That is what my psych professors said-and my professional experience as a case manager shows it is true-I’ve never had an addicted client who didn’t start overusing/abusing a substance to escape from serious emotional issues-many have some degree of obsessive/compulsive behavior-often becoming addicted as a result.
If those emotional issues are not addressed and dealt with-preferably in therapy-then they will either relapse, start abusing another substance, including food or sweets/sugar. A lot of those who go to AA or other self help programs rather than therapy to deal with their underlying issues become insufferable “dry drunks”, too-preachy, fixated and obsessed to the point of being dogmatic and subject to mood swings worse than those of someone with bi-polar disorder-one of the dearest people in my life is that way-has been a sponsor at AA for over 20 years, and his social life is just about all there at AA, except for 2-3 of usrelatives and friends. Much as we love him, 24-48 hrs is all we can stand in his company before taking our leave-I’ve counseled him a few times over the years, at his request-I’ve told him he needs a psychotherapist, not just a sw/case manager like me-also I know him too well to be objective...
Many of my clients-and a couple of my friends-who went the AA or other self help route are compulsive sugar users-they dump 2-3 tablespoons of it in coffee, tea, etc-one of them buys a certain brand of soda by the case and sucks on a plastic bottle of it all day like a hamster in a cage drinks water-keeps a bottle in the truck, beside the sofa-even on a bedside table-I mentioned the unhealthiness of this habit once-won’t do it again...
One size does not fit all-inpatient rehab might be the only thing that is successful for some while psychotherapy, or AA or another self-help program like this woman’s may be perfectly okay for others-whatever works is a good thing. My lack of enthusiasm for the self-help route is my belief that when the blind lead the blind, they both fall in the ditch...
So basically, I didn’t quit drinking, i just switched drinks ?
AA is not a self-help program.
You paint a broad stroke. My own experience with addiction was limited to nicotine...or so I thought. As I sought to adjust my lifestyle in a then-ignorant quest to regain my health, I experienced first-hand the chemical effects of addiction borne not of any common mechanism, but food itself.
This and my other symptoms launched what became hundreds of hours of research and became much of the content of my 2nd book, all about the gut. The gut/brain relationship is little understood by science/medicine but there is plenty of good info out there. Most pertinent to my own experience were 2 realizations:
1. My gut was in part responsible my poor choices and the hormonal imbalance which, at the time, was contributing to emotional imbalance (depression, in my case). There were other hormonal symptoms - hypothyroidism included - and all corrected as my body healed with a healthy gut.
2. I’ve also experienced the cause/effect of the combination of MSG and ribonucleotide flavor enhancers, the effects of which I label chemical warfare upon the population. Aside from the listed physical effects found in a simple search, the most stunning effect I experienced was one which affected my behavior/choices in regards to food.
I did not research at length the long list of chemicals used in foods which have such physical/behavioral effects other than to broadly list them to “avoid” with my Methodology. Others have confirmed this experience and it should weigh heavily upon the minds of those troubled with addictive, behavioral and/or emotional problems, to state nothing of the synergistic effects of such food-borne chemicals and pharmacology.
I bring this to the table as it is my opinion that many in the population are so-affected yet even the medical & psychological professions are completely ignorant of the effects upon their patients. I believe that this plays an important role in complicating life & recovery for said people much as you describe.
Had I chosen to pursue a degree, that which I’ve learned would stun many in my dissertation, rather soon (optimistically) to be published in my book(s) in a manner which will hopefully help many out there.