Davis, Jonathan - The Opposite of Addiction Is Connection

The Opposite Of Addiction is
Connection
By Jonathan Davis on Friday July 17th, 2015
http://upliftconnect.com/opposite-addiction-connection/
Do Stronger Human Connections Immunise Us

Against Emotional Distress?
Right now an exciting new perspective on addiction is emerging. Johann Harri,
author of Chasing The Scream, recently captured widespread public interest with
his Ted talk Everything You Know About Addiction Is Wrong, where he concluded
with this powerful statement:
The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection.
– Johann Harri
These sentiments are augmented by a growing number of experts, including
addiction specialist Dr Gabor Maté, who cites ’emotional loss and trauma’ as the
core of addiction. Compare this ’emotional loss’ to Johan Harri’s idea about lack
of connection and it is clear they’re talking about a similar emotional condition.
Limbic Resonance
If connection is the opposite of addiction, then an examination of the

neuroscience of human connection is in order. Published in 2000, A General
Theory Of Love is a collaboration between three professors of psychiatry at the
University of California in San Francisco. A General Theory Of Love reveals
that humans require social connection for optimal brain development, and that
babies cared for in a loving environment are psychological and neurologically
‘immunised’ by love. When things get difficult in adult life, the neural wiring
developed from a love-filled childhood leads to increased emotional resilience in
adult life. Conversely, those who grow up in an environment where loving care is
unstable or absent are less likely to be resilient in the face of emotional distress.
How does this relate to addiction? Gabor Maté observes an extremely high rate
of childhood trauma in the addicts he works with and trauma is the extreme
opposite of growing up in a consistently safe and loving environment. He
asserts that it is extremely common for people with addictions to have a reduced
capacity for dealing with emotional distress, hence an increased risk of drug-
dependence.
“Humans require social connection”
How Our Ability To Connect Is Impaired By Trauma
Trauma is well-known to cause interruption to healthy neural wiring, in both

the developing and mature brain. A deeper issue here is that people who have
suffered trauma, particularly children, can be left with an underlying sense that
the world is no longer safe, or that people can no longer be trusted. This erosion
(or complete destruction) of a sense of trust, that our family, community and
society will keep us safe, results in isolation – leading to the very lack of
connection Johann Harri suggests is the opposite of addiction. People who use
drugs compulsively do so to avoid the pain of past trauma and to replace the
absence of connection in their life.
Social Solutions To Addiction
The solution to the problem of addiction on a societal level is both simple and
fairly easy to implement. If a person is born into a life that is lacking in love and
support on a family level, or if due to some other trauma they have become
isolated and suffer from addiction, there must be a cultural response to make sure
that person knows that they are valued by their society (even if they don’t feel
valued by their family). Portugal has demonstrated this with a 50% drop in
addiction thanks to programs that are specifically designed to re-create
connection between the addict and their community.
“Human connection is crucial in in the immediate task of clearing trauma”
Personal Solutions To Addiction
“Ask not why the addiction, but why the pain.”
– Gabor Maté
Recreating bonds is essential in the long term, but human connection is crucial in
in the immediate task of clearing trauma. When a person decides to finally face
and feel the pain that they may have been avoiding for years or decades, the first
steps cannot be done alone.
“You have to be with that pain, but you have to have support.”
– Gabor Maté
This support is essentially the reintroduction of the care and support which is so
important in creating the neural structure of emotional-resilience in early life. By
doing so, we begin to replace what was missing, and thanks to
the revelations of neuroplasticity we now know that you can in fact teach an old
dog new tricks; neural rewiring is possible in adult life. Though it is essential for
addicts to feel supported in order to finally face and feel the pain they have been
trying to avoid, this is ultimately an inner journey that must be taken by the
individual.
“Whatever you do, don’t try and escape from your pain, but be with it. Because
the attempt to escape from pain creates more pain.”
– The Tibetan Book Of Living And Dying
The Roots Of Healing
When we are young, our parents care for us until we are able to do it for
ourselves, after all they won’t be there to do it for us forever. Perhaps, on an
emotional level this is also true: our parents love us so that we may learn to do it
for ourselves. The programs in Portugal have demonstrated that addicts do
remarkably well when they feel valued by their community. Whether they realise
it or not, the Portuguese are creating positive limbic modelling by valuing the
addicts so they can learn to value themselves. When people are there to provide
loving support for an addict wishing to face the emotional pain they carry, they
are loving them and caring for them until they can learn do love themselves.
With this in mind, perhaps the neural-wiring of emotional resilience developed
through the loving reflection of another, once fully developed, could simply be
called self-love.

Davis, Jonathan - The Opposite of Addiction Is Connection

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Davis, Jonathan - The Opposite of Addiction Is Connection

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Davis, Jonathan - The Opposite of Addiction Is Connection

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

How does childhood trauma relate to addiction?

What are some personal solutions for addiction mentioned?

The Opposite Of Addiction is

Do Stronger Human Connections Immunise Us

If connection is the opposite of addiction, then an examination of the

Trauma is well-known to cause interruption to healthy neural wiring, in both

You might also like