Biochemical Recovery

HERE ARE THE BENEFITS OF BIOCHEMICAL RECOVERY:

Quickly reduces craving for drugs

Quickly reduces anxiety

Reduces pain

Reduces depression

Reduces cravings for carbohydrates

Reduces symptoms of malnourishment

Reduces symptoms of ill health

Increases feelings of well-being

Increases self-control

Increases energy

Increases clarity of thinking

Increases focus and concentration

Increases peace of mind.

Biochemical recovery means the correction of the deficiencies in brain chemistry that may have existed in some addicts since birth. It is based on the research of Kenneth Blum, PhD, of the University of Texas, Ernest Noble, MD, PhD, of UCLA, Joan Mathews Larson, PhD, of Health Recovery Centers in Minneapolis, Julia Ross, MA of Recovery Systems, Mill Valley, California, and dozens of others who have studied the connection between levels of brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, and addiction.

This illustration shows the synaptic space
between neural cells in your brain.

Neurotransmitters (serotonin in the above illustration) work like efficient tugboats, carrying messages from one nerve to another across a space, called a synapse. Each neurotransmitter is allowed to dock and unload its message only at specified landing sites, called receptors.

It seems that about one third of Americans are born with too few receptor sites for dopamine, a powerful "reward" chemical that makes us feel life is worthwhile. If we have too few dopamine receptors, we'd better have lots of dopamine floating around in the synapse, to increase the likelihood that a dopamine molecule finds the right landing site. Otherwise, with too little dopamine and fewer than normal receptors, the person's brain is going to have too few messages of wellbeing coursing through the nervous system. Drug addicts, therefore, may be people with too few dopamine receptors, who are seeking a missing feeling of wellbeing.

Effective treatment must involve increasing dopamine molecules, and other feel-good neurotransmitters. These chemicals can be increased with nutritious food, herbs, exercise, qigong, tai chi, satisfying sex, beautiful music, and specific amino acids.

(article courtesy of Carolyn Reuben, L.Ac. of CARA)

Updated July 15, 2003 by

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