The two major causes for addiction have been identified and are
thoroughly and completely addressed and treated successfully on the
Narconon Program.
These two major reasons are:
- Mental and physical cravings caused by drug residues which remain
in the body even long after a person quits using the drug.
- The "Biochemical Personality" -- the "way of
thinking" that is caused by drug addiction and the lifestyle an
addict adopts to get drugs and live with a drug habit.
These two situations are intrinsically linked, the one feeding the
other, and both must be recognized and dealt with before a person can
fully free himself or herself from the addiction.
Biochemical Aspects of Addiction
The addict can “just say no” a thousand times, but it only
takes saying “yes” one time to start the cycle of addiction again.
Several decades ago, L. Ron Hubbard discovered the biochemical aspect
of drug addiction. This biochemical breakthrough has led to the most
successful approach to rehabilitation in existence.
In essence, when a person uses drugs over a period of time, the body
becomes unable to completely eliminate all traces of them. The traces
that remain are stored in the fatty tissues. Called "drug
metabolites", these traces re-enter the system and trigger cravings
for the drug along with the "Biochemical Personality" traits
that are a non-optimum way of life.
Left unhandled, these manifestations will haunt a person for years
even if they have sobered up. Left untreated, they can trigger a serious
relapse.
These unresolved symptoms and manifestations, whether physical or
mental in origin, create an underlying low-level type of stress which
cannot be completely ignored by the addict. The addict can “just say
no” a thousand times, but it only takes him saying “yes” one time
to start the cycle of addiction again.
Drug Residues Remain in Fatty Tissues
Drugs are broken down in the liver into substances
called metabolites. Although removed rapidly from the blood stream,
metabolites can become trapped in the fatty tissues. The one thing in
common—and the problem that needs to be addressed—is that these drug
residues remain trapped for years.
Tissues in our bodies that are high in fats are turned
over very slowly. When they are turned over, the stored drug metabolites
are released into the blood stream and reactivate the same brain centers
as if the person actually took the drug. The former addict now
experiences restimulation of a drug episode (or “flashback”) and
subsequent drug craving. This is common in the months after an addict
quits and can continue to occur for years, even decades.
The Cycle of Quitting, Withdrawal, Craving And Relapse
When the addict initially tries to quit, cells in the
brain that have become used to large amounts of these metabolites are
now forced to deal with much decreased amounts. Even as the withdrawal
symptoms subside, the brain “demands” that the addict give it more
of the drug. This is called drug craving.
Craving is an extremely powerful urge and can cause a
person to create all kinds of “reasons” they should begin using
drugs again. He is now trapped in an endless cycle of trying to quit,
craving, relapse and fear of withdrawal.
Eventually, the brain cells will again become used to
having lowered drug metabolites. But, because deposits of drug
metabolites release back into the bloodstream from fatty tissues for
years, craving and relapse remain a cause for concern.
Left unhandled, the presence of metabolites even in
microscopic amounts cause the brain to react as if the addict had again
actually taken the drug and can set up craving and relapse even after
years of sobriety.
Handling the Drug Metabolites
The Narconon Rehabilitation Program utilizes a combination
of exercise, induced sweating in a sauna, and nutritional supplements to
eliminate the traces of drugs, or metabolites, stored in the fatty tissue.
No drugs of any kind are part of the Narconon
Rehabilitation Program, such as "addiction substitute drugs"
like methadone.
The results of this phase of the program are:
- Reduction or elimination of drug and alcohol cravings.
- Reduction or elimination of many symptoms associated with drug
addiction and alcoholism. These can include depression, irritability,
and fatigue.
- Ability to think more clearly.
- Improved memory and attention span.
- Increased energy.
- Increased sense of well being.
- Enthusiasm toward Life.
Handling the "Biochemical Personality"
After successfully eliminating drug traces from the body,
the Narconon Rehabilitation Program moves through a series of specialized
study courses that complement and expand on each other to help the addict
recognize the old addiction life-style and thought processes.
These unique cognitive and objective therapies are
followed by life skills training, delivered in easily understood phases
designed to complement and expand on each other.
The program is complete when the former addict recognizes
and accepts responsibility for old habit patterns and "reasons
why". The person's relationships with and understanding of himself,
his family, friends and environment are fully examined and rehabilitated.
On the person's own self-determinism, and with no physical
or mental "hooks" into past cravings and behavior, he or she is
no longer an addict and has regained his or her own true nature.
As so many program graudates say, "The future is once
again accessible, and anything is possible."
Click Here for a
complete description of the Narconon Program.
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