Jim Kwick is a coach who trains the brain in the US. One thing with his story is the lack of impulse control we get when we are overloaded with information. In short are neurons become passive the more we consume information. He prescribes certain rest from mobiles and computers so that we can build memory back up again. I can't help but think that there is some truth in this. Our ability to rationalise problems, solve things and resist is seriously undermined by all information we are subjected to. Where does this fit into addiction? Well, we are toned into a full lack of impulse control and if we want our "critical faculty" to get back to some kind of normal we may need to try turning the information flow of now and again so we can adjust.
Yes my view is have been at information overload for a long time. I delete a lot of my television channels and try and watch the ones without adverts. 24/7 news from all over the world and everyone has a product to sell me to enhance my life
I try not to watch daytime television and am thinking about blanking off the aerial box and doing without telly next year. I prefer the radio anyway
what really upsets me now are the types of adverts especially gambling adverts. It just seems everything has gone so cynical and everyone is pushing the sort of products and services which rile me.
It all seems so confusing now but I always found the structure of modern life confusing so maybe I could never handle it. I just feel I have always been controlled by the state in rip off Britain.
I started gambling in the late 1970s when there was less info so its always been a dangerous lure for people seeking something
I feel I would have been happy living a very simple life chopping wood with a few pots and pans..know what I mean lol...the grass is always greener but Im sure this world too crazy and fast moving for my comfort.
The stress builds and Its easy to reach for a cigarette a drink or a gamble. I never thought I could get hopelessly addicted to anything...turns out gambling was the one that took over my life
Its not all our fault you know! Im working towards a day when gambling is heavily regulated short of a ban.
Best wishes to everyone on the forum
Thank you for your replies.
Well written answers that gives your mind something extra to think about. I wrote this because I am still fascinated by our brain's inability to recharge the critical faculty we have to enable a stop or a break to our behaviours when we are in dopamine spikes of gambling frenzies. Mind you it should not be a surprise. When you look at lab rats on C*****e addictions they will not eat or do anything at all except wait for the new dose of C*****e to carry them into their next high. Our addiction minds are basically the same and the one who can find that magic missing puzzle piece that gets the mind to say walk away from the mayhem will be the grand winner of the quiz show. I don't think there is such a piece. I think it is relearning behaviour that was eradicated when we became addicted. The ability to walk away can only be done through repetition or abstaining. And they are both shaky at best. See our present mind simply can not deal with the data and the subconscious mind does what it wants so the trick will always be to change direction away from the storm and into calmer waters again. I think hypnosis may work. Also, cbt that is taught here but YOU must know what your brain is doing because if you don't you ill never become unstuck. Addiction will be beaten one day. Someone will understand how to hypnotise a new neural pathway or someone will amplify or synthesise naltrexone so that gamblers may have a stop button somewhere.
The truth is out there so never stop looking!
Best
C
Yes. Simplified it is a new way of handling things. We are habitual and we do things quite automatically. To enable us to change our ways is not an easy task or we would all have been well ages ago. To enable neural pathways we must repeat new behaviour until it sticks. So we could, in essence, all become well if we just stopped making it difficult and followed new patterns of learning without questioning why but that seems to be too difficult for us to do so we procrastinate and try and invent the light bulb again. We need to understand that we are simple human beings, not superhumans who know everything. Then we can accept changes more easily. Neural pathways are the key to changing behaviour. I wish there was an easier way to do it but that would not include lobotomy.
Best
C
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