RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOLISM AND ADDICTION IN 6 EASY STEPS

Alcoholism and Addiction, as explained in my book Fuck Portion Control, is caused by trauma to the serotonergic center of the brain called the dorsal raphe nucleus from stresses and trauma that are environmental, nutritional, and psychological. This damage causes a condition called Learned Hopelessness in which a person becomes socially paralyzed by a negative, neurological feedback loop where stress disrupts development and this disruption causes stress. This condition is mediated by the neurochemical acetylcholine which also facilitates memory, learning, and consciousness (which are all the same thing) and during stress acetylcholine is released in excess which then exaggerates the effect of negative life experiences which in turn subjects an individual to heightened stress from future negative experiences, creating a negative neurological feedback loop. Both alcohol and drugs treat this condition because alcohol destroys acetylcholine, which is why drinking to excess causes a blackout since acetylcholine facilitates consciousness, while drugs either block acetylcholine release or raise factors like dopamine which counteract it’s negative effects, thus providing relief from this condition.

Certain medications can block the negative effects of excess acetylcholine without the cognitive impairment caused by alcohol or recreational drugs. Antihistamines are one such medication and can be acquired without a prescription from any grocery store or pharmacy. Antihistamines directly block the negative effects of acetylcholine without actually blocking its function in learning and memory. First generation, over-the-counter antihistamines like doxylamine succinate and diphenhydramine are the most accessible, cheap, and easy to take (and are also sometimes sold as sleep-aids). Look at the ingredients of antihistamine products to purchase one of these. Only 1/2 a tablet or dose a night, before bedtime, for several months will help block the stressful effects of excess acetylcholine without blocking it directly the way alcohol and other drugs do. Antihistamines cause drowsiness and should only be taken before bed and never with alcohol or recreational drugs. Abstinence from all alcohol and drugs should begin at this time (including prescription drugs of abuse such as adderall) and done alongside step 3. Use of an antihistamine should continue for at least several months until feelings of despair and anxiety diminish and only if the other following steps are also being practiced, otherwise it won’t do much except make you sleepy.

Sodium acetate is another medication which can strongly treat this condition and assist recovery, is easy to take, and has almost no side effects although it is not really available for purchase and instead must be made at home using baking soda and vinegar (this is your elementary science fair volcano). It is generally recognized as safe by the FDA and is often an ingredient in foods like salt and vinegar chips or as a preservative. In the body alcohol is metabolized directly to acetic acid, and because acetic acid is the precursor to steroids, hormones, and a cofactor for enzymes drinking provides supplemental acetic acid when the gut microbiome is not producing sufficient quantities, and metabolism of alcohol to acetate is the reason for binge drinking and cravings. Acetic acid is vinegar, but straight vinegar is too caustic to supplement directly, so reacting it first with sodium bicarbonate buffers its caustic effects and allows more to be supplemented which will then help promote acetic acid dependent pathways thus strongly reducing cravings and improving mood and energy.

Sodium also directly decreases acetylcholine excess and increases dopamine and helps treat symptoms of depression which accompany alcoholism and addiction, and sodium acetate can produce very similar feelings of relief and relaxation as alcohol without the negative side effects (because this normally comes from gut microbes producing acetate). Likewise, the increase in steroids which result from sodium acetate help reduce feelings which motivate drug abuse. It should be taken every day, even if you feel fine, until well after a full recovery has been made (at least six months to a full year).

SODIUM ACETATE RECIPE:
1 tsp baking soda
3-4 tbsp white vinegar (or any other kind of vinegar)
In an open container like a bowl or jar slowly mix baking soda and vinegar until all fizzing stops. NEVER mix in a sealed container as it will cause the container to explode and may injure you or others. Dilute this solution generously with juice or water (at least a full glass). When beginning sodium acetate use only half this dose separated by at least an hour to see how it will affect you. After your body gets used to it you can take the whole dose at once, once a day, always well diluted (juice is best). Cravings should disappear within two months but remember to continue well after that to prevent relapse. Sodium acetate has no contraindications I am aware of, but do not take at the same time of day as any other meds to avoid mixing or reacting in the stomach.

Next the diet must change in order to promote healing of the dorsal raphe nucleus. There are some common dietary staples and behaviors which actively prevent healing because of their inflammatory nature. First, eat consistently and generously. Stress from dieting and deficiency of calories or carbohydrate is one of the strongest promoters of alcoholism and addiction because going without calories, especially carbohydrates, destroys the commensal gut microbiome which normally makes acetic acid and drives up stress hormones which increases the release of acetylcholine. It is not possible to recover while starving your body. Don’t skip breakfast, don’t fast, do not go more than three hours without eating, do not drink coffee before breakfast. Sugar is especially useful for lowering stress because it helps the body produce energy, and the use of fruit and healthy candy, desserts, and treats should be used daily to prevent low blood sugar. Those of us with addiction and alcoholism often have self-defeating behaviors, body dysmorphia, and low self-esteem that motivate dieting but starving yourself and undereating will always prevent you from achieving recovery because of the effects of low blood sugar and calories on release of stress hormones.

One of the strongest dietary stimulants for acetylcholine excess are nightshade plants like potato, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers which contain glycoalkaloid neurotoxins which destroy the enzyme acetylcholinesterase which regulates acetylcholine. These glycoalkaloids are meant to kill pests like nematodes by overstimulating their nervous system, and although they usually don’t have obvious effects on humans (there are instances of poisoning by green potato though) they still increase acetylcholine to such a degree they can cause high rates of alcoholism in places which have high consumption of nightshades, especially potato which is one of the most potent. During my recovery I found I had to entirely avoid all potatoes for at least six months, and thereafter never eat them more than twice a week. Other nightshades like tomato and peppers are less of a problem and likely don’t usually need to be avoided but should not be eaten more than twice a week. Once recovery is accomplished potato can be enjoyed again in moderation.

It’s also extremely important to avoid all yogurt and other lactic acid ferment products. For reasons that are way to complex to get into in this short article lactic acid producing bacteria suppress microbial producers of short chain fatty acids like acetic acid which are needed to make a full recovery, and yogurt products and other lactic acid ferments not only contain lactic acid which inhibit them but also the microbes which produce those large quantities of lactic acid which can and do then stay in the gut up to several days after consuming them. This problem is so serious that it can actually undo the benefits of using sodium acetate which acts in opposition to the effects of lactic acid, so avoid all yogurt, kefir, and other lactic acid ferment products.

Common wheat products like pasta, bread, cereal, and any form of wheat must absolutely be avoided entirely during recovery. This unfortunate requirement is because the gluten from common wheat is so inflammatory it prevents tissues from regenerating (especially the nervous system and brain), so underlying neurological damage cannot be healed without removing this inflammation. Most common wheat is also fortified with added iron which strongly promotes opportunistic gut microbes which interfere with the normal microbial production f acetate. Simply cutting back will not work. It must be complete abstinence. Alternative wheat products like spelt, einkorn, or kamut are great replacements (and taste even better anyway) and the equivalent pasta, bread, pastry, etc., made from spelt, einkorn, or kamut are great.

Because of these dietary restrictions it is important to compensate by eating plenty of other foods. Fruit, sugar, and other carbohydrates promote feelings of wellness and joy and should be consumed generously to promote recovery. Alcohol is actually a form of sugar, which is another reason why we who chronically diet and starve ourselves often present with alcoholism. Many people mistake alcoholism and addiction as a behavioral or discipline problem and will include sugar abstinence in their attempts at sobriety, but these conditions are biochemical and neurological problems and are worsened by avoiding sugar and food. Sugar is not addictive—it is literally the substrate used by our mitochondria to produce energy, and claiming that sugar is addictive is like claiming air or water is addictive—our body literally cannot operate without it. So not only do not avoid sugar, use sugar as a coping mechanism which will help give you the relief normally sought by drugs and alcohol without the negative side effects (high quality forms of sugar are ideal so use fruit, fruit juices, fruit smoothies with added organic sugar, high quality desserts and treats, etc.)

While the previous steps all address the symptoms of alcoholism and addiction, the underlying damage to the part of the brain which regulates this disease, the dorsal raphe nucleus, must be regenerated for this relief to be permanent. And yes, this cure can be permanent (that’s why it’s called a cure), so long as every step in this recovery is followed (including step 6 which is not optional).

Higher acetylcholine expression is a consequence of damage to the dorsal raphe nucleus, so healing it is both imperative and effective. Conveniently, the dorsal raphe nucleus regenerates when stimulated by light and part of the problem in this disease is general deficiency of sunlight exposure, as darkness increases stress on the raphe nucleus. Applying artificial bright light directly to the sides or back of the head is very therapeutic and can augment normal sunlight exposure to more effectively stimulate the dorsal raphe nucleus to a higher metabolic rate.

This therapy must be done exactly or it will not work, but is a rather simple matter, requiring only sunlight but which is better and more consistent through the use of artificial light in addition to natural sunlight, since the amount of time required daily would risk sunburn by sun exposure alone.

The dorsal raphe nucleus sits at the top of the spinal column between the ears, so light should be directed at the back or sides of the head without disruption. Any bright, warm-spectrum light such as a 300 watt incandescent flood light or a very strong LED which is 3000k in color temperature or less will work (do not use CFL lights). A reflector also helps to direct all the light toward the head. Light exposure must be maintained for at least 2 hours every single day for two to three weeks, without missing a single day of treatment. This is the minimum time for effectiveness. Brightness of the light and duration are the most important mechanisms for effectiveness. Because exposure should be to the back or sides of the head this therapy can be done while reading, watching TV, working, playing video games, etc. Longer exposure time is more successful, so three hours a day or four weeks duration will better ensure recovery. Do not use hot lights like infrared as heat stress will prevent the long exposure times required to stimulate regeneration. If light exposure begins to feel uncomfortable stop, as heat stress is not helpful.

You will know this step is working when it actually causes an increase in depression the first few days of practice. Cessation of torporific hormone production by light exposure causes a temporary backlog of those hormones, and while this will not feel great it is a great sign light therapy is actually working. Oppositely, after this short period of time a marked increase in feeling great will follow and will never regress so long as light deficiency is not again incurred and step 6 is also completed because emotional and psychological stress can and does also damage the dorsal raphe nucleus.

Vitamin C strongly promotes the effectiveness of this light therapy. In fact, during severe vitamin C deficiency light exposure can irritate cells and cause agitation and thus prevent compliance. Daily consumption of foods high in vitamin C or the use of a supplement is very useful.

If regression should occur, repeating this light therapy is all that is required to rectify it, but sunlight deficiency should not occur thereafter—take care to get generous sunlight exposure every day as much as possible.

Learned hopelessness causes an alcoholic or addict to accumulate many negative life experiences due to the exaggerated effect of excessive acetylcholine in the process of imprintation, learning, and memory. This is also compounded by the lack of effective life skills and coping skills due to things like childhood trauma and extremely negative perceptions of our own self worth and fears of life, death, people, responsibility, consequences, etc. New psychological tools to empower the alcoholic or addict are required in order to remove fear, self-doubt, and self-defeating behavior.

Recovery programs such as 12-step programs often help addicts and alcoholics learn new positive associations with previously stressful life experiences and the learning of new interpersonal and life skills such as the ability to make amends, handle financial stress, set healthy boundaries, and navigate relationships effectively. This process requires abstinence because acetylcholine is still required to imprint new learning experiences on the brain, while tools like antihistamine and sodium acetate help to normalize acetylcholine levels and protect against its stress effects. But without learning new life skills an alcoholic or addict will find it difficult to fully recover since negative perceptions about life and ourselves will continue to produce profound stress from normal aspects of life such as finances, relationships, employment, loss, etc. Everyone can learn new life skills and life afterward is far more rewarding and free of tumultuous stress.

While recovery programs can be helpful they are often also associated with religious principles or run by other addicts and alcoholics who may or may not be helpful, and none have information on biological aspects of addiction and recovery since nobody has yet known what causes it. The willingness to join and participate in recovery programs is an act of personal empowerment and so can be a very helpful option, and both my books discuss a cognitive inventory therapy derived from the 12-step programs which more effectively facilitate the resolution of past trauma and associated unhealthy control and coping mechanisms which predispose alcoholics and addicts to excessive psychological stress. I have also made an instructional video teaching the practice on my YouTube channel you can watch as well. The Perfect Child more thoroughly discusses childhood abuse and resolution of unresolved trauma which is a major cause of this damage to the brain which underlies these conditions. With both these biological and psychological tools life will finally become one worth living in which we are able to meet life on its terms and find fulfillment in even the most mundane.

Fuck Portion Control also contains more information on this and other health and wellness issues which can address associated health problems like insomnia, depression, hair loss, weight gain, erectile dysfunction, cancer, hypothyroidism, and more. Many people with this disease also suffer from communicable oral infectious pathogens which cause gum disease which can also make recovery difficult, and addressing these infections can also improve the recovery experience as well as improve general health and wellbeing.