Addiction Myths That Are Hard To Quit

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Which Addiction-Quitting Methods Work Best?

In Tuesday’s newsletter we asked you what, in your opinion, is the best way to cure an addiction. We got the above-depicted, below-described, interesting distribution of responses:

  • About 29% said: “Addiction cannot be cured; once an addict, always an addict”
  • About 26% said “Cold turkey (stop 100% and don’t look back)”
  • About 17% said “Gradually reduce usage over an extended period of time”
  • About 11% said “A healthier, but somewhat like-for-like, substitution”
  • About 9% said “Therapy (whether mainstream, like CBT, or alternative, like hypnosis)”
  • About 6% said “Peer support programs and/or community efforts (e.g. church etc)”
  • About 3% said “Another method (mention it in the comment field)” and then did not mention it in the comment field

So what does the science say?

Addiction cannot be cured; once an addict, always an addict: True or False?

False, which some of the people who voted for it seemed to know, as some went on to add in the comment field what they thought was the best way to overcome the addiction.

The widespread belief that “once an addict, always an addict” is a “popular truism” in the same sense as “once a cheater, always a cheater”. It’s an observation of behavioral probability phrased as a strong generalization, but it’s not actually any kind of special unbreakable law of the universe.

And, certainly the notion that one cannot be cured keeps membership in many 12-step programs and similar going—because if you’re never cured, then you need to stick around.

However…

What is the definition of addiction?

Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.

Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases.❞

~ American Society of Addiction Medicine

Or if we want peer-reviewed source science, rather than appeal to mere authority as above, then:

❝What is drug addiction?

Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences. It is considered a brain disorder, because it involves functional changes to brain circuits involved in reward, stress, and self-control. Those changes may last a long time after a person has stopped taking drugs.

Addiction is a lot like other diseases, such as heart disease. Both disrupt the normal, healthy functioning of an organ in the body, both have serious harmful effects, and both are, in many cases, preventable and treatable.❞

~ Nora D. Volkow (Director, National Institute of Drug Abuse)

Read more: Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction

In short: part of the definition of addiction is the continued use; if the effects of the substance are no longer active in your physiology, and you are no longer using, then you are not addicted.

Just because you would probably become addicted again if you used again does not make you addicted when neither the substance nor its after-effects are remaining in your body. Otherwise, we could define all people as addicted to all things based on “well if they use in the future they will probably become addicted”.

This means: the effects of addiction can and often will last for long after cessation of use, but ultimately, addiction can be treated and cured.

(yes, you should still abstain from the thing to which you were formerly addicted though, or you indeed most probably will become addicted again)

Cold turkey is best: True or False?

True if and only if certain conditions are met, and then only for certain addictions. For all other situations… False.

To decide whether cold turkey is a safe approach (before even considering “effective”), the first thing to check is how dangerous the withdrawal symptoms are. In some cases (e.g. alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and others), the withdrawal symptoms can kill.

That doesn’t mean they will kill, so knowing (or being!) someone who quit this way does not refute this science by counterexample. The mortality rates that we saw while researching varied from 8% to 37%, so most people did not die, but do you really want (yourself or a loved one) to play those odds unnecessarily?

See also: Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment

Even in those cases where it is considered completely safe for most people to quit cold turkey, such as smoking, it is only effective when the quitter has appropriate reliable medical support, e.g.

And yes, that 22% was for the “abrupt cessation” group; the “gradual cessation” group had a success rate of 15.5%. On which note…

Gradual reduction is the best approach: True or False?

False based on the above data, in the case of addictions where abrupt cessation is safe. True in other cases where abrupt cessation is not safe.

Because if you quit abruptly and then die from the withdrawal symptoms, then well, technically you did stay off the substance for the rest of your life, but we can’t really claim that as a success!

A healthier, but somewhat like-for-like substitution is best: True or False?

True where such is possible!

This is why, for example, medical institutions recommend the use of buprenorphine (e.g. Naloxone) in the case of opioid addiction. It’s a partial opioid receptor agonist, meaning it does some of the job of opioids, while being less dangerous:

SAMSHA.gov | Buprenorphine

It’s also why vaping—despite itself being a health hazard—is recommended as a method of quitting smoking:

Vaping: A Lot Of Hot Air?

Similarly, “zero alcohol drinks that seem like alcohol” are a popular way to stop drinking alcohol, alongside other methods:

How To Reduce Or Quit Alcohol

This is also why it’s recommended that if you have multiple addictions, to quit one thing at a time, unless for example multiple doctors are telling you otherwise for some specific-to-your-situation reason.

Take care!

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  • Some women’s breasts can’t make enough milk, and the effects can be devastating

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Many new mothers worry about their milk supply. For some, support from a breastfeeding counsellor or lactation consultant helps.

    Others cannot make enough milk no matter how hard they try. These are women whose breasts are not physically capable of producing enough milk.

    Our recently published research gives us clues about breast features that might make it difficult for some women to produce enough milk. Another of our studies shows the devastating consequences for women who dream of breastfeeding but find they cannot.

    Some breasts just don’t develop

    Unlike other organs, breasts are not fully developed at birth. There are key developmental stages as an embryo, then again during puberty and pregnancy.

    At birth, the breast consists of a simple network of ducts. Usually during puberty, the glandular (milk-making) tissue part of the breast begins to develop and the ductal network expands. Then typically, further growth of the ductal network and glandular tissue during pregnancy prepares the breast for lactation.

    But our online survey of women who report low milk supply gives us clues to anomalies in how some women’s breasts develop.

    We’re not talking about women with small breasts, but women whose glandular tissue (shown in this diagram as “lobules”) is underdeveloped and have a condition called breast hypoplasia.

    Anatomical diagram of the breast
    Sometimes not enough glandular tissue, shown here as lobules, develop.
    Tsuyna/Shutterstock

    We don’t know how common this is. But it has been linked with lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding.

    We also don’t know what causes it, with much of the research conducted in animals and not humans.

    However, certain health conditions have been associated with it, including polycystic ovary syndrome and other endocrine (hormonal) conditions. A high body-mass index around the time of puberty may be another indicator.

    Could I have breast hypoplasia?

    Our survey and other research give clues about who may have breast hypoplasia.

    But it’s important to note these characteristics are indicators and do not mean women exhibiting them will definitely be unable to exclusively breastfeed.

    Indicators include:

    • a wider than usual gap between the breasts
    • tubular-shaped (rather than round) breasts
    • asymmetric breasts (where the breasts are different sizes or shapes)
    • lack of breast growth in pregnancy
    • a delay in or absence of breast fullness in the days after giving birth

    In our survey, 72% of women with low milk supply had breasts that did not change appearance during pregnancy, and about 70% reported at least one irregular-shaped breast.

    The effects

    Mothers with low milk supply – whether or not they have breast hyoplasia or some other condition that limits their ability to produce enough milk – report a range of emotions.

    Research, including our own, shows this ranges from frustration, confusion and surprise to intense or profound feelings of failure, guilt, grief and despair.

    Some mothers describe “breastfeeding grief” – a prolonged sense of loss or failure, due to being unable to connect with and nourish their baby through breastfeeding in the way they had hoped.

    These feelings of failure, guilt, grief and despair can trigger symptoms of anxiety and depression for some women.

    Tired, stress woman with hand over face
    Feelings of failure, guilt, grief and despair were common.
    Bricolage/Shutterstock

    One woman told us:

    [I became] so angry and upset with my body for not being able to produce enough milk.

    Many women’s emotions intensified when they discovered that despite all their hard work, they were still unable to breastfeed their babies as planned. A few women described reaching their “breaking point”, and their experience felt “like death”, “the worst day of [my] life” or “hell”.

    One participant told us:

    I finally learned that ‘all women make enough milk’ was a lie. No amount of education or determination would make my breasts work. I felt deceived and let down by all my medical providers. How dare they have no answers for me when I desperately just wanted to feed my child naturally.

    Others told us how they learned to accept their situation. Some women said they were relieved their infant was “finally satisfied” when they began supplementing with formula. One resolved to:

    prioritise time with [my] baby over pumping for such little amounts.

    Where to go for help

    If you are struggling with low milk supply, it can help to see a lactation consultant for support and to determine the possible cause.

    This will involve helping you try different strategies, such as optimising positioning and attachment during breastfeeding, or breastfeeding/expressing more frequently. You may need to consider taking a medication, such as domperidone, to see if your supply increases.

    If these strategies do not help, there may be an underlying reason why you can’t make enough milk, such as insufficient glandular tissue (a confirmed inability to make a full supply due to breast hypoplasia).

    Even if you have breast hypoplasia, you can still breastfeed by giving your baby extra milk (donor milk or formula) via a bottle or using a supplementer (which involves delivering milk at the breast via a tube linked to a bottle).

    More resources

    The following websites offer further information and support:

    Shannon Bennetts, a research fellow at La Trobe University, contributed to this article.The Conversation

    Renee Kam, PhD candidate and research officer, La Trobe University and Lisa Amir, Professor in Breastfeeding Research, La Trobe University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • Eat To Beat Hyperthyroidism!

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!

    Have a question or a request? We love to hear from you!

    In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!

    As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!

    So, no question/request too big or small

    ❝Would love to see more on eating vegan. I am allergic to soy in any form which seems to be in everything❞

    There is a lot of it about, isn’t there? Happily, these days, a lot of meat and dairy alternatives are also made from other sources, for example pea protein is getting used a lot more nowadays in meat substitutes, and there are many kinds of alternatives to dairy (e.g. nut milks, oat milk, hemp milk, and—which is a branding nightmare but very healthy—pea milk).

    You might like these previous main features of ours:

    Also, if doing a whole foods plant-based diet, lentils (especially brown lentils) can be used as a great substitute for minced beef/lamb in recipes that call for such.

    Boil the lentils (a liter of water to a cup of lentils is great; use a rice cooker if you have one!) along with the seasonings you will use (herbs appropriate to your dish, and then: black pepper is always good; you shouldn’t need to add salt; a teaspoon of low-sodium yeast extract is great though, or to really get the best nutritional benefits, nooch).

    When it is done, you shouldn’t have excess water now, so just use as is, or if you want a slightly fatty kick, fry briefly in a little extra virgin olive oil, before using it however you were planning to use it.

    Enjoy!

    ❝What foods should I eat for hyperthyroidism? My doctor tells me what foods to avoid, but not what to eat❞

    Great question! We’ll have to do a main feature on hyperthyroidism one of these days, as so far we’ve only done features on hypothyroidism:

    As for hyperthyroidism…

    Depending on your medications, your doctor might recommend a low iodine diet. If so, then you might want to check out:

    American Thyroid Association | Low Iodine Diet Plan

    …for recommendations.

    But in a way, that’s still a manner of “what to avoid” (iodine) and then the foods to eat to avoid that.

    You may be wondering: is there any food that actively helps against hyperthyroidism, as opposed to merely does not cause problems?

    And the answer is: yes!

    Cruciferous vegetables (e.g. cabbage, sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, etc) contain goitrin, which in immoderate quantities can cause problems for people with hypothyroidism because it can reduce thyroid hormone synthesis. If you have hyperthyroidism, however, this can work in your favor.

    Read more: The role of micronutrients in thyroid dysfunction

    The above paper focuses on children, but it was the paper we found that explains it most clearly while showing good science. However, the same holds true for adults:

    Read more: Concentrations of thiocyanate and goitrin in human plasma, their precursor concentrations in brassica vegetables, and associated potential risk for hypothyroidism

    Notwithstanding that the title comes from the angle of examining hypothyroidism, the mechanism of action makes clear its beneficence in the case of hyperthyroidism.

    Selenium is also a great nutrient in the case of autoimmune hyperthyroidism, because it is needed to metabolize thyroid hormone (if you don’t metabolize it, it’ll just build up):

    Selenium and Thyroid Disease: From Pathophysiology to Treatment

    The absolute top best dietary source of selenium is Brazil nuts, to the point that people without hyperthyroidism have to take care to not eat more than a few per day (because too much selenium could then cause problems):

    NIH | Selenium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals

    (this contains information on the recommended amount, the upper limit amount, how much is in Brazil nuts and other foods, and what happens if you get too much or too little)

    Note: after Brazil nuts (which are about 5 times more rich in selenium than the next highest source), the other “good” sources of selenium—mostly various kinds of fish—are also “good” source of iodine, so you might want to skip those.

    Want more ideas?

    You might like this from LivHealth:

    Hyperthyroidism Diet: 9 Foods To Ease Symptoms

    Enjoy!

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  • Superfood Baked Apples

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Superfoods, and super-tasty. This is a healthy twist on a classic; your blood sugars will thank you for choosing this tasty sweet delight. It’s also packed with nutrients!

    You will need

    • 2 large firm baking apples, cored but not peeled
    • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
    • 3 tbsp goji berries, rehydrated (soak them in warm water for 10–15minutes and drain)
    • 1 tbsp honey, or maple syrup, per your preference (this writer is also a fan of aged balsamic vinegar for its strong flavor and much milder sweetness. If you don’t like things to be too sweet, this is the option for you)
    • 2 tsp ground sweet cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger

    Method

    (we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

    1) Preheat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉ / gas mark 4

    2) Mix the chopped walnuts with the goji berries and the honey (or whatever you used instead of the honey) as well as the sweet cinnamon and the ginger.

    3) Place the apples in shallow baking dish, and use the mixture you just made to stuff their holes.

    4) Add 1/2 cup water to the dish, around the apples. Cover gently with foil, and bake until soft.

    Tip: check them every 20 minutes; they may be done in 40 or it may take 60; in honesty it depends on your oven. If unsure, cook them for longer at a lower temperature.

    5) Serve warm.

    Enjoy!

    Want to learn more?

    For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

    Take care!

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