have you checked out the Holistic Healing forum? There is tons of info there.

[greeneyes]

How to change your brain-- Important!

It's Louise Hay again! The higher powers are pointing me to her.

[cowgal]

How to change your brain-- Important!

thanks!!!!

I ordered the book last week, hoping to get it before I leave on my next business trip, rather read than drink

Thanks for all your insight and the information Beatle, I appreciate it:thanks:

Ma:h :l

[Not Happy Hour-Happy Life]

How to change your brain-- Important!

Recognizing that it's brain chemistry, and not a character flaw, helps me stay sober.... I think the hard part of moderating may be trying to keep the brain chemistry balanced when there isn't a simple recipe- it's all trial and error...

All the depression, anxiety, shame, guilt, low self-esteem, panic, and fear are caused by disorders of brain chemistry, or neurotransmitter disorders. Alcoholics did not become heavy drinkers ?because? they were depressed. They are depressed ?because? they have the illness of alcoholism. This point is critical to understand so that: 1) you don't blame your illness on your psychological weaknesses or poor will power, and 2) you realize that by healing brain chemistry and much more, you can be cured of most of your mental/emotional problems?or all of them. We need to fix neurotransmitters first. Problems with brain chemistry are why you drink, why you have problems with mood, sleep, cognitive functioning, and why you became addicted to alcohol.

[Bambi]

How to change your brain-- Important!

Cowgirl,

Please let us know how you like the book. I too found the article very interesting and informative.

Thanks Beatle for posting it.

Bambi

[Accountable for Me]

How to change your brain-- Important!

Very good article, beatle. I booked marked this one - thanks!

[Croft]

How to change your brain-- Important!

This was extremely enlightening!!

[beatle]

How to change your brain-- Important!

Not Happy Hour-- I think you make a very good point here about moderating... This is why it is so hard for many of us to moderate. We just don't know what we are doing in terms of our brain chemistry. This is why it is, in fact, easier for many to abstain than to moderate.

[trixietrack]

How to change your brain-- Important!

it is a lot like 7 weeks to sobriety but more to the point. it's still good to keep this in mind so we don't forget that it's chemical.

[beatle]

How to change your brain-- Important!

yes, that is the point-- AA tells you it's your fault and you are eternally guilty. You have to "make up" for all you have done wrong.

Of course it is in each person's hands to realise you have a problem and to deal with it, but there is more than will power involved here. Way more.

[livingfree]

How to change your brain-- Important!

Bulls Eye

This article is a must read for everyone on these boards. My first experience with nutritional healing was a book I read 15 years ago called "The way up from down" by Dr Priscilla Slagle. I have struggled with depression since I was 17 years old - and didn't find help in ANYTHING until I read her book and applied her program. Honestly the program worked. It worked so well I must have considered myself "cured" from depression as I don't remember making the "conscience" decision to stop the supplements. It just happened over time. As the years went by after I stopped taking my supplements my drinking escalated to it's recent level (but 36 days AF ya hoo). In retrospect I was self medicating with alcohol and nicotine. I have suspected that the depression, drinking, smoking addictions were all related - but never really researched the common threads in all of these problems together.

With that being said - I believe the nutritional therapy has to last the rest of our lives. I believe we can take recesses from supplements - but need to really watch for symptoms to return. I believe with myself - the ill brain slowly returned to the state I was in back 15 years ago before I started the way up from down program. I now realize that the alcohol was my self medication to try to correct the problem. It feels GREAT to now be healing the true problem in a healthy way. Thanks for the posting of this great article!

A side note : I find it interesting that Dr Priscilla Slagles program is an amino acid based program. It centers around the amino acids L-Tyrosine and L Tryptophan along with the B's, C, and multi vitamins. It honestly worked for me.

This program (MWO) has me even more excited because of the simplicity. With all of the advances in nutritional science over the past 15 years - this program hits a broad spectrum and is (in my opinion) a simple, inexpensive treatment.

Thanks again for the info Beatle

Liv

[lookingforhope22]

How to change your brain-- Important!

YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for taking the time to explain all of that to me. I know i need something as i feel like i have been dragged through a hedge backwards today.... body is aching and i am very sleepy - my whole day at work feels like 5 minutes is taking an hour. Its day five tomorrow so hopefully i start to feel better. Funny i dont have cravings to drink though i am so over it. I get crazy little insights of what life would be like without the booze and i love. Then i got thinking about how many little i went to work hungover and struggled through the day so detoxing really shouldn't be a issue because it for good not bad.

Thanks for your advice it is very valuable to me. I am the type of person who thinks they can do everything on their own but i know to kick this i need to get as much help as possible including supplements.

Big kiss x

[lookingforhope22]

How to change your brain-- Important!

YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for taking the time to explain all of that to me. I know i need something as i feel like i have been dragged through a hedge backwards today.... body is aching and i am very sleepy - my whole day at work feels like 5 minutes is taking an hour. Its day five tomorrow so hopefully i start to feel better. Funny i dont have cravings to drink though i am so over it. I get crazy little insights of what life would be like without the booze and i love. Then i got thinking about how many little i went to work hungover and struggled through the day so detoxing really shouldn't be a issue because it for good not bad.

Thanks for your advice it is very valuable to me. I am the type of person who thinks they can do everything on their own but i know to kick this i need to get as much help as possible including supplements.

Big kiss x:thanks: :heart: :flower: