- A nutrition and exercise based lifestyle practised along with the twelve steps of recovery.
- Addiction friendly diet
- Low Vitamin D level, can be a factor in many physical and mental illnesses including addiction
- Even minor hydration loss can stress our bodies and brains, impacting decision making.
- Brain trauma, hitting or jarring the head even without concussion or loss of consciousness, can reduce sexual impulse control Childhood head injuries may be very significant. Over 40% of those assessed at one chain of mental health clinics having head trauma as a contributing factor in their condition
- Rehabs are starting to do brain scans, gut and other pathology tests and nutrition counselling as part of a sustainable recovery progam
- Toxins and medications can affect parts of the brain that do recovery
- Nutrition education has improved outcomes in addiction recovery
- Sugar intake reduction to help brake addictive brain patterns
- Benefit of ketosis for some in addiction recovery: restoring metabolic flexibility
- Numerous factors impacting brain health linked to sex offending: Poor nutrition, especially in the childhood neurodevelopmental stage, gut conditions.
- Studies showing greater ability to control sexual urges with targeted nutrition and poorer recovery rates in those with gut problems.
- Stress is a key trigger for relapse: Physical, emotional or spiritual stress. If someone doesn’t have the physical capacity for recovery, has an undiagnosed brain health issue the stress of recovery becomes a trigger for relapse or even abandoning recovery.
- Genetic health declines with ageing, too commonly aggravated by poor lifestyle factors like nutrition, gut health, fitness. This is one reason why there’s inappropriate sexual behaviour by the elderly in retirement villages and nursing homes. Genetic decline can be slowed and even reversed
- The drug Naltrexone has been used for decades to help people detox drugs and alcohol. Naltrexone works to shut down the opioid pathway in the brain, reducing cravings. In recent years naltrexone and similar drug nalmefene have been used in the treatment of sex addiction, young sex offenders, eating disorders, problem gambling, trichotillomania (compulsive hair-pulling). Use is usually short-term to cover the withdrawal period. Long term use has been prescribed when necessary
Some common physical issues in addiction recovery
- Gut health
- Nutrition
- Toxins
- Brain injury
- Hormones
- Genetics/ epigenetics
- Stress – physical, emotional, spiritual
- Automatic negative thinking
Disclaimer
This presentation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.