Brain Research | Brain Development
Working the 12 Steps With a Little Help From Brain Science
Millions struggling with addiction* have found their pathway to recovery through the 12 Steps — AA and NA, as examples. Millions of their loved ones have found their recovery from secondhand drinking | secondhand drugging (SHD)** through 12 Steps, as well — Al-Anon and Nar-Anon, as examples. But there are many more who report having a problem with the…
Read MoreUsing Brain Science to Change Your Mind
Brain science is a powerful tool one can use to change their thoughts, feelings or behaviors – seriously! For followers of my blog, you know my enthusiasm for one of the most profound discoveries I’ve learned which is how the brain wires, develops and maps. And it is this understanding that has helped me and…
Read MoreSecondhand Drinking IS Childhood Trauma
There’s been a great deal of new research about the role childhood trauma plays in changing the neural network wiring of a child’s developing brain. I think Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris does one of the best jobs explaining (in 15 minutes!), “Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up … the repeated stress…
Read MoreZero Drinking to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder | FASD – American Academy of Pediatrics
I was deeply troubled by the push back to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation that women abstain from drinking alcohol during pregnancy to prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. [See American Academy of Pediatrics’ Clinical Report on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) published online 10-19-15]. The push back was the topic of Nancy Shute’s October 26,…
Read MoreUsing the Science of Stress to Change Emotional | Physical Health
In my work with various groups and individuals, it’s been my simplification of the science of stress that has especially resonated for many of my clients, because stress is the underpinning of the impacts of secondhand drinking and often of alcohol and other drug misuse, as well as the success of one’s recovery. So I…
Read MoreFor Your Brain ‘s Sake – Step Away From Your Cell Phone, Email…
As someone who began her professional career in “the before” — the before cell phones (let alone Smartphones), before email, before answering machines and fax machines – heck, before the Internet and social networking “opportunities” beyond imagination (FB, Twitter, Pinterest…) – I could so relate to Daniel J Levitin’s January 18, 2105 article for The…
Read MoreThe Brain and the Secondhand Drinking Connection
Understanding the brain and the secondhand drinking connection is powerful and lays the groundwork for my next two posts, “Causes of Secondhand Drinking,” and “The Fight-or-Flight Stress Response System (FFSRS) – Secondhand Drinking’s Best Friend.” Today’s article is Part 3 in BreakingTheCycles.com’s celebration of April as Alcohol Awareness Month, 2014. So, in case you missed the…
Read MoreTreating the Brain for Addiction and Secondhand Drinking Recovery
Many readers would be a bit surprised to realize the smartphone wasn’t introduced until 2007 or that Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube have all been introduced since 2004. In fact, we’ve seen a veritable explosion in social networking opportunities this past decade – all possible thanks to new technologies, brilliant minds and funding…
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