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Using Neuroplasticity To Heal The Addict's Brain
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The team at Rupert Case Management is applying the principles of neuroplasticity in the treatment of substance use disorder.
The brain can change its form, function and structure with behavioural change and by thinking differently.
Attention, focus, repetition and struggle are all important in order to prime the brain for change.
That's an important lesson that we incorporate into a treatment plan. To get better, the process must not be too easy. Constant repetition and adequate intensity (challenge) are important features of successful treatment plans.
To help in substance use disorder, the person of concern must repeat healthy behaviours and thought patterns many times for many months in order to succeed in establishing lasting change.
The motto from 12 step programmes "fake it, until you make it" is supported by the scientific evidence. This is an example of self-directed neuroplasticity
because you are training your brain to think and act a different way than it has been before, you're practicing.
The expectation that 30 days in rehab is a solution for addiction is naive. Most informed recovery therapists know that the process of getting sober starts with detox and then requires an extended period of hard work at changing the brain.
The continuity of care enhancing brain healing under the direction of a sober coach and recovery therapist is an essential element for success with substance use disorder.
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A 30 year old client was addicted to video games. This was a 15 year addiction. He would, on occasion, spend up to 20 hours per day gaming.
When the gamer announced to his family that he had lost a large amount of money from gaming and gambling, this lead to a crisis of concern.
The team at Rupert Case Management was asked to assist with the development of an intensive outpatient programme (IOP).
If a neurologist were to study this person's brain with functional MRI during gaming, certain "excitatory" areas of his brain would light up. Unfortunately, this is a similar brain pattern to substance use disorders.[1,2]
Gambling and gaming are entrenched addictions and are challenging to treat. All the principles required for effective substance use disorder must be employed to achieve stable sobriety with gaming and gambling.
In the world of brain function, gaming introduces excessive noise and unfortunately degrades many of the brain's important functions including learning, memory and decision making.[3,4] Furthermore, since the brain is a social machine which requires social interaction, gaming isolates individuals.
The Team at Rupert Case Management had to assist the client in recognizing his unique abilities and then applying them to real world tasks in order to build a sense of accomplishment and self esteem.
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| A Personalized Treatment Plan: |
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In order to help this client, we designed a personalized programme.
Everyone's brain will change in a different way. There are brain biomarkers that help the team to understand how to structure a personalized treatment plan.
The treatment plan must include repetitive behavioural and thought pattern change. The excitatory areas of the brain, which light up with gaming, must be switched so that other excitatory areas will light up with constructive activities.
To help the client start interacting more socially, contributing to his environment positively, and find a purpose outside of gaming, we found an opportunity for him to become involved in the 3D printing of heart valves in a medical research lab at the University. He is very good with computer technology. We needed to build on that competency.
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The brain is adaptable and changeable.
The client with substance use disorder can be assisted by using the principles of neuroplasticity to heal his/her brain in the pursuit of brain health and lasting sobriety.
We welcome the opportunity to help others with this approach.
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References
1.
Wareham JD, Potenza MN. Pathological gambling and substance use disorders. The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse. 2010 Aug 1;36(5):242-7.
2.
Potenza MN. The neurobiology of pathological gambling and drug addiction: an overview and new findings. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences. 2008 Oct 12;363(1507):3181-9.
3.
West GL, Konishi K, Diarra M, Benady-Chorney J, Drisdelle BL, Dahmani L, Sodums DJ, Lepore F, Jolicoeur P, Bohbot VD. Impact of video games on plasticity of the hippocampus. Molecular psychiatry. 2017 Aug 8.
4.
West GL, Drisdelle BL, Konishi K, Jackson J, Jolicoeur P, Bohbot VD. Habitual action video game playing is associated with caudate nucleus-dependent navigational strategies. InProc. R. Soc. B 2015 Jun 7 (Vol. 282, No. 1808, p. 20142952). The Royal Society
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| TO START THE CONVERSATION: |
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To learn more - call, click or email.
1-800-620-7551 or 647-350-5500
It all starts with a conversation.
We are always pleased to help.
Raymond Rupert MD. MBA.
Founder/Medical Director
Rupert Case Management Inc.
505 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 203
Toronto, ON M5N 1B1
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