directly from my health record
at the Veterans Hospital,
Gainesville, Fl
SUBJECT: Medical aspects of addiction
TYPE OF VISIT: Psychoeducational group
DIAGNOSIS: Alcohol dependence
PROBLEM: Lack of knowledge about the biologic basis of addiction which manifests as craving.
INTERVENTION:
Objectives: Patient will verbalize understanding of "old brain hijacking new brain".
Patient will name 3 triggers which set him/her up for using.
METHODOLOGY: Lecture with white board illustrations.
PRINCIPLES OF THE LECTURE:Taken from the Big Book of AA and medical research.
Brain has a primitive 'center' area that seeks reward and comfort. It interprets the need for this as central to survival.
Crack is usually a binge drug when money is available-less withdrawal and more tired.
Alcohol tends to be daily and causes harder withdrawal.
All drugs of abuse have in common a reaction seen under the MRI machine. Put addicts in for 6 min and show pictures of what they
love (the drug) and the reward pathway in the primitive brain "lights up". It puts cocaine on the level of breathing and eating. Old brain wins every time.
The midbrain "lights up" when person exposed to the dealer, a prostitute, motels, and so on.
Only known solution is to find something greater than yourself alone. Go be with the people who have found a way to not use and be happy-- no longer angry all the time.
(X) Patient Attended
PATIENT PARTICIPATION:
Patient:
(X) Was Alert ( ) Was not alert
(X ) Appeared oriented ( ) Did not appear oriented
(X) Interacted with others ( ) Did not interact
The three triggers mentioned above were not to
complicated for me to figure out:
Business Problems
Home Problems, wife and kids
I wanted to drink - so I did
Author: Alden Morrison
Sober Alcoholic Veteran
