451: How to Heal from Any Addiction by Addressing Your Emotional Triggers | Adi Jaffe, PhD

Trauma Impact

Adi Jaffe emphasizes the profound impact of trauma on addictive behaviors, highlighting that trauma often underlies addiction. He argues that traditional recovery methods, like 12-step programs, often overlook trauma's role, focusing instead on abstinence 1. Jaffe believes that addressing trauma is crucial for effective recovery, as unresolved trauma can perpetuate addiction. He states, "You can't fix somebody like that by just abstaining. Not drinking doesn't help their trauma. You've got to go do deep trauma work" 1.

   

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety can significantly trigger addictive behaviors, as Adi Jaffe shares from his personal experiences. He describes how social anxiety led him to substance use as a coping mechanism, which eventually escalated into addiction 2. Jaffe explains that substances like cannabis can exacerbate anxiety due to their effects on kappa receptors, which can trigger panic and anxiety 3. He notes, "Cannabis turns on cannabinoid receptors... but it also turns on opioid receptors to some extent... Kappa receptors... actually activate anxiety and panic" 3.

   

Response to Triggers

Understanding and responding to emotional triggers is key to overcoming addiction, according to Adi Jaffe. He argues that addiction often stems from underlying issues like self-loathing and anxiety, rather than the substances themselves 4. Jaffe suggests that by addressing these "hooks," individuals can break free from addiction. He states, "We are the sum of our habits, our physical environment, the people we spend time with, our internal beliefs. If you're willing to shift all of those, you can easily kick any addiction" 4.