A number of years ago I facilitated a training program on nicotine addiction for about 250 professionals, doctors, psychiatrist, psychologist, counselors and other health care providers. During intermission one of the attendees asked a question that later changed my thinking about the terms, chemical addiction and chemical dependency. He asked if I knew the differences between the two. I told him I use the terms interchangeably. He didn't like my answer and stomp off. I felt as if I missed the boat on something I should know, but didn't.
I thought about the encounter for a couple of years. I'm a little slow sometimes, but this encounter has had a profound influence on my thinking, my books and my approached to working with others. It finally dawned on me that what the man was saying is, there are significant differences between chemical addiction and chemical dependency.
I searched and searched and finally found a resource that supported this conclusion.
Most of what I have concluded is supported by some and some supported by my experiences working in the field of addictions. I am mostly self-educated which has one advantage; I don't know all the commonly accepted facts. I am not caught in a box of predetermined labels.
I was asked to evaluate a man for cocaine addiction. He owned a successful restaurant, but due to his obsessive cocaine use he was about to lose everything. He looked like a cocaine addicted and he acted like a cocaine addicted, but something wasn't right. Listening to what he was telling me I suspected he might be bi-polar.
I recommended the man be evaluated by the staff psychiatrist to rule out bi-polar disorder. The doctor confirmed my suspicion and diagnosed the man with bi-polar disorder. He then prescribed the appropriate medication. A few months later the man returned to thank me. He said he had no idea there was a name for what was happening to him and was amazed that just taking a little pill everyday could change his whole life for the better.
If I was really smart I would have diagnosed this man with cocaine addiction and recommended intensive treatment. The outcome for him would probably have been disastrous. Good thing I'm not too smart.
Because the man at the training session questioned me I decided to take a second look at what I thought I knew. I was able to see beyond the obvious. The patient was not addicted to cocaine as he appeared; he was dependent on the drug to medicate his bi-polar disorder. I lost track of him years ago, but when I knew him he no longer used cocaine.
The big lesson here is; I learned to look beyond what I think I see on the surface and instead look at the whole person. Most importantly I learned not to be caught up in preconceived judgments, but to think outside the box and look for what I cannot see before I give the easy one size fits all opinion. Addiction and dependency look the same, but in fact they are two entirely different issues requiring two different remedies. It is common for a person to have a duel diagnosis, addiction and dependency. In this case both disorders must be addressed concurrently. Top
Good Fear/Bad Fear
Fear is not a fun feeling, but it is necessary for our survival. If I'm standing in the middle of a road and there is a big truck barreling down on me, I will instantly feel extreme fear. My brain goes into the danger alarm state and in a microsecond my body floods with adrenaline, my muscles tighten and I instinctively jump out of the way of the truck.
This instinctual survival mechanism alerts us of danger and keeps us from harm. It's why mankind has survived on earth all these years. Without it we would have vanished a long time ago. Of course if I wasn't fast enough the truck would have hit me and I would be no more.
This fear is good fear because it is real and necessary for us to exist. Young children run into the street all the time and are injured and even killed by oncoming cars and trucks. The child has no fear because his or her brain does not have the knowledge that cars and trucks can be dangerous. Also the child's survival instincts are not yet developed.
Our survival mechanisms can be used in many other life situations all with the same basic purpose - survival. That's normal and it is good.
My youngest daughter read the first draft of this article and sent this email: "I just read that fear is necessary. I always feel fear for the kids when I know they are out there driving in bad weather, or going to a concert, or anything, I just worry about their physical and mental safety . They are always my first concern. love you Kathy" My daughter's concern for her children are as healthy and normal as it gets.
Fear is not good when it is not justified. The feeling is real, but the fear is imagined and not grounded in reality. Many of us have emotional issues as the result of a traumatic experiences, PTSD or a near death experience. If a person was abused at some point in their life, especially in childhood healthy emotional development could be impaired to some degree. He or she might have low self-esteem and feel inferior to others. This person might grow to be intelligent and productive, but immature on a personal level.
The person might be hyper sensitive to criticism, and fear being abandoned, betrayed, embarrassed, shamed, degraded and is insecure and self-conscious. He or she might resort to abusing alcohol or other drugs to medicate and soothe their unpleasant feelings. This person from time to time might have thoughts of ending it all. To that person thoughts of dying gives them a moment of calm thinking; if all else fails they still have the ultimate solution. The reasoning is not rational, it is a symptom of hopelessness.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Any one of these maladies could cause a person to feel undefined fear. The person would imagine scenarios of past conflicts continually rehashing in their mind trying to make things come out the way they want them to. This process offers a few seconds of relief only to crash and be repeated again and again. The person is seeking a past wrong to be righted. He or she wants understanding, fairness and vindication. During these episodes the person's fear is not based in reality. These delusions are normal under the circumstances, but it is not good fear; it's a survival mechanism for a dysfunctional mind.
He or she might have undefined fear that something bad is going to happen to them. This could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy. The person will sabotage their own happiness.
It is important to recognize the imagined fear is not the problem; it is a symptom of deeper underlying issues. If you can identify having obsessive fear and anxiety I suggest you seek professional help from a qualified therapist. If you are abusing alcohol and other drugs you might feel a temporary reprieve, but you are actually making things worse. Talk to your counselor about your substance abuse and consider a twelve step program to help you become clean and sober. Top
Outside The Box
The articles below are from both my personal and professional experiences.
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Outside The Box
Good Fear Bad Fear
