10-22-11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RE:                 Medical society changes definition of ‘addiction’

It’s ‘a brain disorder, not bad behavior’

            Why would young people use heroin, a drug that so often leads to addiction, declining health, and—too often—-premature death?  Are they misfits, or are they sick?

              “Heroin is simply one of many possible addictions, but it’s gotten a lot of attention locally because we’ve had three young people die recently from heroin overdoses,” said Lucas, who has 25 years experience helping people cope with addictions, which can include alcohol and other drugs, gambling, pornography and video games.

              Yes, video games. Young people often feel powerless in their real worlds, so they turn to the power that comes from successfully playing video games, much like the euphoria that comes from heroin and other drugs. 

              “Addiction is a real problem, not just a symptom of depression or a symptom of social phobia or anxiety. In fact it seems to increase those as you become more addicted,” said Douglas Gentile, an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University who has studied the video game problem.

              The American Society of Addiction Medicine recently changed its definition of addiction to focus on its root cause: “a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry.” This moves the traditional definition from one based on behavior and process to one based on brain function, according to Jeff Lucas of Naperville, who is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Certified addictions counselor, as well as a certified Brainwave Technologist.

              Lucas is pleased by the new definition.  “This reflects advance in neuroscience that show how addiction takes over different parts of the brain, which is why the addictions are so hard to overcome,” he said.

              “It’s not simply about will power.”

              Genetics account for approximately half the likelihood that somebody will develop addictions, according to the addiction medicine society.

              Environmental factors affect how much influence the genetic factors will have on a person’s behavior.  “In other words, just because somebody has a biological predisposition towards addictive behavior does not mean they’re going to end up becoming addicts,” Lucas said.

              “Environment also plays a role, and part of environment is good—or bad—parenting, so there is a lot parents can do to help.”

              So can emerging neuro-technology such as brainwave optimization, which measures brain function and brings brainwaves into balance and harmony, according to Lee Gerdes, founder and CEO of Brain State Technologies®, www.brainstatetech.com

               “Addictions are not a result of bad behavior,” he said. “They are a craving that comes directly from an imbalanced brain that is seeking the substance or the action to balance itself out.”

              Often combined with other techniques such as psychotherapy, brainwave optimization is a “great technological breakthrough,” said Lucas, a therapist at Dunham Counseling Center and the Center For Brain Training, both in downtown Naperville.

              “We use brainwave optimization to measure brain patterns and determine how we can best bring those brain patterns back into balance and harmony so that the individual no longer is driven by their addictions,” said, Lucas.

              “Individual results vary, but I’ve seen dramatic positive results with my addicted clients, said Lucas, who also has used brainwave optimization to help several alcoholics and other addicted people recover. According to Lucas, one Naperville man—an alcoholic for 20 years-- called the technology “a Godsend” in aiding his recovery.

              Another of his clients, a young woman from Palos Park, said, “After 12 sessions within one week, this procedure gave me results beyond my expectations.  It helped me beat my physical and mental disability.  I don’t have a desire to smoke, drink or take drugs.  I am amazed at the potential my brain had in storage,” she said.

              Formerly suicidal, the Palos woman recently finished training to become a licensed practical nurse.

              Gerdes developed the technology after experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of a 1994 assault by four youth, one carrying a baseball bat. He writes about his experience and how this relates to imbalanced brainwave patterns of those who wrestle with addictions in his book, Limitless You: The Infinite Possibilities of a Balanced Brain (Namaste Publishing, 2008) http://www.amazon.com/Limitless-You-Infinite-Possibilities-Balanced/dp/189723841X

              “My hope is that this important announcement from the addictions community will help more people understand the reality behind addictions and point them in the direction of help that gets at the root cause: brain function,” said Gerdes. “We know there are many more people we can help. It isn’t about willpower; it’s about brain power - changing the way the brain functions.”

For more information:

Jeff Lucas, 630-664-7251; JeffLucas6251@aol.com

Associated Press article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ileBiXpDz9zZaBqwyvmJx-5Mzlmw?docId=cf6b85bae54c43ea8624c8bd257752b7

Definition by the American Society of Addiction Medicine  http://www.asam.org/DefinitionofAddiction-LongVersion.html

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(Editor’s note:  Here is a testimonial from the Palos Park woman.  She is willing to be interviewed, but does not want her real name used because she’s job-hunting.)

Testimonial from Palos Park resident

With the help of group therapy, I learned that I have a disease in which to arrest, I have to stay clean from drugs and alcohol. I tried to take my own life as I couldn't take the pain of heroin withdrawals. I took a bottle of blood pressure medication hoping that it would do the job. I gave up on life and couldn’t find a reason to live anymore.  In fear that I would not die from overdose, I severed my left radial vein and right brachial artery. I suffered from brain injury due to lack of oxygen and lost 3/4 of total blood volume.  Flat lining twice and for a period of fourteen minutes, my brain received no oxygen. There was little hope for a life without mechanical ventilation or a response to any stimuli.

Miraculously, I was weaned off of a ventilator and began to respond to commands such as "blink twice for 'yes’”, wiggle your toes", "and Squeeze my hand". Shortly after, I was wheelchair bound working on speech and occupational therapy. A month later, I was walking with a cane for the assistance of my left side. Due to dysphasia, my speech was muffled and slow. My I.Q remained above normal but I couldn’t bear the fact that I looked and talked like a handicapped person. My dreams of becoming a nurse were crushed. I graduated from nursing school before this incident occurred, but I didn’t think it was a realistic goal to prepare for my state boards. It is, after all, a requirement to have good communication skills, excellent fine motor skills and good memory. Most importantly,

I also had emotional insecurities. I suffered from untreated chronic depression for thirteen years. I would self medicate with any mind altering substances. Both parents were abusive alcoholics. Episodes included bankruptcy, death by suicide, violent street crimes and molestation by a family member. Co-dependant relationships and drug use was the way I knew how to cope with my past. I've been told numerous times that my life did resemble the Jerry Springer show or soap opera.

After I hit rock bottom with a near death experience, my brain was slowly healing. The damage to my hypothalamus started rewiring to other sections of my brain. I got discharged from the hospital with the impression that it takes two years for my brain to fully heal. I started going to support groups for my history of addiction problems and was taking Zoloft for my depression. I thought I was managing until I found myself relapsing continuously and visiting my therapist more frequently.  I was sleeping most of the day and eating to feel any sense of satisfaction. It became so excessive that it was a risk to my overall health. I didn’t want to replace one habit with another. I just wanted to feel right for a change. I knew there was something missing in my body. Vitamins and meditation were just not cutting it.

Finally I took my psychologist's suggestion to give brain training a try. On 12-17-09 I was scheduled to see if Brainwave optimization works. I wasn't going to participate unless I was guaranteed improvement in my motor skills and substance abuse problems, as those were the primary factors to my chronic depression. I was convinced to have this non-invasive procedure performed on me. My father decided to help me come up with the money in these desperate measures. .

After the treatment, the results were breathtaking.  The improvement in the occipital region of my brain meant my vision became more in sync. It was like comparing my old vision to a box T.V. and my new eyesight to a plasma screen.  I am walking with better gait and balance. I speak more clearly and with more intonation. This means I can swallow without putting myself at risk for choking. No longer dehydrated or struggling with low energy. My sleep has improved and my dreams are no longer pertaining to drug use, as they were before. My coordination allows me to run without tripping, play drums with a steady beat and cook without cutting myself, for a change. My dysphasia is gone, allowing me to make facial expressions and be a character again. My memory has improved drastically.

Overall, this procedure gave me results beyond my expectations. It helped me beat my physical and mental disability. My brain tells my body what it needs. Does my body or my brain still crave stimulants? Honestly, I do think about it but I don't have a desire to act upon smoking, drinking, drugging or fighting with my disease of addiction. This experience took place in just six days. This is more improvement than I got in eight months of therapy (physical, occupational, speech and recreational combined). I am truly amazed at the potential my brain had in storage. It would have never been revealed without this radical procedure. As a candidate who underwent twelve sessions’ of brain training, I am confident that there is nothing more evolved than this holistic approach to recovery. I cannot explain the gratitude I have toward Lee Gerdes for such a phenomenal invention. Thanks to Neuro Fitness Center, Art and David McCullar, for performing the sessions on me. Last but not least, my psychologist, Jeff Lucas, for recommending this to me. I wouldn’t have the trust in anyone but the person whom I confide in the most. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have any knowledge that brain training even existed. All of you proved to me that the sky is the limit and possibilities are endless.