The Relief of Letting Go
Bear Psychology Podcast
Having dedicated her life to helping others through emotional moments, Dr. Bea MacKay knows better than most that there are many things we cannot control in life. In her book, “Let Go of the Outcome and Let Things Fall Together”, she shares strategies for dealing with events we cannot change without feeling defeated. Her approach to mental health, embraces emotional wellbeing. Listen to our conversation with psychologist & author Dr. Bea MacKay as we talk all about her approach to reconnecting with your emotions and yourself. In this book, she walks you through how you can combine...
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Understanding Narcissism
Bear Psychology Podcast
If you have ever struggled with a person in your life that displays behaviors such as: lack of empathy; entitlement; a need to be the center of attention; negative reactions to any critical feedback; a grandiose sense of self; arrogance; manipulation and gaslighting; a need to be in control; demeaning and blaming of others and much more than this conversation will be of interest to you! “Narcissism: A Contemporary Introduction” by Dr. Richard Wood is a well-researched book that provides you with a deep understanding of the psychological terrain of the Narcissist. He distinguishes and...
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Healing from Wounds No One Sees – From Military to Motorcycles
Bear Psychology Podcast
Dedicating your life to the safety and freedom of your country is a massive sacrifice military veterans across make every day. One of the largest challenges for these heroes is working through the barriers and stigma of PTSD following service and navigating their path of readjustment and recovery. Kurt Grant, author of “Shiny Side Up: On the Road to Recovery”, used a cross-country motorcycle trip to help integrate and calm some of the chaos in his mind following military service as an infantry sergeant. Listen to our conversation with veteran & author Kurt Grant as we talk about...
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Our Emotional Connection to Pets and how it impact our lives
Bear Psychology Podcast
So many of our listeners have pets that they cherish and certainly have shared struggles they might have with these animals. I am a great animal lover and many of my clients have found solace in their relationships with pets in the home, at times feeling a great emotional boost from the connection. With this in mind, I wanted to share the work of Denise Mange – who has written about her special approach to building a health relationship with the pets in your life. A bark is not always just a bark and a bite is not always just a bite. Training a dog (or other animal)...
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Overcoming Depression with Activation Strategies
Bear Psychology Podcast
Depression is a type of mood disorder that often results in chronic feelings of profound sadness and disinterest. Referred to as both clinical depression and major depressive disorder, it affects one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and can result in a range of psychological and medical issues. Sufferers often report difficulty navigating their day-to-day life and thinking life is not worth living. However, it is critical to understand that recovery is possible and that you are not alone in these struggles. Dr. Nina Josefowitz’s book “The Behavioral Activation Workbook for...
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Healing Emotional Dysregulation
Bear Psychology Podcast
In this healing exploration author and therapist Dr. Tamra Sattler reflects on the “Enneagram 4” also referred to as “Borderline-style personality”. These personality styles have a reputation of being difficult for therapists to work with, families to tolerate, and importantly for those struggling to love and accept themselves. In her book, “Too Much and Not Enough: Healing for the Enneagram Four or Borderline-Style Personality”, Sattler describes how people achieve self-discovery and a path forward to belonging, for those with strong emotions. Listen to our conversation with...
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Medical Assistance in Dying – loving someone through the process
Bear Psychology Podcast
Upon receiving a brain tumor diagnosis in 2018, Cynthia Clark’s husband expressed his desire to prioritize the quality of his remaining years over the quantity. His desire was to relish his time with his wife and kids, which ultimately led to his decision to utilize MAID when treatment failed eight months later. After starting a blog to update friends and family about the process, Cynthia began to notice that those going through this same process with a loved one often reported feeling alone and unsupported. This led her to write “The Many Faces of MAID: What to Expect When Someone...
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Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) impacts your life today
Bear Psychology Podcast
After 20 years in practice, Dr. Jonice Webb noticed the painful struggle of people who grew up in homes where they were emotionally neglected. She identified this neglect as an "invisible factor" that continued to affect adults often leaving them feeling depleted and dissatisfied or what she described as “Running on Empty”. In Dr. Webb’s books “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect” and “Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships” she shines a light on this invisible force of CEN. She discusses how to bring new tools, strategies and...
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Meditation after Injury and Loss
Bear Psychology Podcast
After years of excellent health as an ultra-marathon runner and athlete and a good life in a stable marriage Katie Arnold’s life flipped from stable to unrecognizable. Arnold experienced a significant injury while on a rafting trip that left her with a broken leg and big life changes. She takes us through her life as an ultra-runner and a “seething but adequate” married woman before the accident. The things she relied on before her accident were ripped away from her leaving her wondering who she really is. After her accident, she sought solace through a Zen meditation...
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Untangle from Toxic People
Bear Psychology Podcast
Growing up with emotionally immature or self-centered parents can mean that your emotional needs were either disregarded or unmet. As a result, you may struggle with feelings of betrayal, abandonment, rage, or loneliness. Although you may work hard to become the person you want to be, your old wounds might re-ignite at any time, especially if your are reminded of vulnerable childhood feelings. Dr. Gibson, is an CEN expert and the author of “Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People: Avoid Emotional Traps, Stand Up for Your Self, and Transform Your Relationships as an Adult Child of...
info_outlineDid you know that in the United States alone, 40 million people ages 12 and older abuse or are addicted to nicotine, alcohol, or other drugs? The percentage among the Canadian population is similar.
Addiction is a disease that’s usually chronic in nature. It affects how the brain and body function, and it’s characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use even in the face of harmful consequences.
Addiction causes changes in the brain, which can be long-lasting and lead to harmful behaviours. Drug addiction is also characterised as a relapsing disease where people return to drug use after trying to stop.
What are the Symptoms and Causes of Addiction?
One of the leading causes of substance abuse stems from an unhealthy way to manage your emotions. Addiction can begin when you acquire the wrong tools to cope with the emotional and/or physical pain that you might feel during a particular moment in your life. Everyone needs to bond and connect, and often it’s a lack of genuine personal connections with others that creates a dependency on substances that bring relief.
The primary symptom of addiction is the recurrent use of a substance or engaging in an activity that leads to impairment or distress. Some symptoms include:
- Using a substance or engaging in an activity for longer periods or in larger quantities than intended.
- Wanting to stop but unable to do so.
- Dedicating too much time to pursuing the substance or activity.
- Strong cravings.
- Disrupting your obligations at work, school, or home.
- Continued use of the substance or activity despite problems.
Experts agree that you must show signs of at least two symptoms to be considered addicted. How severe your condition is depends on the number of symptoms you show. Two to three symptoms typically indicates a mild condition, while four to five symptoms mean a moderate disorder, and six or more symptoms is considered a severe case of addiction.
Fortunately, addiction can be treated. However, treating addiction is not simple. Since addiction is a chronic disease, it’s not possible to simply stop using drugs for a few days and be cured. Most people require long-term or repeated care to recover fully from addiction and stop using entirely.
Effective treatment for addiction will help you stop using drugs, stay off drugs for the rest of your life, and allow you to be productive at home, at work, and in society.
There are several ways to treat addiction including the use of medication, behavioural counseling, medical devices used to treat withdrawal symptoms or deliver skills training, and evaluation and treatment for mental health issues like depression and anxiety that can cause addiction.
For example, medical professionals have been prescribing drugs to treat addictions for many years. Buprenorphine and naloxone (Suboxone) are most commonly prescribed to treat opioid addiction as it helps alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings, without the same “high” or associated psychosocial effects of using illegal opioids.
However, some medical experts believe ancient plant medicines can treat addiction even better than pharmaceutical drugs. For instance, Ayahuasca is a psychotropic plant medicine blend that comes from the Amazon and has been used by native Amazonian tribes for centuries for a variety of medicinal and spiritual purposes.
Ibogaine is another plant-based medicine that some experts believe is very effective for treating addiction. Ibogaine is a psychoactive alkaloid that occurs naturally in the West African shrub iboga. In small doses, it’s a mild stimulant, but in larger doses, it induces a profound psychedelic state, which can be useful for interrupting addictions and even more efficient for breaking destructive habits and behaviour patterns.
Those who support the use of plant-based medicines to treat addictions believe it’s a better alternative because it frees the addict from drugs of all kinds instead of prescribing a legal drug to replace the illicit one.