Our primitive self was created with a reward system wired in our brains. For example, a person eats a piece of chocolate cake because they feel sad, and a surge of feel good hormones, serotonin and dopamine are released into their brains. The next time someone is hungry, bored, angry, sad or has any negative emotion they remember what it felt like to eat the chocolate cake and how it made them feel better. Judson Brewer discusses Skinner’s findings as it relates to working with patients at the VA quit drugs. “Skinner’s experiments were describing the reward-based learning process that they and gone through; I would have a flashback (to some traumatic event)” trigger, “get drunk” (behavior), “and this was better than reliving the experience, (reward). I could line up their habit loop in my head, Trigger, Behavior, Reward.” Think about any small or big habit that you’re trying to quit, and contemplate what triggers that behavior and what reward you are getting from indulging in that habit.
My Story with Addiction
I have use food and especially sweets to make me feel better when I am feeling sad, stressed, angry, overwhelmed or scared. I can remember saving up all of my allowance money as a kid to ride my bike to the convenient store to buy a Snickers, Milky Way, or Reeces Peanut Butter Cups as often as I could! I would overeat when I felt insecure or bored at my best friend’s house where she had an endless amount of Hostess Cupcakes and Twizzlers being an old child. Okay, so most children eat a lot of sugar, and some people grow out of these habits, but some children and adults have weight and health problems because every time they feel triggered with a negative emotion they reach for the refrigerator and pull out a favorite snack that will make them feel better. You have wired your brain to do so, and it is hard to just stop a neurological pattern in your head that has been conditioned there for many years.
RAIN
Judson Brewer in his book, “Craving Mind,” discusses an acronym called RAIN to help stop the Trigger, Behavior, Reward system that propagates our addictions. “We can learn to ride the waves of wanting by surfing them. First, by RECOGNIZING that the wanting or craving is coming, and then Relaxing into it. Since you have no control over it coming, ACKNOWLEDGING OR ACCEPT that wave as is; don’t ignore, distract yourself, or try to do something above it… To catch the wave of wanting you have to study it carefully, INVESTIGATING. Finally, NOTE the experience as you follow it.” I have found RAIN to be exponentially helpful when I have a craving. RAIN is really teaching mindfulness and the key here is to participate in activities like yoga, meditation, walks and other activities that help you become more aware of thoughts, emotions, and actions. The more someone is aware and understands themselves the more they can incorporate healthy and loving coping mechanisms instead of going to the quick fixes that cause addictions or cravings.
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