Alcoholism and the effects on children

Alcoholism and the effects on children

The Impact of Parental Alcoholism on Children: How to Recognize the Signs and Seek Help

Alcoholism is a serious problem that can have a devastating impact on the lives of those affected, including children. Children of alcoholic parents are at risk of developing a range of physical, psychological, and behavioral problems. It is important to recognize the signs of parental alcoholism and to seek help for the affected family.

The physical effects of parental alcoholism on children can include poor physical health, malnutrition, and an increased risk of developing certain medical conditions. Children of alcoholics may also experience emotional and behavioral problems, such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and difficulty forming relationships. They may also display signs of aggression, impulsivity, and difficulty concentrating.

It is important to recognize the signs of parental alcoholism in order to seek help for the affected family. Parents should be aware of any changes in their child’s behavior or physical health that may be related to their drinking. They should also be aware of any changes in their own drinking habits, such as increased frequency or quantity of alcohol consumption.

If you suspect that your child is being affected by parental alcoholism, it is important to seek help. Talk to your child’s doctor or a mental health professional to discuss your concerns. They can provide advice and support to help your family cope with the situation.

It is also important to seek help for the alcoholic parent. There are a range of treatments available, including counseling, support groups, and medication. Treatment can help the parent to reduce their drinking and to manage their condition.

Parental alcoholism can have a devastating impact on children. It is important to recognize the signs and to seek help for the affected family. With the right support, it is possible to reduce the impact of parental alcoholism and to help the family to cope with the situation.

Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Growing Up with an Alcoholic Parent

effects of addiction on a family

Growing up with an alcoholic parent can have long-term effects on a person’s life. These effects can be both psychological and physical, and can manifest in a variety of ways. It is important to understand the potential consequences of growing up with an alcoholic parent in order to better support those who have experienced this situation.

Psychologically, children of alcoholics may experience a range of issues. These can include low self-esteem, difficulty forming relationships, and difficulty trusting others. They may also struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, and anger. These issues can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

Physically, children of alcoholics may be more likely to develop health problems. These can include an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues. They may also be more likely to develop substance abuse issues themselves, as well as problems with alcohol or drug addiction.

Children of alcoholics may also struggle with academic and career success. They may have difficulty focusing in school, leading to lower grades and a lack of motivation. This can lead to difficulty finding and maintaining employment, as well as a lack of financial stability.

It is important to recognize the long-term effects of growing up with an alcoholic parent. Those who have experienced this situation may need extra support and understanding in order to cope with the psychological and physical effects. With the right help and support, those who have grown up with an alcoholic parent can lead healthy and successful lives.

How to Support a Child of an Alcoholic Parent: Tips for Parents and Caregivers

As a parent or caregiver of a child of an alcoholic parent, it is important to provide support and understanding. It can be difficult to know how to best help a child in this situation, but there are some tips that can help.

1. Listen and validate. It is important to listen to the child and validate their feelings. Let them know that it is okay to talk about their feelings and that you are there to support them.

2. Educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about the effects of alcoholism on children and how to best support them.

3. Create a safe environment. Make sure the child feels safe and secure in their home. This may include setting boundaries and providing structure.

4. Encourage healthy activities. Encourage the child to participate in activities that are healthy and positive, such as sports, music, or art.

5. Seek professional help. If needed, seek professional help for the child. This may include counseling or therapy.

6. Take care of yourself. It is important to take care of yourself as well. Make sure to take time for yourself and practice self-care.

By following these tips, you can provide the best support possible for a child of an alcoholic parent. It is important to remember that each child is different and may need different types of support. It is also important to be patient and understanding. With the right support, a child of an alcoholic parent can thrive.

Emerging Understandings & Solutions for Addictions

Emerging Understandings & Solutions for Addictions

By Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D.

Did you know that addiction is, by far, the number one cause of death and disability, with tobacco use alone responsible for more than 400,000 deaths per year in the U.S. and over 5 million worldwide?  If we ignore addictions (which some would call “denial”), then it would appear that cardiovascular disease, cancer, suicide and cirrhosis lead the mortality statistics, but addiction looms behind many of those statistics as the root cause.

Continue reading

Best Addiction Recovery

By Matt Finch on Apr 19, 2015

End Your Addiction Now

A few years ago, I read a book that revolutionized the way I viewed addiction treatment. End Your Addiction Now: The Proven Nutritional Supplement Program That Can Set You Free, by Dr. Charles Gant, opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities.

While Dr. Gant served as the Medical Director of the Tully Hill Hospital, a drug and alcohol detox and rehabilitation facility in New York, he created a unique treatment program that focused on the use of all-natural nutritional supplements. Thousands of patients were instructed to take nutrients (amino acids, minerals, vitamins, etc.) as part of their overall treatment plans.Continue reading

Detoxing for Life

Detoxing for Life – Staying and Getting Healthy in a Toxic World

By Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D.

Being healthy in a toxic world requires taking on a new understanding of what is involved in both staying and getting healthy. Living on the edge of a 200-year industrial revolution, which has brought us astonishing benefits, has also caused unintended problems like chemical and energetic pollution and malnutrition from eating processed food, all of which are driving toxicity-related health problems.

We are discovering that many medical and psychiatric problems are caused by toxicities, so preventing or resolving them requires a straightforward process. Step one: avoid or minimize exposure to toxins. Step two: enhance the detoxification of toxins already stored in the body. We are now learning the importance of step three: make detoxing a way of life.

Limiting exposure to toxins can be relatively simple. For example, adopt a routine lifestyle habit that includes consumption of organic food and filtered clean water, and avoidance of air pollution wherever possible. Minimize contact with Wi-Fi, microwaves and high power lines, and wear devices which decrease their biological harm to offer some protection. If you are a health care provider or healer, since toxicity is the cause of so much disability, make it a routine activity in the care you provide to design a program to mitigate this exposure side of the equation.

A far more challenging problem is what to do about toxins which are already stored in the body, especially if they are causing psychiatric and medical problems. Firstly, this entails some understanding of what our body does to rid itself of toxins, and then we can make some intelligent choices about helping it out.

Detoxification is a two-step process of oxidation and conjugation. This is analogous to a two-step process that many people use to get rid of trash in their backyards, by first burning it (oxidation) and then carting it away (conjugation). In the body, toxins are first oxidized to make them reactive, and then conjugated to (connected to) certain molecules, which generally make the toxins more soluble in water and easier to excrete.

What researchers are also now learning is that each individual body is different in its ability to perform these functions. Genetic factors which accelerate or inhibit oxidation rates as well as conjugation capacities often dictate a person’s vulnerabilities to accelerated aging and medical and psychiatric symptoms. Now that testing of detoxification genetic quirks (called SNPs or single nucleotide polymorphisms) is widely and inexpensively available to consumers, those who are most vulnerable to toxicities and require focused detoxification programs, can be identified.

Toxins that get lodged in the body are not only those taken in through the food, air and water. They can also be toxins from germs like Candida (mycotoxins) and Lyme. The health of the gastrointestinal tract, where over 60 percent of the body’s immune system resides, can be a very important factor in both generating toxins and clearing them from the body. Toxins also interfere with brain function and cause depression and other psychiatric disorders. When toxicity-related psychiatric symptoms prevail, especially in those most genetically vulnerable, many resort to psychotropic medication, alcohol, tobacco and illicit substances to “take the edge off,” which of course makes toxicities worse and ultimately, psychiatric symptoms are magnified.

Many chronic psychiatric and medical problems are thus often caused by toxins derived from chronic infections, environmental exposures from the air, food and water, psychotropic drugs, medications, genetic vulnerabilities and gastrointestinal imbalances. Efforts to help patients detoxify can take up the lion’s share of the clinical time in an integrative medical practice. Here are a few simple things you can do to help your body’s attempts to rid itself of toxins.

  • Sweat more—while exercising, in saunas or in the bathtub. Many toxins are removed through sweat. For baths, add a few cups of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate, which assists in the conjugation process) to hot bathwater and soak 30 minutes daily.
  • Eat more detoxifying foods, such as garlic, onions, broccoli and parsley, which are high in sulfur, a toxin conjugator and take probiotics.
  • Drink lots of purified water—three to four quarts a day.
  • Eat plenty of fiber.
  • Get genetically tested to determine if you are especially vulnerable to living in the modern age.
  • See a biological or holistic dentist to get your mouth cleared up from toxic metals & infections.
  • Adding years to our lives and life to our years can be related to how successful we are at detoxifying for life.

Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D., is an author, physician and practitioner, specializing in molecular health and healing. For more information, call 202-237-7000, ext. 104 or visit DoctorChas.com.

Solving Alcohol and Drug Addiction

In the U.S., ten percent of the population consumes half the alcohol. Many people who are either heavy users or dependent upon alcohol and sedative substances have tried unsuccessfully to “cut down” or to stop. Treatment programs and education have helped many people, but the overall outcome percentages are not impressive (sometimes under ten percent). It is little wonder that most Americans believe that alcohol and drug problems are virtually hopeless conditions. With all the scientific breakthroughs, why isn’t there a product that helps eliminate cravings for alcohol and drugs, is safe to take, has few if any side effects, evens out mood swings, decreases sleep problems, helps prevent the damage to the liver and other organs caused by these substances, and greatly improves the chances of sobriety for those who should stop their use completely? We at Nutrenergy would like to introduce you to a totally natural supplements in the Power Recovery Nutrient Paks, which can offer an answer to these questions and which has already changed the lives of thousands of people who have a tendency to abuse alcohol and drugs.

Why do alcohol and drugs injure us? Most people are surprised to find out that the long term injury caused by these substances has more to do with their breakdown products, call “metabolites,” than with the original substance itself. Some of these metabolites are called “free radicals,” and they injure tissues, cellular components, and even our DNA. This injury leads to higher rates of cancer, vascular disease, immune disorders and cirrhosis. So any supplement designed to help people who have a tendency to abuse alcohol or drugs must first of all have a wide array of antioxidants to prevent or lessen free radical injury.

If heavy alcohol and drug use have the potential to cause medical, interpersonal, social, and vocational problems, why do some people have such a hard time stopping? Alcohol and drugs, like all mood-altering agents, achieve their effects on our moods by stimulating and replacing certain natural “feel-good” brain chemicals, called “neurotransmitters.” When the alcohol or drugs are cleared from our bodies and brains, we must re-synthesize these depleted natural neurotransmitters from nutrients in our diets. For a variety of reasons, some of us don’t restore our “feel-good” brain chemistry as well as others. This persisting imbalance of brain chemistry is what causes cravings, mood swings, irritability, and sleep problems. We are then compelled to replace the deficiency temporarily by using more alcohol or drugs, which only perpetuates and worsens the problem.

What predisposes some of us to this imbalance of brain chemistry? One factor is genetics. Some of us simply don’t resynthesize the neurotransmitters as well as others, because our genes inefficiently encode for the enzymes which generate these chemicals. Some of us may have the genes to do it, but we lack the dietary amino and fatty acid precursors, vitamins, and minerals that are made into these particular brain chemicals. Some of us even have the right genes and nutrition, but we use up our neurotransmitters so fast by living high stress lifestyles that we don’t replace them in time to maintain enduring feelings of well being.  Finally, some of us have adequate genes, good nutrition, and reasonably healthy lifestyles, but we lack loving support systems to give our lives purpose and meaning. This is a special kind of stress that further erodes those neurotransmitters that are in our brains to buffer us against the occasional stress, dietary indiscretion, or isolation. Whatever the cause of depletion, the biochemical deficiency creates an urge or compulsion for an artificial and temporary solution.

In its most extreme and chronic form, this is called alcoholism or drug addiction. The compulsion can be virtually unstoppable unless the biochemistry is rapidly restored with depleted nutrients.

Since we now know that the problem is caused by an imbalance in brain chemistry, and we know which drugs deplete which neurotransmitters, and we also know which nutrient raw materials the brain uses to synthesize which neurotransmitters, the solution is obvious! Use the proper nutrients, and it becomes much easier to deal with the problem. Treatment programs that use this technology have dramatically better outcome rates than those who do not. Even if you are not in treatment, we recommend that you use the Power Recovery Nutrient Paks anyway, if alcohol or drugs are causing problems in your life. The important thing is, don’t blame yourself if you struggle to get a handle on this problem. You are not responsible for your genetic predisposition, and you probably were never told the problem was biochemical. This is not a moral issue, nor even primarily a psychological one, in spite of the fact that many people, even professionals who treat it, see it in these ways. Nor can it be corrected by replacing one destructive chemical with another. Mother Nature dictates that you can only rebalance yourself the way she says. Lucky for us, the technology now exists to correct the problem.

The third way in which the Power Recovery Nutrient Paks are helpful for overuse of alcohol and drugs is to assist in the restoration of the gastrointestinal tract. You probably know that alcohol causes major havoc in the stomach, intestines, pancreas, and liver, even in people who have no major symptoms. The Power Recovery Nutrient Paks also have a cutting-edge combination of glycolipids to repair damaged tissues, acidophillus to restore the friendly gut bacteria, and pantethine and other growth factors to get the bacteria growing. Sometimes there may be some gas, bloating, or loose stools with this product, because it is “cleaning out” the unfriendly inhabitants in your gut that had overgrown due to alcohol, stress, or poor diet. Just cut the dose down for awhile, until these harmless and self-limiting symptoms are manageable, and, as your GI flora grow healthier, you will be able to tolerate a higher dose.

Remember that the health of your digestive tract has a lot to do with your overall health and sense of well being. If these symptoms occur, notice how good you feel in spite of them. The elimination of toxic microorganisms generally makes people feel healthier in the long run.

Article written by Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D.

The suggested product is not intended to diagnose, prevent, cure, or treat any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Consult your healthcare provider before taking nutritional supplements of any kind.

 

The Road to Recovery

On The Road To Recovery; What Are My Options?

by Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D.

Questions and Answers About Using A Nutritional Support Program;

Why do so many people use chemicals to improve their mood?

Most people do not like feeling bad. We instinctively look for ways to feel better. In our modern age, science has given us the power to repackage or even invent many kinds of mood altering substances, that mimic and deplete our natural, mood-enhancing brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

What are neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters are the natural “feel good” chemicals in the brain that keep us feeling optimistic, motivated, up-beat and relaxed. They also help us sleep, enjoy pleasurable activities, like sex or food, and they modify physical pain.

How do artificial substances work?

Artificial substances or drugs are molecules that are able to fit into the tiny receptor sites designed to accept our natural neurotransmitters. These receptors are on the membranes of brain cells. The artificial drug or the natural neurotransmitter fit into them like a hand fits into a glove.

What happens to our brain’s natural “feel good” chemistry when an artificial drug is consumed?

The receptor sites are stimulated by both the unnatural chemical and our natural neurotransmitter, simultaneously. The brain cells adapt to the over-stimulation by making less of the natural neurotransmitter. This adaptation is a natural protective measure to keep us from being over stimulated by too much “feel good” chemistry.

Why is it so hard to stop using artificial substances?

If enough of an artificial drug is used for a long enough period of time, some of our natural neurotransmitters are simply wiped out. When this happens, a person must continue using the drug just to maintain the way they felt before they started using it. We start out trying to feel better and wind up feeling worse than ever.

Can the brain start re-making it’s own natural “feel good” neurotransmitters?

Yes. Our billion year old chemistry is supremely equipped to restore neurotransmitter imbalances and deficiencies. However, it can not restore them without certain specific amino acids, fatty acids and cofactor vitamins and minerals. These building blocks are specifically formulated in the recommended supplements.

Is it known what artificial substances replace what natural “feel good” neurotransmitters?

Yes. For instance, the natural cocaine in the brain is dopamine; the natural sedative is GABA (gamma amino butyric acid); the natural nicotine is acetylcholine and the natural antidepressant is serotonin.
What causes withdrawal symptoms?

When the brain has stopped making natural neurotransmitters and the metabolism inside our cells has adapted to the presence of the artificial drug, the cells come to “expect” the drug to be around on a regular basis. When this “expectation” is not met, our cells get very “upset” about this change. For some drugs, the withdrawal symptoms can be severe or even life threatening and professional help may be needed.

How can I fill this void when I stop using a substance?

The usual approach is to replace your toxic external support system with supportive and nurturing sober people, places and things. This is important but fails for many people because they have not replaced their toxic internal support system with a supportive, nurturing alternative. This internal gap can be filled with specific nutrients that replenish the natural chemistry destroyed by substances.

Will nutritional products relieve withdrawal symptoms?

We are all biochemically unique, so it is hard to predict for any one person how severe withdrawal may be. However, we all share the same basic heredity and therefore have similar nutritional requirements. The recommended nutritional supplements have been specifically formulated and have brought about dramatic results on the duration, intensity and types of withdrawal symptoms in most people.

What kinds of artificial substances will nutritional products help replace?

Any artificial substance such as alcohol, cocaine, nicotine, etc., which influences mood, probably displaces one or more of the dozen or so natural neurotransmitters. Since it is known which drugs displace which neurotransmitters and we know which nutritional ingredients are used to synthesize each neurotransmitters it is a relatively simple process to design a biochemical recovery plan to restore our internal support system.

How successful has the method of nutritional intervention been?

Treatment centers who use the neuro-nutritional approach have demonstrated markedly enhanced recovery rates over similar treatment centers who do not assist people with their internal recovery. Some studies have shown outcomes of two year sobriety over 80 percent.

Can I become addicted to nutritional products?

No. An addiction is caused by a depletion of our natural neurotransmitters. Nutritional supplements do just the opposite; they increase the neurotransmitters.

Does it make sense to treat a drug problem with another drug?

Since some withdrawal symptoms can be life threatening, short-term use of medication may be required. However, to date there has been no evidence that replacement of one drug with another can eventually help someone get sober. The only interventions that have been shown to assist in long term sobriety are support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and nutritional supplementation.

Who can benefit from nutritional products?

Just about everyone has had their neurotransmitters affected at various times by toxic substances, (like alcohol or drugs), nutritional deficiencies, and stress. Therefore just about everyone can benefit from nutritional supplementation.

How long will I need to take them?

Since supplements are natural food products, the question becomes, “How long do I need to take the food that I need to feel well and motivated, sleep normally, not have cravings or compulsions and function to my peak abilities?” The discovery of an individual’s biochemical requirements is similar to the self-discovery of their emotional and spiritual requirements. It will vary from person to person.

Can I use nutritional products along with medications?

In general a physician should be consulted before taking any drug or nutritional supplement. A physician skilled in CAM (Complementary Alternative Medicine) should help you decide whether or not there are any conflicts.

Are there any dangers—any precautions?

Although safe, many nutritional products have not been tested with children or pregnant or lactating women so they may not be recommended in these circumstances. One type of drug, an MAO inhibitor, should not be used at the same time with certain amino acids.

Should these products be taken with meals?

Some nutrients are best absorbed with food and others are more active if taken on an empty stomach. To benefit the most, the recommended products that contain amino acids are better taken an hour before meals so they don’t compete with the amino acids in food for transport into the bloodstream and the brain.

Should I continue with counseling while I take nutritional products?

Yes. Nutritional supplements can only help you get the most out of counseling or support groups.

What would happen if I take supplements and continue to use alcohol or other substances?

Even the best quality and most powerful nutrients cannot override the effects of these destructive chemicals. However, there is no harm in taking supplements at the same time, and some people have noticed that they will cut down their use of other substances like nicotine or caffeine when they use supplements designed to replenish brain chemistry.

What would happen if I stop using nutritional products?

There are no withdrawal symptoms from nutrients. However your body will probably not make as much of the natural neurotransmitters it would otherwise be capable of.

Are there any side effects from using nutritional products?

Some of the recommended supplements are also designed to heal the GI tract by providing Bifidus and Lactobacillus (essential healthy bacteria). If you have yeast or other unhealthy species of bacteria in your intestines (often the case with those who use substances), you may notice a clean out or detoxification phase (gas, loose stools). This is temporary as you move towards a healthier state. If this occurs, simply reduce the dose and then gradually begin to increase it.

If nutritional supplementation is such a crucial part of a recovery plan, why haven’t I been told about it before?

There are many reasons why this information has not been widely disseminated. Most people believe that people abuse drugs for psychological, not biochemical reasons. Most professionals do not know about the tens of thousands of studies that have been done in nutritional science. It is human nature to be threatened by new ideas, especially if the older view could be questioned.

Bill Wilson the founder of AA. discovered that vitamin B3 (niacin) could help relieve depression for himself and other recovering people. He spent much of the last decade of his life trying to help recovering people understand that alcoholism is not only a disease of the mind and spirit, but also of the body. The discovery that niacin is a cofactor in the conversion of the amino acid tyrosine to the natural “feel good’ neurotransmitters, catecholamines, did not happen for many years after he died. All Bill knew was that it worked and it was a factor in the physical aspect of recovery.

 

*All information is provided for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the FDA, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used as a therapeutic modality or as a substitute for your own physician’s advice.

Quit Smoking Naturally

Nicotine addiction

Quit Smoking Naturally, Painlessly, and Successfully

Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D.

Nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes, is one of the most powerful poisons on earth. If by some accident a child should ingest even a small amount of the substance through a nicotine patch, he or she would almost immediately go into convulsions that would in all likelihood be fatal. It’s so toxic that as few as two or three drops of pure nicotine applied directly to the skin of an average person will kill him or her within minutes. In lower doses, nicotine can cause high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat, tremors, convulsions, and central nervous system overstimulation. There is no known antidote for nicotine poisoning.

How is it that so many people habitually use such a powerful and potentially deadly toxic substance on a daily basis? Moreover, how is it that smokers who are addicted to nicotine are given prescriptions to the very substance they’re hooked on in order to stop smoking?

The answer to both questions lies in the way our brains work. And by the way, so does the answer to the question, “How can I quit smoking without resorting to using nicotine (and other stop-smoking drugs) and without risking further negative health consequences?”

Brain Neurotransmitters

Our brain cells, or neurons, communicate with each other by means of small molecules, called neurotransmitters, that they manufacture directly from nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. When neurons exchange these molecules with each other, they enable us to stay focused and alert, to be able to deal with stressful situations, and to block out pain, among many other things.

When sufficient amounts of nutrients are available to our brains so they can produce and exchange these chemical neurotransmitters in adequate amounts, we tend to stay on top of things, to remain relaxed and happy, and to get pleasure out of everyday life experiences. However, when our brains don’t have enough of the nutrients they need to produce neurotransmitters in sufficient quantities, we can become irritable, unable to focus, angry, even depressed. If neurotransmitter shortages continue for longer periods of time, we begin looking for ways to deal with them.

Among the most common solutions many of us find to this problem is to take up smoking. That’s because, simply put, nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes, changes the way our brains work. It artificially interrupts the normal process of manufacturing and exchanging several different types of neurotransmitter, temporarily making us feel “normal” again.

The problem is that once the nicotine is used up, our brains are once again unable to produce the neurotransmitters we require to feel good, and we need another cigarette. If you’re a smoker, as you continued to smoke, your brain got used to using nicotine as a substitute for its normal production of neurotransmitters, and you began to rely more and more on the nicotine and less and less on your brain’s natural ability to keep you focused, alert, and happy. Presto! A habit was born.

The real problem in trying to quit, though, is not the cigarettes themselves but the fact that most physicians don’t have a good understanding of how our brains work. They’re unaware that there is a very straightforward way to rebalance our brain chemistry so that we no longer need nicotine.

Power Recovery Program

It’s so simple, in fact, that even folks who have been smoking cigarettes for years find that within 24 to 72 hours of using a revolutionary new strategy called the Power Recovery Program, their cravings are diminished, and even disappear. Best of all, you don’t have to stay hooked on nicotine, or take any other addictive substance, to stop smoking. What you do need to do is to take measured doses of several key nutritional supplements, which are likely in short supply in your body. Doing this makes key nutrients available to your brain and enables you very quickly to resume producing the neurotransmitters you need to overcome the craving for cigarettes and to begin to feel normal again without them.

Quick Start For Smokers To Quit

There’s a special Quick-Start for Smokers stage in the Power Recovery Program that enables you to understand exactly which nutrients are in short supply and have led to your needing to use cigarettes to make you feel better. Quick-Start for Smokers explains exactly which nutritional supplements you need to immediately provide your brain with the nutrients it requires to jump-start the production of the neurotransmitters that can reduce or eliminate your cigarette cravings and get you off on the right foot toward recovery. Best of all, with the Quick-Start nutrients you have the choice of quitting smoking right away or tapering off the use of cigarettes gradually.

The Quick-Start for Smokers nutritional supplement formula consists of the amino acids L-Glutamine and L-Tyrosine, 5HTP, lecithin, vitamin C, and a combination of other vitamins and minerals that are available by purchasing any one of a number of national brand name multi-vitamin, multi-mineral capsules.

Bottom line: If you are a smoker who has struggled with quitting and feel that you’re hopeless, take heart. The Power Recovery Program approach has had unprecedented success with helping people overcome addictions of all types, including cigarettes. You can do it too!

Helping Those Who are Constitutionally Incapable of Recovery

Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D.

Alcoholics Anonymous

“Constitutionally Incapable” is the term used in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous to describe a person who can not recover from addiction. In other words, some individuals are thought to be so morally and physically “bankrupt,” that providing treatment and AA for them is a waste of time. Because of serious flaws in their psychological makeup (mind), their physical/medical condition (body) and/or their disconnection to anything greater than their own selfish interests (spirit), they will find it impossible to stop abusing alcohol and chemicals or establish authentic sobriety.

The founders of AA, building on the work of physicians like Benjamin Rush (1) for over 200 years, offered a window of hope for those who are Constitutionally Incapable of recovery, predicting that someday, when science has advanced far enough, the physical cause(s) which explain(s) why some individuals who appear to be hopeless, will be discovered, and rational, science-based, medical interventions will become widely available. They envisioned that those who seem to be Constitutionally Incapable of recovery will be treated properly and “reformed” into people who are indeed Constitutionally Capable of making a complete recovery.

Age of Neuroscience

That hope basically entails putting the recovery of “body” into the promised recovery of “mind, body and spirit.” Until very recently, the “body” part of that triad was not available. However, the Age of Neuroscience has to come into vogue, and the brain mechanisms explaining the symptoms of mental disorders, such as addiction, depression and anxiety, can now be explained. This phenomenon has been popularized on top-of-the-charts TV crime shows like bones and CSI, where laboratory science investigators collect DNA and other data at the crime scenes to determine the perpetrator.

This technology has recently become available, and now we can realize the vision of the founders of AA and provide laboratory-based, scientific data about brain chemistry imbalances which undoubtedly cause the symptoms of craving, depression, insomnia and anxiety. Armed with this data, intelligent, rational interventions can be devised to abolish such post-abstinence symptoms. Those who were once Constitutionally Incapable of recovery are now perfectly able to recovery like other “less damaged” addicts and alcoholics. An analysis of outcome data regarding long term abstinence when these technologies are provided suggests that no longer is anyone Constitutionally Incapable of recovery.

Biochemical Risk Factors

Thousands of peer-reviewed, university-performed studies have virtually proven that these biochemical “risk factors”(2) for addiction can be found and reversed, which leads to astonishing outcomes (3). Insurance-covered, diagnostic tests are readily available to test for these risk factors which when corrected, can transform Constitutionally Incapable addicts. Some are food allergies (4), heavy and toxic metal poisoning (5), amino acid deficiencies (6), neurotransmitter turnover (7), essential fatty acid deficiencies (8) and many other imbalances, toxicities and nutritional deficiencies. Consumer friendly books (9) are available which introduces readers to this science.

Unfortunately the science has moved so quickly that most physicians are not trained in the biochemistry related to brain disorders, nor do they know how to order appropriate testing panels to determine the causes of addictions, or how to interpret the tests or how to devise science based interventions.

Generally, the best that conventional medicine and psychiatry have to offer are replacement drugs, which merely cover up symptoms with other, equally addictive psychotropic chemicals, and which do not address the root cause of the problem. Amassed studies strongly suggest that a failure to reverse these root causes of addiction, will trap those who are Constitutionally Incapable of recovery to remain in an endless spiral of addiction.

Functional Lab Testing

Diagnostic testing not only uncovers the root causes of addiction, allowing clinicians to intelligently reverse them. Diagnostic testing also helps to bring a profound change in the psychosocial and spiritual perspective of a recovering individual. Addiction has been recognized as a shame-based disease . Addicts have been prosecuted as criminals, treated as psychiatric patients with psychotherapy and psychiatric medications, and generally given the message that there is fundamentally and shamefully something wrong with them.

Once I lay out the functional lab testing results for an addict or their family, a different message comes through loud and clear – that certain biochemical risk factors unique to each individual are the actual cause of the addiction, and not any of these other moralistic or psychosocial excuses. Patients tend to forgive themselves immediately, and their families forgive them too. The shame is lifted. The self- and other-loathing, which contributed to the condition of “Constitutional Incapableness” melts away. The vision of AA’s founders, scientists and physicians throughout the ages is now attainable. Very few if any addicted or alcoholic people are constitutional incapable of recovery when they avail themselves of these marvelous diagnostic technologies.

References

(1) A signer of the Declaration of Independence and George Washington’s personal physician, strived to make freedom of religion and freedom of healthcare inalienable rights. He was an advocate of treating mental disorders as diseases instead of as moral or religious problems.
(2) Any medical condition can have risk factors which predispose a person to have that condition. This term is best known when applied to heart disease, which has certain risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes etc. Reverse the risk factors and the chances of succumbing to the disorder are lessened.
(3) Gant CE (2000) Functional Medicine:The Missing Link in Addictionology, JOURNAL OF ADDICTIONS NURSING, Volume 12, Numbers 3/4, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
(4) http://www.metametrix.com/content/DirectoryOfServices/0075IgG4FoodAntibodies90-Serum
(5) http://www.metametrix.com/content/DirectoryOfServices/0022NutrientToxicElements-Erythrocytes
(6) http://www.metametrix.com/content/DirectoryOfServices/0010AminoAcids40-Plasma
(7) http://www.metametrix.com/content/DirectoryOfServices/0091OrganixComprehensive-Urine
(8) http://www.metametrix.com/content/DirectoryOfServices/0040FattyAcids-Plasma
(9) Gant CE (2009) End Your Addiction Now. Square One Publishers.
(10) Bradshaw J (1988) Healing the Shame that Binds You, Health Communications Inc, Deerfield Beach, Florida (available on Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Shame-That-Binds-You/dp/0932194869#noop

Recovery Quotes

  • “I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward.” – Charlotte Brontë
  • “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese proverb
  • “Sometimes you can only find Heaven by slowly backing away from Hell.” – Carrie Fisher
  • “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
  • “Nothing is impossible; the word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’” – Audrey Hepburn
  • “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
  • “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier
  • “It’s difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness of the universe. Everything beautiful in the world is within you.” – Russell Brand
  • “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford
  • “If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.” – Zen proverb
  • “Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” – Carl Bard
  • “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” – Muhammad Ali
  • “It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.” – Agnes Repplier
  • “If things go wrong, don’t go with them.” – Roger Babson
  • “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “When the past calls, let it go to voicemail. Believe me, it has nothing new to say.” – Unknown
  • “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!” – Anne Frank
  • “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
  • “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.” – Elbert Hubbard
  • “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.” – John Wayne
  • “What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself.” – Hecato
  • “Every worthy act is difficult. Ascent is always difficult. Descent is easy and often slippery.” – Mahatma Gandhi
  • “People can be more forgiving than you can imagine. But you have to forgive yourself. Let go of what’s bitter and move on.” – Bill Cosby
  • “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
  • “If you can quit for a day, you can quit for a lifetime.” – Benjamin Alire Sáenz
  • “I understood, through rehab, things about creating characters. I understood that creating whole people means knowing where we come from, how we can make a mistake and how we overcome things to make ourselves stronger.” – Samuel L. Jackson
  • “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger — something better, pushing right back.” – Albert Camus
  • “Patience and the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.” – Chinese proverb
  • “It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.” – Joseph Campbell
  • “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
  • “There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anaïs Nin
  • “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker
  • “The past is a ghost, the future a dream and all we ever have is now.” – Bill Cosby
  • “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
  • “Not feeling is no replacement for reality. Your problems today are still your problems tomorrow.” – Larry Michael Dredla
  • “I think that the power is the principle. The principle of moving forward, as though you have the confidence to move forward, eventually gives you confidence when you look back and see what you’ve done.” – Robert Downey Jr.
  • “Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.” – Charlotte Whitton
  • “Every experience in your life is being orchestrated to teach you something you need to know to move forward.” – Brian Tracy
  • “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
  • “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese proverb
  • “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn
  • “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” – Rosa Parks
  • “When was the last time you woke up and wished you’d had just one more drink the night before? I have never regretted not drinking. Say this to yourself, and you’ll get through anything.” – Meredith Bell
  • “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
  • “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra
  • “Amazing how we can light tomorrow with today.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
  • “Sometimes we motivate ourselves by thinking of what we want to become. Sometimes we motivate ourselves by thinking about who we don’t ever want to be again.” – Shane Niemeyer
  • “Every noble work is at first impossible.” – Thomas Carlyle
  • “The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
  • “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” – Babe Ruth
  • “I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life – and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.” – Georgia O’Keeffe
  • “Keep steadily before you the fact that all true success depends at last upon yourself.” – Theodore T. Hunger
  • “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” – Helen Keller
  • “Never say anything about yourself you do not want to come true.” – Brian Tracy
  • “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh
  • “To improve the golden moment of opportunity, and catch the good that is within our reach, is the great art of life.” – Samuel Johnson
  • “As one goes through life, one learns that if you don’t paddle your own canoe, you don’t move.” – Katharine Hepburn
  • “Happiness is where we find it, but rarely where we seek it.” – J. Petit Senn
  • “We may think there is willpower involved, but more likely … change is due to want power. Wanting the new addiction more than the old one. Wanting the new me in preference to the person I am now.” – George Sheehan
  • “What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
  • “Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.” – Bernard Williams
  • “I dwell in possibility.” – Emily Dickinson
  • “The only journey is the one within.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
  • “What is addiction, really? It is a sign, a signal, a symptom of distress. It is a language that tells us about a plight that must be understood.” – Alice Miller
  • “If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.” – Michael Jordan
  • “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” – Jimmy Dean
  • “When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe
  • “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
  • “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

The Third Leg of the Stool

The Third Leg of the Stool: Nutritional Support for the Addicted Brain

By Christina Veselak, LMFT

The American Medical Association has long understood that addiction is a brain driven, bio-psycho-social  illness. Traditional treatment programs, including Alcoholics Anonymous have done a great job developing effective approaches to the psychological, social and spiritual aspects of addiction. However, for the most part, these programs do not teach their clients the skills necessary to address or manage the biochemical and brain imbalances that drive addiction. Thus relapse rates are chronically high, and even when people do manage to stay sober, they are often plagued by ongoing depression, anxiety, irritability and insomnia. This leads them to seek relief by going to psychiatrists whose tool-boxes are generally limited to the use of psychotropic medications, thus rendering patients dependent upon them for lifetime prescriptions. Many addicts and alcoholics go into treatment to get off mood altering substances, only to leave treatment on more drugs than they entered with. Furthermore, many of these drugs are toxic, have serious side effects, or stop working effectively after a while. Just as importantly,  these drugs do not address the root causes of brain imbalance. Fortunately, 50  years of research supports an alternate approach to addressing the chemical imbalances underlying addictive behavior. By learning to feed their brains and bodies the simple nutrients required for optimal and balanced functioning, many recovering people are empowered to create a stable and enduring recovery and a vibrant  life.  Imagine a three legged stool: if this stool has only one functioning leg, it will fall over immediately; if it has two legs, the person attempting to sit on it may  stay upright for a short while, but only by staying focused on maintaining strict balance.  Once distracted, they fall right over. However, bringing  in  the  third  leg  of  the  stool  allows a person to easily find balance,  and  move on with life.

This “bio” approach is based on two premises: keeping blood sugar very stable through the day by never, ever missing a meal, avoiding simple sugars and starches and eating protein every 3­‐4 hours; and quickly replenishing the malnourished addicted brain with the nutrients necessary for its optimal functioning. These nutrients are ideally found in a well-rounded, whole food, “pro-recovery” diet. They include amino acids, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.

However, by the middle and late stages of addiction, most addicts and alcoholics are profoundly nutrient deprived, and have developed serious digestive issues. Therefore, we  have found that using supplements which contain these crucial nutrients, often effectively jump starts the repair process and frequently leads to dramatic decrease of  withdrawal symptoms and cravings, quickly improving mood and  sleep.  These supplements can be found at any local vitamin store and can be taken as needed without a prescription.  Treatment programs which utilize this approach, and bring in the “third  leg of the stool” have been shown to have a much lower relapse rate than programs which  don’t.

Finally, these treatment programs have identified underlying physiological disorders which many people self-medicate by using mood altering chemicals and behaviors. These disorders include hypo- or  hyper-thyroidism, adrenal dysfunction, food intolerances, and genetic polymorphisms such as issues with the MTHFR gene or Reward Deficiency Syndrome. These disorders can be easily identified and treated, again leading to a more serene recovery. For further information, read: Seven Weeks to Sobriety, by Joan Mathews Larson, PhD; End Your Addiction Now, by Charles Gant, MD PhD; and The Mood Cure by Julia Ross, MA.

Please  contact the author, at 303­‐888­‐9617  or christinaveselak@gmail.com for references, or go to www.transformingaddictions.com
Disclaimer: The information contained in this document is for educational purposes only and it should not be followed without first consulting with a healthcare professional who is knowledgeable about CAM (Complementary/Alternative Medicine), Integrative and/or Orthomolecular Medicine. If you have any known medical or psychiatric disorder you should first follow the recommendations of your healthcare professional before taking nutritional supplements. The statements contained in this document or presentation have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).