Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Today the Train Your Brain Podcast welcomes special guest Maia Szalavitz onto the show. Maia has spent decades researching addiction recovery and is the author of Unbroken Brain.

The sponsor for our podcast today is Muse. You can visit ChooseMuse.com to receive a $70 discount off of their $249 Meditation Headband Device to help you learn how to meditate and also, how to meditate daily. Use code APEX and you’ll also receive a free hard case for the Muse meditation headband.

Dr. Trayford and Maia Szavalitz discuss these revolutionary shifts in understanding addiction. The first step is seeing addiction as a learning or neuro-developmental disorder.

It’s so important to, first of all, distinguish between an addiction and a dependence. “In order to be addicted to a drug, you have to learn that it does something for you. You can’t unconsciously be addicted to something. You may unconsciously be able to be dependent on something.” Continuing to do something despite negative consequences is the core of addiction, and failure to learn from punishment is a failure of a specific type of learning.

They also look at similarities between a drug addiction and falling in love which change brain function and gambling or any of these other compulsive behaviors which don’t change brain function. Research is necessarily toughening up as we must learn more effective ways to treat substance addiction for what it really is.

Every addiction recovery narrative is unique. Many find that a 12 step program is the only thing that works for them while others are successful in their pursuits of exercise, other rhythmic treatments or a replacement, regulated substance. There is no one-size-fits-all recovery.

Part of the addictive nature of drub abuse stems from the unpredictable nature of acquiring the controlled substance. In situations where drugs are available regularly addiction is less frequent.

Dr. Trayford and Maia also dispel many of the misunderstandings surrounding addiction recovery like personality and genetic links and uses of Methadone and Buprenorphine. Thanks for tuning in to our podcast today!

If you have any concerns regarding the information and applications discussed in this podcast, please consult your physician and a doctor who is experienced in functional neurology. Michael Trayford DC, DACNB is available for consultation by calling (828) 708-5274.

More links for this episode:

maiasz.com
@maiasz on Twitter

Learn more at APEX Brain Centers.com

Read the APEX Brain Centers BLOG

Follow us on Facebook

On Google Plus

Follow APEX Brain Centers on Twitter

And here is the Twitter handle for this podcast: @BrainPodcast365

Visit our YouTube Channel