THE NEUROBIOLOGY OF ADDICTION: USING EASTERN PRINCIPLES TO TREAT ADDICTIONS AND

MENTAL ILLNESSES

Presented by: Chris Allen Shreve, PhD Candidate

LPC, NCC, MAC Mental Health & Wellness Practitioner

Shreve-Associate P.C.

TRAINING OBJECTIVES • Participants will be able to explains the processes of addiction at the

cellular level; identifying the various structures and systems that underlie addictive pathology.

• Participants will be able to understand how unregulated pleasure or trauma creates the addiction foundation in the brain; highlighting the battle between the “thinking brain and the survival brain.”

• Participants, in the second half of the training will learn the underlying principles and practices of Eastern Medicine and other Complimentary & Alternative Medicinal practices used in ancient healing.

• Participants will learn how C/A Medicine can be applied to treat addiction and mental health disorders.

WHAT CAUSES ADDICTION? LET’S GET TO THE MATTER….GRAY MATTER THAT IS!

PHYSICAL DEPENDENCY MODEL

Repeated exposure to drugs= tolerance fuels increase dosage/frequency

“A DRUG’S RECEPTOR SITE AFFINITY”

THEORIES OF ADDICTION Genetic & Biology Known as addictive inheritance. No known genes responsible Perhaps genetic changes in metabolism. For ex. Eskimos Native Americans & Asians deficient in enzyme to breakdown alcohol. responses to pleasure/pain, Possibly sex linked-boys higher risk.

THEORIES OF ADDICTION Adaptation models

include the psychological, environmental and social factors that influence addiction. Advocates of these theories have analyzed how expectations and beliefs about what a drug will do for the user influence the rewards and behaviors associated with its use. They recognize that any number of factors, including internal and external cues, as well as subjective emotional experiences, will contribute to addictive potential. They support the views that addiction involves cognitive and emotional regulation to which past conditioning contributes.

Theories of Addiction

Activation of the reward centers in the brain

Food

Sex Drugs Homeostasis line

Allostasis - new pleasure set point

Thirst

Dopamine level trigger pleasure Glutamate locks it into memory

After repeated exposure to dopamine “spiking drugs or activities,” the brain begins to records these activities as related to pleasure then survival Stress triggers relapse-deepens addiction.

Theories of Addiction

LOW dopamine levels

THE BRAIN IS ITS OWN “UNIVERSE”

Processes 400 billion bits of information per second Dedicated to 3 areas----Self-awareness of body, Environment and Time. Researchers believe to be controlled by an “Intelligent Design” Universe-

Body-Cells-Genes-DNA The body makes 10 million cells per second as we lose 10 million cells per

second. Every one of the 100 Trillion cells in the body undergoes 100K chemical

reactions per second. There are 3.2 billion Nucleic Acid molecules in one cell which is our DNA. One stand of DNA inside one cell is 6 ft. long. We have enough DNA in our body to go to the Sun and back 150 times.

“BRAIN WEAVING OF NEURO FIBER BUNDLES” DT-MRI TECHNOLOGY

“BRAIN’S INTERNAL HIGHWAY” Research has found that parts of brain are continuously being wired. Neuron to neuron connection is called a “learning”: repetition of connection is a memory. In utero, 3rd month of life 8K neurons wire/minute; 6th month of life 4 mil. neurons wire/sec. up to age 2. Intentional thinking, experiences and learning something new causes dendritic growth. Creative thinking, open ended questions and contemplating the future causes neurons to be organize. This network of connections and circuits are the finger print of who we are as it codes our genes. DNA works in such a way that our parents give us their best genes or the circuits that they practiced the most. Brain is wired for 2 states: Survival and Creativity ---80% survival based on the environment. It takes 17 years for a new piece of information to be processed into our DNA due to survival wiring. Therefore, the body is wired in our past, our DNA is wired based on past experiences upregulated by emotional footprint and stamping. You cant be or get what your brain isn’t wired for!

MESSAGES LEAVING THE STATION

LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH!

“KEY OPENS THE LOCK”

COCAINE’S ACTIONS IN THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS

Cocaine binding to uptake pumps; inhibition of dopamine uptake

OPIATE RECEPTOR SITE ACTIVITY

Opiates binding to opiate receptors in the nucleus accumbens: increased dopamine release

A “PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE” (IE. DRUGS, ALCOHOL & BEHAVIORS) INVOLVES SEVERAL AREAS OF THE BRAIN; REWARDS SMELLS, TASTES, PLACES, MEMORIES AND EMOTIONS. THE BRAIN WEAVES THESE THINGS TOGETHER TO CREATE A PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE.

www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/3d/index.html

Pleasure circuit that includes Nucleus Accumbems and VTA

Wired for survival Operates 15 seconds at a time Keeps us alive Connects survival drives with

reward, pleasure, emotions and memory

SEX*HUNGER*THIRST*

MID BRAIN DOES NOT THINK!!! http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/3d/index.html

Experiments have been done where rats have had a wire inserted directly into their nucleus accumbens. The rats preferred to press on a switch that delivered a pleasurable surge of electricity to the nucleus accumbens The rats would literally starve to death rather than stop pressing the switch. This area is where drugs, alcohol and behaviors impact on the release of dopamine. This creates dopamine surges that activate the reward and survival systems.

NUCLEUS ACCUMBEMS

Processes how are needs are being satisfied. This area is where drugs, alcohol and behaviors create a large release of dopamine while decreasing serotonin. These dopamine surges activate the reward and memory systems. The serotonin regulates satiety and inhibitions. Experiments have been done where rats have had a wire inserted directly into their nucleus accumbens. The rats preferred to press on a switch that delivered a pleasurable surge of electricity to the nucleus accumbens The rats would literally starve to death rather than stop pressing the switch.

VENTRAL TEGMENTAL AREA

ANOTHER VIEW

MEMORY CIRCUITRY http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/3d/index.html

• Links sensations, emotions from environmental input that aid in survival.

• Responsible for what and where memories are stored in the brain.

• Thought to determine how huge an emotional response an event invokes by releasing dopamine.

• Drugs cause a huge release of dopamine that activates glutamate.

• Glutamate reinforces drug memories and drug seeking in conjunction with the VTA or Ventral Tegmental area.

The Memory of Drugs

Nature Video Cocaine Video

Front of Brain

Back of Brain

Amygdala not lit up

Amygdala activated

Many incarcerated heroin addicts have reported experiencing physical withdrawal symptoms returning home from prison due to memory cues locked in the Amygdala and hippocampus.

Once thought that addiction starts here. Suggests that addiction is a choice. The MPFC is the “thinking brain.” Normally, exerts a downward impact on the Mid-Brain’s survival impulses. The Prefrontal Cortex is overridden by mid brain when a user is involved in drug seeking behaviors and reinforced when they receive the reward, “the drugs.”

MOTOR PREFRONTAL CORTEX

PLEASURE OVERRIDES SURVIVAL--REVERSE HYPOFRONTALITY

MPFC loses influence over “Survival Brain” in the battle over drug usage. Mid-Brain sends dopamine (reward) up to Frontal cortex; Frontal cortex releases glutamate (memory) down to the mid brain. Reward-Survival-Pleasure are incorrectly woven together!

THE HIGH-JACKED BRAIN

Survival Brain 1.Food 2.Water 3.Shelter

4.Mating instinct 5. Safety

Through continual drug use, drugs move up the survival chain where drugs = survival

PART II EAST MEETS WEST:

UNDERSTANDING HOW WELLNESS BACKED BY NEUROSCIENCE

CAN HELP IN TREATING MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS

Mental Illness Body Parts

Medical Paradigm Dependent &

Reactive Chemicals

Wellness Mind-body

Wellness Paradigm Independence &

Proactive Energy

DIVERGENT MODELS OF HEALTH CARE

• Western nations follows the way of hypothetical deduction and the Eastern approach uses the inductive method.

• The Western approach clearly divides the health from the disease, yet the Eastern approach considers health as a balanced state versus disease as an unbalanced state.

• The Western approach tends to change the environment and the Eastern way is to prefer to adapt to the environment.

• Western model is pathogenic, reductionist, disease-focused and diagnostically-driven.

THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN EASTERN AND WESTERN MEDICINE

THE POWER OF THE MIND

• Ayurveda • Traditional Chinese Medicine • Native American Shaman • Homeopathy • Naturopathy

WHOLE MEDICAL SYSTEMS

• Archives of Internal Medicine in 1999, divided 156 men and women with depression into three groups. One group took part in an aerobic exercise program, another took the SSRI sertraline (Zoloft), and a third did both.

• At the 16-week mark, depression had eased in all three groups by about 60%-70%.

• A follow-up to that study found that exercise’s effects lasted longer than those of antidepressants.

• A study published in 2005 found that walking fast for about 35 minutes a day five times a week or 60 minutes a day three times a week had a significant influence on mild to moderate depression symptoms.

NATUROPATHY: EXERCISE

• Bio-electromagnetic-based Therapies • Acupuncture

NATUROPATHY: ENERGY MEDICINE

ANCIENT CHINESE SECRET: ACUPRESSURE, ACUPUNCTURE & THE ART OF REFLEXOLOGY

http://www.eclecticenergies.com/acupressure/points.php

• Bio-electromagnetic-based Therapies • Acupuncture • Qi Gong • Reiki • Therapeutic touch • Light Therapies - SAD • Magnets – TMS https://youtu.be/rfCt1NNQ7zQ

NATUROPATHY: ENERGY MEDICINE

• 35 minutes 30 days • Used in the treatment of

Chronic recurrent resistant depression.

• 50% -Remission rate in 6 weeks; additional 35% see a 50% reduction in HAM-D scores.

• At 12 months post treatment, 68% maintained their treatment gains.

ENERGY MEDICINE ELECTROMAGNETIC TMS

• Pain is the number one reason why people seek acupuncture treatment,

• A new study by researchers at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Harvard Medical School, published in the journal Medical Acupuncture, found “high-level evidence to support the use of acupuncture for treating major depressive disorder in pregnancy.”

• Published data suggest that acupuncture, including manual-, electrical-, and laser-based, is a generally beneficial, well-tolerated, and safe monotherapy for depression.

ENERGY MEDICINE BIO FIELD ACUPUNCTURE

Can J Psychiatry. 2012 Jul;57(7):397-405. Acupuncture for depression: a review of clinical applications. Wu J, Yeung AS, Schnyer R, Wang Y, Mischoulon D.

ACUPUNCTURE AND MIGRAINE TREATMENT

The report found that over a 12-month period, headache patients who received regular acupuncture sessions reported fewer headaches, had a higher quality of life, missed fewer days from work, used less medication, and made fewer visits to a general practitioner than patients given standard treatment for headaches. N=401 British Medical Journal 2013

MANIPULATIVE MOVEMENT YOGA

• Since the 1970s, meditation and other stress-reduction techniques have been studied as possible treatments for depression and anxiety.

• 7.5% of U.S. adults had tried yoga at least once, and that nearly 4% practiced yoga in the previous year.

• Many of the studies evaluating yoga's therapeutic benefits have been small and poorly designed.

• However, a 2004 analysis found that, in recent decades, an increasing number have been randomized controlled trials — the most rigorous standard for proving efficacy.

• Ezzat suggests that those with severe problems “should be managed and treated primarily [in conjunction with] the patient’s family doctor and/or naturopathic doctor’s recommendations.”

THE RESEARCH ON YOGA

THE POWER OF INTENTIONAL THOUGHTS

• Attention • Intention • Will • Gratitude • Appreciation

AN EYE OPENER ON HEALING!

https://youtu.be/kOdtKt2fT1I?t=300

•Music Therapy https://youtu.be/luQ_p7GcptE •Meditation https://youtu.be/NTkIct82_HI

ENERGY MEDICINE FOR ADDICTION

DNA HEALING EFFECTS OF FREQUENCY 528 HZ

• Perhaps the leading proponent of the miraculous healing power of the 528 Hz Solfeggio note is Dr. Leonard Horowitz, world famous author of 15 health science books, and Harvard graduated public health expert.

• According to Dr. Horowitz, all healing occurs from sonic waves or vibrations, specific frequencies of sound, resonating throughout the universe.

• He claims that human cells use DNA, like radios use antennae, to receive the note vibrations and attune the body’s rhythm to that of the cosmos. He refers to the 528 Hz Solfeggio note as “the frequency of love” which, in addition to providing health benefits, opens the portals to spiritual transformation.

• Read more: http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/music-for-health-dna-repair/#ixzz44WbFqCcW

•Music Therapy https://youtu.be/luQ_p7GcptE •Meditation https://youtu.be/NTkIct82_HI

ENERGY MEDICINE FOR ADDICTION

• 2 foci of meditation: • Concentrative-focus on single

object • Non-concentrative- focus on

one’s mental activity

• 4 Forms of Meditation • Transcendental Meditation • Respiratory One method • Clinically Standardized Meditation • Mindfulness Meditation

MIND-BODY GUIDED IMAGERY MEDITATION

• Research has shown that meditators are healthier, shorter length of stays inpatient (53%) and outpatient (44.4%)

• 3 year study by Kabot-Zinn (1992), Miller et al (1995) found that outcome achieved at 3 months were maintained at 3 years in reducing anxiety.

• Benson et al. (1972) found decrease in drug, alcohol and cigarettes after 21 months of meditation. (n=1862)

• Meditation increases the resting brain voltage from 2.5 microvolts to 2.5-4.0 million microvolts.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND MEDITATION

• Reduced stress hormones & ability to manage pain better

• Increases Frontal Alpha waves - denotes absence of Anxiety.

• Increases willpower and mental strength.

• Creates better internal rhythms through mantras.

• EEG proves balancing of brain hemispheres.

BENEFITS OF MEDITATION

•Music Therapy https://youtu.be/luQ_p7GcptE •Meditation https://youtu.be/NTkIct82_HI

•Neuro-feedback https://youtu.be/va7-a6jwFV4

•Hypnosis https://youtu.be/y8hNSeuBVOk

ENERGY MEDICINE FOR ADDICTION

• Is a relatively new biofeedback technique that focuses on helping a person train themselves to directly affect brain function.

• rewards for patterns of brainwave activity that are better for the person. • This is referred to as “self-regulation,” because the individual is learning how to regulate

their own actual brainwave patterns. • Key brainwave frequencies are turned into a combination of images and sound feedback,

which the person watches and hears. • The brainwave activity information is presented to the person in the form of a video game.

The person is effectively playing the video game with his or her brain. Eventually the brainwave activity is “shaped” toward more desirable and more regulated performance.

MIND-BODY NEURO FEEDBACK

•Music Therapy https://youtu.be/luQ_p7GcptE •Meditation https://youtu.be/NTkIct82_HI

•Neuro-feedback https://youtu.be/va7-a6jwFV4

•Hypnosis https://youtu.be/y8hNSeuBVOk

ENERGY MEDICINE FOR ADDICTION

HYPNOSIS AND TREATMENT Significantly More Methadone Addicts Quit with Hypnosis. 94% Remained Narcotic Free Significant differences were found on all measures. A comparative study of hypnotherapy and psychotherapy in the treatment of methadone addicts. Manganiello AJ. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 1984; 26(4): 273-9.

Hypnosis Shows 77 Percent Success Rate for Drug Addiction Treatment has been used with 18 clients over the last 7 years and has shown a 77 percent success rate for at least a 1-year follow-up. 15 were being seen for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, 2 clients were being seen for cocaine addiction, and 1 client had a marijuana addiction.

Raised Self-esteem & Serenity. Lowered Impulsivity and Anger Participants were 261 veterans admitted to Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (SARRTPs). individuals who used repeated self-hypnosis "at least 3 to 5 times a week," at 7-week follow-up, reported the highest levels of self-esteem and serenity, and the least anger/impulsivity, in comparison to the minimal practice and control groups.

Thank you