Welcome to Healthy Living, I'm your host Margot Marshall. 00:00:14.88\00:00:18.01 Our brain is constantly re-wiring for better or worse, 00:00:18.05\00:00:23.22 depending on what we thing about and what we do. 00:00:23.25\00:00:26.45 So how do addictions re-shape our brains physical anatomy? 00:00:26.49\00:00:31.99 Stay tuned as Dr. Eddie Ramirez discuses neuroplasticity. 00:00:32.03\00:00:37.10 In the same way that addictions change the structure 00:01:06.59\00:01:10.87 of our brains by forming pathways, 00:01:10.90\00:01:13.30 challenging those addictions also contributes to what is 00:01:13.34\00:01:17.31 called neuroplasticity. 00:01:17.34\00:01:19.51 Here to give us practical strategies for freedom from 00:01:19.54\00:01:23.24 addictions is Dr. Eddie Ramirez. 00:01:23.28\00:01:25.61 Welcome Eddie, lovely to have you on the program. 00:01:25.65\00:01:28.58 Thank you very much, it is a pleasure to be here. 00:01:28.62\00:01:30.65 This is a topic that is a very common issue, 00:01:30.69\00:01:36.12 the issue of addictions. What happened is that our 00:01:36.16\00:01:41.73 repeated behaviors start strengthening neuro-pathways 00:01:41.76\00:01:47.17 and those addictive behaviors starts becoming second nature. 00:01:47.20\00:01:52.44 And the person just thinks about it and so forth, 00:01:52.47\00:01:55.74 but the good news is that there is hope, 00:01:55.78\00:01:59.28 and that is what we are going to be talking about today. 00:01:59.31\00:02:01.08 Oh, that is fantastic, hope is really important. 00:02:01.12\00:02:03.59 One of the things is that we need to change, 00:02:03.62\00:02:08.29 all the time as we learn new things, as we mature, 00:02:08.32\00:02:12.86 if we get new information, change is needed. 00:02:12.89\00:02:16.77 How we handle that change has an implication on this 00:02:16.80\00:02:22.27 neuroplasticity. The stages of change have been documented 00:02:22.30\00:02:27.31 in different ways. For example on screen, we can see one 00:02:27.34\00:02:31.98 of the ways that change has been documented. 00:02:32.01\00:02:35.15 First Precontemplation. We think about doing the change. 00:02:35.18\00:02:39.39 Then contemplation, we are really thinking that you are 00:02:39.42\00:02:42.49 going to do the change. 00:02:42.52\00:02:43.86 Preparation - you get everything ready. 00:02:43.89\00:02:45.89 Action. Then the difficult part which is the Maintenance. 00:02:45.93\00:02:50.73 Okay. Some people can start, but that's the issue, 00:02:50.77\00:02:55.74 are you going to be able to overcome? 00:02:55.77\00:02:57.67 Like Mark Twain, the famous writer from America, 00:02:57.71\00:03:02.88 he said stopping smoking is very easy, I tried it a thousand 00:03:02.91\00:03:08.75 times. So he was failing on the maintenance side of things. 00:03:08.78\00:03:13.15 He was starting but he was not keeping with the change. 00:03:13.19\00:03:18.36 That's where neuroplasticity comes in to play regarding 00:03:18.39\00:03:23.23 addictions. Because those connections that have been 00:03:23.26\00:03:27.54 strengthened by the behaviors, if we stop those behaviors, 00:03:27.57\00:03:32.44 those neuropathways are going to break down and then 00:03:32.47\00:03:37.68 new pathways can start to form and strengthen and if we stop 00:03:37.71\00:03:44.92 doing the other behaviors, addictive behaviors, 00:03:44.95\00:03:48.92 they are going to break down and the brain actually will 00:03:48.96\00:03:53.29 recycle some of those pathways. Recycle? 00:03:53.33\00:03:56.97 Well that's something new to me. 00:03:57.00\00:03:58.90 Yes. So they will use some of those materials to create 00:03:58.93\00:04:02.67 new pathways and so forth. 00:04:02.70\00:04:04.91 So there is hope, there is lots of hope. 00:04:04.94\00:04:08.08 We have helped many people with addictions in our depression 00:04:08.11\00:04:12.11 program. Actually one of the focus, one of our hits, 00:04:12.15\00:04:15.88 one of our causes of depression that we identify is the cause 00:04:15.92\00:04:21.19 of addictions. So why do people use addictions in the 00:04:21.22\00:04:26.09 first place? The reason why most of the people do addictive 00:04:26.13\00:04:31.03 behaviors are because they are trying to change 00:04:31.07\00:04:34.00 the way they feel. 00:04:34.04\00:04:35.77 So, an addictive behavior helps you change the way you feel, 00:04:35.80\00:04:43.04 but unfortunately, it is short- lived. 00:04:43.08\00:04:47.68 So, you may change the way you feel, but then it drops out 00:04:47.72\00:04:55.26 it disappears and what happens? You need another one of those 00:04:55.29\00:04:59.86 dosages and then the pathways for addictions start to be 00:04:59.89\00:05:03.77 formed and as I tell my patients is like an octopus 00:05:03.80\00:05:09.37 that comes to you and says, why don't we dance? 00:05:09.40\00:05:12.47 Just grab my hand, and you grab the hand of the octopus 00:05:12.51\00:05:17.91 and before you think, you have eight arms around you. 00:05:17.95\00:05:25.42 Then your liberty gets impaired and that's exactly the first 00:05:25.45\00:05:30.83 lie he tells you. You're free, you can choose, 00:05:30.86\00:05:34.83 why don't you try it one time? Nothing is going to 00:05:34.86\00:05:37.13 happen to you. And as you grab that hand of that octopus, 00:05:37.17\00:05:42.30 there are seven more that are waiting for you. 00:05:42.34\00:05:45.74 That's a very good illustration, I really liked the way you 00:05:45.77\00:05:49.74 explained that. And usually the addictions can have 00:05:49.78\00:05:54.08 the negative consequences. I mean, I'm sure you and I 00:05:54.12\00:05:58.45 are familiar with people that got into alcohol and this type 00:05:58.49\00:06:02.62 of things, and that self- destructive mechanism 00:06:02.66\00:06:06.39 that really started affecting them. But those people 00:06:06.43\00:06:10.33 around them started being affected by that type of 00:06:10.37\00:06:15.07 wrong behavior. Yes, because no man is 00:06:15.10\00:06:17.61 an island and we do, we affect other people as well. 00:06:17.64\00:06:22.31 That's right, and this is the beauty of this, we can have 00:06:22.34\00:06:28.45 a lifestyle free from those addictions, it is possible 00:06:28.48\00:06:33.39 and we are not alone, we have the help of God to help 00:06:33.42\00:06:36.66 us with that change of those connections at the level 00:06:36.69\00:06:41.50 of our brain. 00:06:41.53\00:06:42.86 Now we have different ways that we understand change, 00:06:42.90\00:06:47.87 one of them happens with Dr. Prochaska from Harvard 00:06:47.90\00:06:53.44 University, he documents the stages of change in the 00:06:53.48\00:06:58.51 following way. But before I put him on the screen, 00:06:58.55\00:07:01.32 let me share with you an interesting story of 00:07:01.35\00:07:04.85 one of our patients. This patient, she had an issue 00:07:04.89\00:07:10.83 with caffeine beverages, which is a huge problem 00:07:10.86\00:07:14.20 around the world, if it ends with cola, it is probably not 00:07:14.23\00:07:18.00 the best thing for you. So she was addicted to one of these 00:07:18.03\00:07:21.50 cola drinks and any time she was thinking about having a 00:07:21.54\00:07:29.41 thirst, what do you think come to her mind? 00:07:29.44\00:07:32.21 She was thinking about a what? A cola. 00:07:32.25\00:07:34.75 A cola, that's right, she wanted a cola drink naturally. 00:07:34.78\00:07:39.12 But you know, that's why it is such an important work that 00:07:39.15\00:07:44.29 3ABN does educating people, that's exactly what we are 00:07:44.33\00:07:48.26 here for and maybe one of our audience here today is 00:07:48.30\00:07:52.77 hear some of these things and then the little desire 00:07:52.80\00:07:56.81 here will come up. That's what happened to this patient. 00:07:56.84\00:07:59.37 She learned from a health lecture that cola beverages 00:07:59.41\00:08:04.41 are not the best for you. I call them the great contradictory. 00:08:04.45\00:08:11.62 Patient comes to me drinking something with caffeine, 00:08:11.65\00:08:16.02 caffeine will take away your calcium from your bones, 00:08:16.06\00:08:19.29 will drop your vitamin B from your body, will drop the iron 00:08:19.33\00:08:26.17 in your body, will have negative effects of your melatonin, 00:08:26.20\00:08:31.84 If you have too low melatonin, you actually 00:08:31.87\00:08:35.44 are going to age faster. 00:08:35.48\00:08:37.05 Well that's not an attractive thing to think about. 00:08:37.08\00:08:40.48 You can follow my Twitter account, I have plenty of 00:08:40.52\00:08:44.82 documentation there that I like to share @EddieRDMD 00:08:44.85\00:08:48.32 for those that are interested. And in that way caffeine 00:08:48.36\00:08:53.70 is a trigger. It tells you, look, I'm going to give you 00:08:53.73\00:08:56.77 energy, but in the same time it is taking away from you. 00:08:56.80\00:09:00.07 So children's about these negative effects that caffeine 00:09:00.10\00:09:04.67 has so what she goes to is goes to the first stage of 00:09:04.71\00:09:11.28 change and we can see that on the screen. 00:09:11.31\00:09:13.48 The first stage of change is called Unconsciously 00:09:13.52\00:09:18.69 Incompetent. Which means in other words, you don't know you 00:09:18.72\00:09:22.86 need to change and you don't want to change. 00:09:22.89\00:09:25.16 So she comes to the health lecture, new information comes, 00:09:25.19\00:09:29.66 she becomes aware that caffeine is not the best thing for you 00:09:29.70\00:09:35.20 so, as soon as she gets that new information 00:09:35.24\00:09:39.67 and things start changing up here with her desire 00:09:39.71\00:09:44.25 to make some changes. She just entered into the stage number 00:09:44.28\00:09:49.75 two that we can see on the screen, and step number two is 00:09:49.78\00:09:53.69 called Consciously Incompetent. So she's still only thinking 00:09:53.72\00:09:57.79 about it...She's not changing. Okay, but she at least knows 00:09:57.83\00:10:02.33 that...That's right, but now she is aware that she should 00:10:02.36\00:10:07.27 change. Many people are like that, that's what they call 00:10:07.30\00:10:10.87 in America, sitting on the bench. On the fence. 00:10:10.91\00:10:13.48 They haven't made a decision but at least you are having that 00:10:13.51\00:10:17.88 information in your head and so forth. 00:10:17.91\00:10:20.08 So this stage varies among people, for some people 00:10:20.12\00:10:25.69 who are like Type A type of person, hey this is better, 00:10:25.72\00:10:29.12 boom, throw away and let's start with the change. 00:10:29.16\00:10:32.03 Some other people like to chew it a little bit more 00:10:32.06\00:10:35.26 and think a little bit more about it and then they 00:10:35.30\00:10:37.70 make the change. So then what she decided to do, 00:10:37.73\00:10:41.70 she realized, yes that's true what they are saying is actually 00:10:41.74\00:10:44.94 not the best thing for me to do, these cola type of drinks, 00:10:44.97\00:10:50.98 so what I need to do, I need to make a change. 00:10:51.01\00:10:55.28 So I am going to decide that I am going to stop that. 00:10:55.32\00:10:59.12 So she entered into the stage number three that we can see 00:10:59.15\00:11:04.03 on the screen which means Consciously Competent. 00:11:04.06\00:11:08.50 You are doing the change, but the change is not natural. 00:11:08.53\00:11:14.14 So, anytime she got thirst, in her head automatically 00:11:14.17\00:11:19.94 what came to her head? Cola! I want Cola, 00:11:19.97\00:11:22.74 but she consciously said NO! I don't want Cola, 00:11:22.78\00:11:28.08 I want water. And a few hours later the thirst came, 00:11:28.12\00:11:35.66 what did she think about? Cola, NO! 00:11:35.69\00:11:39.09 And consciously she would say, NO, I don't want Cola, 00:11:39.13\00:11:43.87 I want water. Something she's got to think about 00:11:43.90\00:11:48.10 all the time to make it keep happening. 00:11:48.14\00:11:50.81 That's right. So it's not natural, it's a battle, 00:11:50.84\00:11:54.34 it doesn't come automatically, but you need to keep with that 00:11:54.38\00:12:00.82 battle. And the person was battling and the new thought 00:12:00.85\00:12:05.15 and so forth, but then she realized something. 00:12:05.19\00:12:08.69 After a few weeks of going through that battle, 00:12:08.72\00:12:14.10 she realized at the beginning it was much harder 00:12:14.13\00:12:18.87 because the desire from the addiction from the caffeine 00:12:18.90\00:12:22.90 had more negative effects but as she started stopping that, 00:12:22.94\00:12:28.51 the connects at the level of the brain neuroplasticity 00:12:28.54\00:12:33.21 started taking place and started becoming weak and weak and weak 00:12:33.25\00:12:37.85 while the behavior of water started to become strong, 00:12:37.89\00:12:41.32 and strong and strong and strong. 00:12:41.36\00:12:42.72 So she entered into what is called the 4th stage of change 00:12:42.76\00:12:48.06 which is Unconsciously Competent. 00:12:48.10\00:12:52.10 So now, she is not thinking about the caffeine beverage 00:12:52.13\00:12:59.04 naturally when she got thirsty what did she think about? Water. 00:12:59.07\00:13:03.01 WATER! It had become second nature, it had become 00:13:03.04\00:13:08.35 part of her and that's the beauty of neuroplasticity. 00:13:08.38\00:13:11.52 Now that has to be very good news I would say because 00:13:11.55\00:13:15.22 sometimes I think when people have had an addiction 00:13:15.26\00:13:18.19 of whatever it is, for a long period of time, 00:13:18.23\00:13:20.93 they feel really trapped and the think, I can't do this, 00:13:20.96\00:13:23.67 this is just how it is, it's too hard but it's good to know 00:13:23.70\00:13:27.90 that it can happen. And you talked about weeks for her 00:13:27.94\00:13:32.44 to begin to feel as though it was second nature 00:13:32.47\00:13:35.74 but might it take a bit longer that that? Yes it does. 00:13:35.78\00:13:38.58 There are some addictions such as cocaine addictions, such as 00:13:38.61\00:13:43.99 Opioid addictions sometimes is years and that's the thing 00:13:44.02\00:13:49.86 that we need to understand... But getting easier all the time. 00:13:49.89\00:13:53.53 It gets easier but sometimes the issues are the following: 00:13:53.56\00:13:58.07 You have the addiction issue, so that's a physical issue 00:13:58.10\00:14:04.14 with the addiction. But also there are other layers. 00:14:04.17\00:14:07.54 There are the friends' layers. Oh! Okay, you may not be using 00:14:07.58\00:14:13.88 it now, but then you meet your friends quote, quote, friends... 00:14:13.92\00:14:17.72 Oh, why don't you have some... Look, I have some of this 00:14:17.75\00:14:22.86 or that, one time, it's not going to hurt you. 00:14:22.89\00:14:25.46 And what happened? Voom, you use it and you strengthen 00:14:25.49\00:14:30.03 that in what you were trying to weaken. 00:14:30.07\00:14:33.34 That's why programs like Alcoholics Anonymous 00:14:33.37\00:14:36.10 recommend that those people of influence, 00:14:36.14\00:14:40.71 you shouldn't hang around with them. 00:14:40.74\00:14:42.28 I have a relative of mine, he has a brother, 00:14:42.31\00:14:49.88 both of them have been alcoholics in the past. 00:14:49.92\00:14:53.69 One of them decided to stop the alcohol, 00:14:53.72\00:14:56.93 he joined one of these groups for support of alcohol 00:14:56.96\00:15:01.00 and it was thought that he learned that he shouldn't be 00:15:01.03\00:15:06.47 hanging around people with these addictions. 00:15:06.50\00:15:08.74 It came to the point that he couldn't see his brother. 00:15:08.77\00:15:12.97 He knew that if he saw his brother, 00:15:13.01\00:15:17.05 he was going to start with the addictive behavior. 00:15:17.08\00:15:20.45 That doesn't mean that he is never going to see him, 00:15:20.48\00:15:21.98 but while he was going through this process of neuroplasticity 00:15:22.02\00:15:25.79 and healing, he couldn't hang around him because he knew 00:15:25.82\00:15:31.49 where he was going to end up, a drunkard and abusing 00:15:31.53\00:15:36.16 the alcohol and so forth. 00:15:36.20\00:15:37.53 So that would be a tough one, really wouldn't it, 00:15:37.57\00:15:39.20 especially if it was someone really close to you 00:15:39.23\00:15:41.34 like a relative? That's right, that's why you need to 00:15:41.37\00:15:44.47 surround yourself with people that can cause a positive 00:15:44.51\00:15:49.31 change. Go join a church and another layer that you need to 00:15:49.34\00:15:55.92 add there is the Layer of Accountability. 00:15:55.95\00:15:58.89 Okay. So you've got the Addiction, then you got... 00:15:58.92\00:16:02.26 Friends. Social. And Accountability. 00:16:02.29\00:16:05.56 Accountability. You need to find somebody or someone 00:16:05.59\00:16:10.07 or some group in which you are accountable to. 00:16:10.10\00:16:14.07 Because it is going to help you with two things. 00:16:14.10\00:16:17.21 1. It's going to help you from falling into the hole again. 00:16:17.24\00:16:21.68 And number two is going to help you by the fact that 00:16:21.71\00:16:25.38 if you fall in the hole, you have somebody to help you 00:16:25.41\00:16:29.18 get out of it. So, as you go and join a church, 00:16:29.22\00:16:34.39 be vulnerable, tell them, look I'm trying to quit this 00:16:34.42\00:16:38.03 and so forth. As other people pray for you, 00:16:38.06\00:16:40.80 as other people give you that support, 00:16:40.83\00:16:42.86 as other people give you their phone numbers, 00:16:42.90\00:16:45.40 it's a good idea to have some kind of connection... 00:16:45.43\00:16:48.27 So when you know you are going to fall, you can get the phone 00:16:48.30\00:16:52.97 and say look, I am really in dire straights, I'm about to 00:16:53.01\00:16:57.08 fall I need your help and the fact that you are talking to 00:16:57.11\00:17:01.98 somebody helps you change the focus from a nihilistic type of 00:17:02.02\00:17:06.65 thing... Oh, this is impossible to conquer to there is hope. 00:17:06.69\00:17:11.36 And you know there are different typed of addictions 00:17:11.39\00:17:13.56 alcohol, opioids, pornography, rock music and all kinds of 00:17:13.60\00:17:20.57 things...Yes, even screen time. Even screen time, 00:17:20.60\00:17:24.61 that's becoming really high on the list. 00:17:24.64\00:17:27.08 So what we need to do, we need to focus on a few at a time. 00:17:27.11\00:17:33.31 If you have many addictions at at time, don't try to tackle 00:17:33.35\00:17:37.12 all, but rather prioritize and start tackling them 00:17:37.15\00:17:42.56 and you are able to overcome one... Once you see that's it's 00:17:42.59\00:17:46.33 overcome, then you go and tackle the next one and so forth. 00:17:46.36\00:17:49.23 We have helped many people for example, stop smoking... 00:17:49.26\00:17:51.77 We can see on the screen, three of my studies that we did. 00:17:51.80\00:17:59.01 The first one is showing how abstract thinking exercises 00:17:59.04\00:18:03.55 can help you in overcoming your addictions. 00:18:03.58\00:18:06.35 The second one is showing how tobacco users tend have 00:18:06.38\00:18:10.25 more depression and anxiety. And the third one is showing how 00:18:10.29\00:18:15.02 sexual abuse...actually those people that have gone to 00:18:15.06\00:18:16.39 sexual abuse are more likely to use cigarettes. 00:18:16.42\00:18:22.36 That doesn't mean that every single cigarette smoker has 00:18:22.40\00:18:25.43 had it, but you are more prone to do that. 00:18:25.47\00:18:29.44 So, what are you going to do for abstract thinking? 00:18:29.47\00:18:34.04 Let me give you the exercise that we give to every single 00:18:34.08\00:18:37.88 one of our patients for abstract thinking. 00:18:37.91\00:18:41.68 So, one of the abstract thinking methods is to interpret 00:18:41.72\00:18:47.66 a proverb. Okay. In the old days, they used to use them 00:18:47.69\00:18:51.43 more, they still use them some but not as much as in the 00:18:51.46\00:18:53.60 old days. So when...You're going to test me aren't you? 00:18:53.63\00:18:56.97 So when you hear a proverb, the proverb doesn't necessarily 00:18:57.00\00:19:04.24 literally mean that. 00:19:04.27\00:19:06.57 For example, if I say that it is better a hundred 00:19:06.61\00:19:13.72 birds in the sky than one in my hand... 00:19:13.75\00:19:18.82 I am not talking about a hundred literal birds okay, 00:19:18.85\00:19:23.79 I'm talking about something that means something else. 00:19:23.83\00:19:30.87 So, in the same way... I actually think it is better 00:19:30.90\00:19:35.20 to have in the hand than in the bush. That's right, 00:19:35.24\00:19:37.77 which means that you have conquered it. 00:19:37.81\00:19:39.54 That's something that we actually have. That's right. 00:19:39.57\00:19:41.94 The others...That's right, there there but not yours. 00:19:41.98\00:19:45.31 That's right. So in the same way, to find currently 00:19:45.35\00:19:51.45 collections of proverbs is hard... 00:19:51.49\00:19:54.16 Can I will give you an example of that? Yes. 00:19:54.19\00:19:55.76 My husband loves looking at luxury cars, I don't know why, 00:19:55.79\00:19:58.96 because we're never likely to have one but, 00:19:58.99\00:20:00.33 I was with him one time and he said, which do you think is 00:20:00.36\00:20:04.23 the best car here, which one would you pick and I said, 00:20:04.27\00:20:07.00 that little red one on the curb because I own that. 00:20:07.04\00:20:09.50 That's right, it's better to have one in your hand 00:20:09.54\00:20:13.24 than a hundred flying. Oh yes, that's right. 00:20:13.27\00:20:16.21 One of the ways to find a good collection of proverbs, 00:20:16.24\00:20:20.92 accessable, not complicated and so forth, 00:20:20.95\00:20:24.45 is in any Bible. It doesn't matter if you are Agnostic 00:20:24.49\00:20:28.59 or Athiest, or Buddhist, you can do this exercise. 00:20:28.62\00:20:32.09 So find a Bible and in the Bible there is actually a book 00:20:32.13\00:20:36.80 of what? Proverbs. Proverbs. It's a collection of Proverbs. 00:20:36.83\00:20:40.74 It actually is very handy because it has 31 chapters. 00:20:40.77\00:20:46.68 How many days has a month? Well some have 31. That's right. 00:20:46.71\00:20:51.58 Most of them have 31, some more and sometimes less. 00:20:51.61\00:20:54.78 So what you are going to do, you're going to read the chapter 00:20:54.82\00:20:58.52 of the day. So if today is 20th, you are going to read 00:20:58.55\00:21:04.66 in Proverbs Chapter 20, and I can assure you, 00:21:04.69\00:21:08.36 you reading Proverbs, you cannot read them too fast. 00:21:08.40\00:21:11.63 You need to read them and think about it, read them, 00:21:11.67\00:21:16.44 and think about it and by doing that exercise 00:21:16.47\00:21:20.61 you are actually stimulating abstract thinking... 00:21:20.64\00:21:24.68 You are strengthening the frontal lobe of your brain 00:21:24.71\00:21:29.65 and in the frontal lobe of the brain is where you have 00:21:29.68\00:21:32.39 your will. So by strengthening the frontal lobe, 00:21:32.42\00:21:35.59 you strengthen the will and that's why in a study 00:21:35.62\00:21:39.06 we show that those people doing that abstract thinking 00:21:39.09\00:21:43.73 by reading Proverbs... We actually did the Proverbs 00:21:43.77\00:21:46.67 reading in that particular study, they were more likely 00:21:46.70\00:21:50.57 to overcome the smoking habit. Is that right? 00:21:50.61\00:21:55.28 Wonderful. When I was presenting this study, 00:21:55.31\00:21:57.41 the other researchers the other researchers came and said 00:21:57.45\00:22:01.48 basically it means that you have to think, is that it? 00:22:01.52\00:22:04.52 I said Yep! That's the secret. You have to think. 00:22:04.55\00:22:07.46 If you are able to think, you are able to strengthen that part 00:22:07.49\00:22:10.99 of the frontal lobe. 00:22:11.03\00:22:12.36 Another study that we did and we actually presented 00:22:12.39\00:22:16.53 here in Australia, in Perth Australia, you can see it 00:22:16.56\00:22:18.80 on the screen about nicotine and how nicotine has 00:22:18.83\00:22:27.88 a negative effect on your levels of anxiety. 00:22:27.91\00:22:32.78 This is the funny thing, the nicotine is used because 00:22:32.81\00:22:39.82 a person feels anxious and it is a way of dealing with anxiety. 00:22:39.85\00:22:44.09 Yes. Say that again. Yeah. So they use nicotine 00:22:44.13\00:22:48.83 they use cigarettes because it's a way of dealing 00:22:48.86\00:22:51.47 with their anxiety, so this is a contradiction. 00:22:51.50\00:22:54.90 Their using nicotine to deal with their anxiety 00:22:54.94\00:22:58.87 but if they use nicotine, they actually have more anxiety. 00:22:58.91\00:23:03.24 What we are showing in that published study is that 00:23:03.28\00:23:08.62 if you are able to quit the smoking habit, 00:23:08.65\00:23:12.39 your anxiety levels are actually going to go down to the level 00:23:12.42\00:23:17.43 of normal. So, the best way of dealing with your anxiety 00:23:17.46\00:23:22.73 is not by taking another smoke, but rather by quitting smoking. 00:23:22.76\00:23:27.20 So the anxiety might go up a little in the first couple of 00:23:27.24\00:23:29.67 days...The anxiety does go up in the first couple of days... 00:23:29.70\00:23:33.74 After that. But after that, actually your anxiety 00:23:33.78\00:23:37.31 baseline levels are going to go much lower than what you had 00:23:37.35\00:23:42.08 before. That's the study that you did? 00:23:42.12\00:23:44.32 That's the study that I did that is published in the 00:23:44.35\00:23:46.52 Draw Metabolisms Review Journal. Excellent. 00:23:46.55\00:23:49.76 So that's really good to know. 00:23:49.79\00:23:51.29 This is a big sample, this is not just a few people 00:23:51.33\00:23:54.40 we're talking about more than a thousand people in the study 00:23:54.43\00:23:58.07 showing how it is possible number one, to quit smoking. 00:23:58.10\00:24:01.74 and number two, how that is going to have very beneficial 00:24:01.80\00:24:04.74 effects on your mental health. 00:24:04.77\00:24:07.98 Right. So we have addictions that may require some 00:24:08.01\00:24:12.75 medical help and we can see some of them on the screen... 00:24:12.78\00:24:16.12 For example: Alcohol, if you are using alcohol every single day 00:24:16.15\00:24:22.56 and you haven't quit alcohol for more than a day, 00:24:22.59\00:24:27.60 you may need to want to talk to a doctor to stop it... 00:24:27.63\00:24:30.47 Benzodiazepines, many medications such as Alprazolam, 00:24:30.50\00:24:35.97 Lorazepam and certain opioids. 00:24:36.00\00:24:40.41 Things like your heroin and these type of things, 00:24:40.44\00:24:44.75 those you may need the help of a doctor to be in your team. 00:24:44.78\00:24:51.42 Alright well that's good to know because sometimes 00:24:51.45\00:24:53.36 we just have to do it all by ourselves and if we can't, 00:24:53.39\00:24:56.52 we think there's nothing that can happen. 00:24:56.56\00:24:58.69 There's help available, even if you need that help 00:24:58.73\00:25:01.36 intervention, for example, even in the issue of the alcohol, 00:25:01.40\00:25:05.87 very common issue, sometimes people...Elderly ladies 00:25:05.90\00:25:09.87 very commonly this, they have an alcohol habit, 00:25:09.90\00:25:12.64 they don't realize they have it, but they do have it. 00:25:12.67\00:25:15.18 They go for a medical procedure and suddenly they start with 00:25:15.21\00:25:19.58 something that is called a delirium tremens. 00:25:19.61\00:25:22.08 Oh! And we have medication to help with that, 00:25:22.12\00:25:25.69 but we need to know that the person has an issue 00:25:25.72\00:25:27.86 and when we interview them originally they say, 00:25:27.89\00:25:30.46 oh no I don't have any problem, once in a while I drink a little 00:25:30.49\00:25:34.56 Sherry or something, you know. But it is an alcohol problem 00:25:34.60\00:25:38.33 that they have. So make sure that you talk to your doctor 00:25:38.37\00:25:42.17 about it, there is help available for that. 00:25:42.20\00:25:45.21 So we want to close with ten steps for those people that want 00:25:45.24\00:25:51.71 to quit addictions. It works wonderful for the people with 00:25:51.75\00:25:56.15 the cigarettes, but also other addictions. 00:25:56.18\00:25:59.29 Let us go on screen and see them. 00:25:59.32\00:26:00.66 1. You need to choose not to smoke. It is something 00:26:00.69\00:26:06.46 you have to decide with all your heart. 00:26:06.49\00:26:08.56 2. No hidden cigarettes. Don't say well just in case 00:26:08.60\00:26:12.87 I feel like...No Nothing! Throw them away. 00:26:12.90\00:26:15.80 Deep breathing exercises. Daily exercise, more sleep. 00:26:15.84\00:26:22.21 Lots of water, drink lots of water. 00:26:22.24\00:26:26.28 Also take showers, not only once but many time in the day. 00:26:26.31\00:26:32.05 The nicotine is going to start coming on your skin and you 00:26:32.09\00:26:34.92 have to wash it out. 00:26:34.96\00:26:36.29 Avoid all the things that trigger the nicotine. 00:26:36.32\00:26:40.33 which is caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals, 00:26:40.36\00:26:43.33 heavily spiced meals. Avoid high risk situations. 00:26:43.37\00:26:48.04 People smoke after certain pattern and tell others 00:26:48.07\00:26:53.01 that you are quitting. Okay. 00:26:53.04\00:26:56.04 So many times it's a special chair, many times it's 00:26:56.08\00:27:00.58 the breaks at work, many times it's just after a meal. 00:27:00.62\00:27:05.59 So what you need to do, you need to use neuroplasticity. 00:27:05.62\00:27:09.42 So because those patterns call for those addictions, 00:27:09.46\00:27:14.43 what you need to do, you need to change that so instead of 00:27:14.46\00:27:18.57 having the usual break with your friends and having that 00:27:18.60\00:27:21.47 smoke, go for a walk, do some- thing else instead of sitting 00:27:21.50\00:27:25.77 down after the meal...When you were eating that heavy meal, 00:27:25.81\00:27:30.55 don't do that. Go ahead and start doing some other 00:27:30.58\00:27:35.32 activities such as washing the dishes...Ah, that's a really 00:27:35.35\00:27:39.32 good idea. So many people have been able to overcome it. 00:27:39.35\00:27:44.23 You can, remember, you are not alone, God is with you 00:27:44.26\00:27:49.20 and if you ask God for help, I can assure you, 00:27:49.23\00:27:54.20 God is not going to let you down, so surround yourself 00:27:54.24\00:27:57.87 with those positive people, put yourself in the hands of God 00:27:57.91\00:28:01.48 and you will experience those fruits. 00:28:01.51\00:28:03.55 Wonderful advice and I am so pleased we ended up 00:28:03.58\00:28:05.58 with such a positive way to deal with it because 00:28:05.61\00:28:08.05 I guess everyone has to extent an addiction of some degree. 00:28:08.08\00:28:12.85 We are so pleased that you have joined us today 00:28:12.89\00:28:15.69 and I hope you have been challenged and encouraged 00:28:15.72\00:28:18.33 by today's program. 00:28:18.36\00:28:19.73 We look forward to having you join us next time for more 00:28:19.76\00:28:22.90 secrets of healthy living. 00:28:22.93\00:28:24.27 Remember you can watch our programs on demand, 00:28:24.30\00:28:26.97 just visit 3abnaustralia.org.au and click on the watch button. 00:28:27.00\00:28:31.81 God bless you. 00:28:31.84\00:28:33.21