Depending on how you define an addiction, 15 to 60 percent of us have one. You’ll hear that a group of people have an “addictive personality” and sometimes hear that they’re neurotic, dishonest, and selfish. Don’t believe it. Temma Ehrenfeld is a writer and editor. As a journalist, she covers health, psychology, and personal finance. Her work has appeared[…]
Category Archives: Willing Ways Articles
08
Feb
Feb
Wanting and liking are the basis of motivation, our psychological oxygen. Humans must find the motivation to continue the journey of life. Motivation to go to work, to parent, to invest in costly long-term relationships, and motivation to wake up every morning and give life another shot. Some aspects of these life tasks must be rewarding for people[…]
08
Feb
Feb
How do you know you have an addiction? Drawing from research on addiction in neuroscience, psychology, and clinical practice, the following list identifies several key behavioral patterns associated with addiction: Shahram Heshmat, Ph.D., is an associate professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Springfield with a Ph.D. in Managerial Economics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He specializes in the Health Economics[…]
07
Feb
Feb
Working out in recovery Eating, sleeping, and feeling healthy may seem like normal parts of life, but being able to function effectively on a day-to-day basis should not be taken for granted. Like so many other medical problems, addiction interferes with an individual’s normal physical functioning. Instead of eating properly or seeking intimate partnerships or healthy relationships, addiction overrides[…]
07
Feb
Feb
Distinguishing between food and drug addiction Research is beginning to uncover that the brain reward systems responsible for making drugs of abuse so addictive are the same pleasure systems that are activated by the foods we eat. While it’s easy to list differences between foods and drugs our brains can have a very hard time differentiating between the pleasure derived from[…]
07
Feb
Feb
Research reveals the brain chemistry behind the struggle with overeating Food Addiction Is Not About Willpower: Have you ever heard a friend exclaim that a certain dessert – flourless chocolate cake, say – is “totally addictive”? For some people, this is just a breezy exaggeration. They mean that they liked the cake very much and[…]
07
Feb
Feb
Why do loved ones struggle to set and maintain firm boundaries? Setting Boundaries for Loved Ones: Another relapse. Another midnight call. Another sleepless night. Another round of fear, frustration, and fatigue. Fear. What will happen to my adult son? Will he lose his freedom, his apartment, his possessions, and his beloved dog? Will he become homeless? Will[…]
07
Feb
Feb
Unbeknownst to most, significant loss is intrinsic to addiction recovery. As I wrote in last month’s post, the loss is an unavoidable part of life. Over time, everyone experiences a range of significant losses, and as painful as it often is, the grieving process is a necessary and healthy part of mourning and getting through those losses.[…]
07
Feb
Feb
Children with autism are vulnerable to the negative effects of screen time. Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are uniquely vulnerable to various brain-related impacts of screen time. These electronic “side effects” include hyperarousal and dysregulation—what I call Electronic Screen Syndrome—as well as technology addiction, to video games, the internet, smartphones, social media, and so on. Victoria L. Dunckley,[…]
01
Feb
Feb
Understanding the motive behind teen drug use. There comes a time in a teen’s life when he or she is faced with the single decision to take a drug. The power of that one decision is oftentimes underestimated. Some teens are able to say no and others can’t resist the urge and give in to[…]