#236: Phone, Alcohol & Food Addiction Recovery Tips w/ Paul Thomas, MD

Addiction expert and former alcoholic Dr. Paul Thomas is presenting meaningful strategies to kick addictions for good in this hour long chat.

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➢ Check out the Addiction Summit: http://bit.ly/2OyFa8M

➢ The Addiction Spectrum Book: https://amzn.to/2OFrYjl

-------------------Key Takeaways--------------------

02:02 Dr. Thomas is an alcoholic in recovery for 15 years.

06:00 Many adolescent patients with ADD, ADHD, anxiety or depression tend to self-medicate, so Dr. Thomas started an addiction clinic.

06:28 Teens do not need to be put on long-term medication.

08:48 Addicted teens and young adults have difficulty with 12 step programs. 

13:26 Addiction is a spectrum. You can move yourself to safety by doing certain things.

15:50 Little or random use of marijuana triggers schizophrenia, psychotic behavior or paranoia for some of us.

16:22 Those of us who drink heavily and do not detox can trash their bodies to the point of death in 3 to 5 years.

16:34 People who use meth age decades in just years.

18:48 Dr. Thomas prefers to treat with natural treatments.

19:41 About 1/3 to ½ of Dr. Thomas’ patients who are meth or heroin addicts are former ADD/ADHD kids. Many were never treated.

22:30 Screen addiction: You receive constant fight/flight triggers from your screens. It’s frying our brains.

27:19 We trade addictions.

32:11 It took 5 years for Dr. Thomas to be around alcohol without it bothering him.

35:41 Support systems are important to sobriety and maintaining sobriety long-term. Dr. Thomas still goes to meetings.

38:08 Treatment saves lives. The addict must want sobriety.

43:01 A ketogenic diet normalizes the GABA to glutamate ratio and lessens cravings.

51:26 The book Knowing How by Julie Valenti contains 20 concepts for rewiring your brain to new pathways, releasing you from old maladaptive pathways.

54:03 Alcohol is an addictive poison.

55:55 There are 115 deaths per day from opiate overdose. We have no solution.

57:44 Dr. Thomas has a 13 point plan in his book.

01:02:22 Dr. Thomas’ desert island nutrient for addiction is vitamin D.

01:04:07 Dr. Thomas’ recommended morning routine for addicts is to stay off cell phone and email. Drink a tall glass of water and meditate.

01:08:25 Dr. Thomas’ strategy for approaching an addict is to share his story.