In a subconscious attempt to get maximum stimulation of now-neglected reward centers in the brain, users often eat little most of the day, then binge later, leading to erratic blood sugar lev- els that can impact mood, further sab- otaging recovery. After years of abuse, addicts also tend to suffer deficiencies of proteins and good fats—key building blocks of a healthy brain. “The brain has been rewired due to the use of substances. Without healing it, you can attend all the meetings in the world and you’ll still struggle with crav- ings,” reports Essel. He starts new clients with 500 milligrams (mg) daily of the dietary supplement DL-phenylalanine, an amino acid precursor to feel-good neu- rotransmitters such as norepinephrine. He also gives them tyrosine, an energizing amino acid said to quell sugar cravings. For relieving a craving in progress, he rec- ommends 500 to 1,000 mg of glutamine, placed under the tongue. Wiss says he generally recommends
food over supplements, yet asking newly recovering addicts to also revamp their diets can be tough. “I wouldn’t expect anyone to make a big nutritional change in their first week of sobriety,” he says. After that, he encourages small steps: Drink eight glasses of water per day. Eat three meals and three snacks to keep blood sugar stable. Load up on fiber, which can help heal the gut and replen- ish it with healthy bacteria. Eat plenty of lean protein to promote production of feel-good brain chemicals. Load up on nuts, seeds, fatty fish and other omega-3 fatty acids that suppress inflammation in the brain and have been shown in some studies to quell depression. Daily exercise is also key as Wiss notes that it “circulates our blood and gets all those healthy nutrients into our brain.” Physical activities can also help fill
the void and even provide a new sense of identity for someone whose self-esteem has been shattered, says Scott Strode, founder of Denver, Colorado’s Phoenix Multisport, which hosts group cycling, running and climbing outings for recover- ing addicts and alcoholics. Strode kicked his own cocaine habit
18 years ago by immersing himself first in boxing, then climbing and triathlons. He founded Phoenix in 2007 to help fill what he sees as a gaping hole in recovery
support services—a place where people with similar pasts can gather and talk without dwelling exclusively on their dependence issues. He has since served 15,000 people in Colorado, California, and Boston, offering 60 free outings a week for anyone at least 48 hours sober. “By being part of something like
this, you can let go of the shame of being the addict, the junkie or the one that let down the family. Now you are the climber or the mountain biker,” says Strode. He stresses that Phoenix pro- grams aren’t intended to replace treat- ment. Still, “For some, just that redefin- ing of self may be enough. For others, it’s a powerful tool in a broader toolbox.”
Beyond AA Co-founded in 1935 by an alcoholic named Bill Wilson, Alcoholics Anony- mous now has 2 million members and has played an important role in many successful recoveries. However, its God- based approach (five of the 12 steps refer to God or Him), a credo that alcoholics must admit “powerlessness” and its emphasis on alcoholism as a defining disease aren’t for everyone. Naysayers point to a 2006 finding by the nonprof- it Cochrane Collaboration that states, “No experimental studies unequivocally demonstrated the effectiveness of AA or 12-step approaches for reducing alcohol dependence or problems.” Such concerns have prompted some alternative recovery fellowships, includ-
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ing Moderation Management (
Moderation.org), which helps people that want to drink less; and Smart Recov- ery (
SmartRecovery.org), which sup- ports an ethos of self-empowerment via cognitive behavioral therapy, nutritional changes and group discussions. Other programs focus on renewing the soul by applying metaphysical practices to the traditional 12 steps. “The conventional 12 steps talk about a higher power outside of you,” says Ester Nicholson, a singer, author and addictions counselor. In her book Soul Recovery: 12 Keys to Healing Addic- tion, she describes a descent into crack cocaine addiction beginning in her teens, and the long climb out of it. At first, she says, the 12 steps helped her break free of what she calls the “spiritual malady, mental obsession and physical allergy,” that is addiction. But after a decade of being clean, fol- lowed by a near-relapse, she discovered meditation and other spiritual practic- es. “I realized that this higher power can restore me to sanity, but the higher power is actually within me. I found this wonderful bridge between the 12 steps and universal spiritual principals, and it is rocking my world.” Patti Lacey, 54, an Essel client, likewise found lasting sobriety by ex- tending her toolbox, learning to focus not only on past pain, but on bringing forth her best self. According to the International Coach Federation, which reports an uptick in interest in recovery
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Guilt Stigma Black Sheep Shame Avoidance Isolation Anger
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