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What Causes Addiction? By BigmommaJ

Addiction is one of those words that carries a lot of weight. It’s often misunderstood, judged harshly, and simplified into labels like “weakness” or “bad choices.” But the truth is, addiction isn’t that simple. It’s not about someone being “too weak to stop.” It’s about a tangled web of biology, trauma, environment, and emotions that pull people into a cycle that feels impossible to escape.

At its core, addiction is the result of the brain’s reward system being hijacked. Substances like alcohol, opioids, or even nicotine flood the brain with dopamine, creating feelings of relief, pleasure, or escape. Over time, the brain learns to crave that rush, and everyday joys—like laughing with your kids, eating a good meal, or finishing a project—don’t feel the same anymore. It’s not that the person doesn’t care. It’s that their brain has been rewired (Nestler, 2005; Volkow & Li, 2005).

But biology is only part of the story. Trauma plays a massive role. Many people struggling with addiction carry heavy stories—childhood abuse, neglect, loss, or pain they never got the chance to heal from. The famous ACEs study (Felitti et al., 1998) showed that people with adverse childhood experiences are significantly more likely to develop addiction later in life. Substances often become a way to cope, to silence the memories or feelings that hurt too much (Sinha, 2008). For a moment, that drink or hit can feel like relief. But the relief never lasts.

Addiction is also shaped by the world around us. Growing up in a home where substances were present, being surrounded by friends who use, or living in an environment where stress and survival overshadow peace—these all make someone more vulnerable. And when you combine those factors with genetics—research shows 40–60% of the risk for addiction can be inherited (NIDA, 2018)—you get a perfect storm.

Mental health struggles are another piece of the puzzle. Anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, PTSD—these don’t just increase the risk of addiction; they often go hand-in-hand with it (Kessler et al., 1996). The pain of living with an untreated mental illness can make substances feel like medicine, even though they end up worsening the very symptoms someone is trying to escape.

The hardest truth is this: no one wakes up and says, “I want to be addicted.” Addiction isn’t a choice—it’s a disease. A disease that changes the brain, warps thinking, and feeds off pain. And yet, behind every person struggling is someone who still loves, still hopes, and still dreams of freedom.

Finding Hope and Support

While addiction has many causes, recovery is possible—and it starts with hope. Healing looks different for everyone, but no one has to walk that road alone. Here are some places where support can begin:

Therapy & Counseling: Working with a therapist, especially one trained in trauma and addiction, can help untangle the deeper causes and provide healthier coping skills.

Support Groups: Programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), or SMART Recovery connect people to a community that understands (Kelly & Hoeppner, 2015).

Treatment Centers: Inpatient or outpatient programs provide structure, medical support, and therapy to start the recovery journey (Laudet & White, 2010).

Holistic Healing: Exercise, mindfulness, journaling, faith practices, and creative outlets (like writing or art) all help rebuild a sense of self.

Reaching Out: Sometimes the bravest step is simply telling a trusted friend or family member, “I need help.”

Addiction may take hold of a person’s life, but it does not erase their worth or their capacity to heal. Recovery is not about perfection—it’s about progress, about reclaiming moments of peace, and about rediscovering joy beyond the substance.

If you or someone you love is struggling, remember this: addiction is not the end of the story. With support, compassion, and persistence, a new chapter is always possible.

Crisis Hotlines & Resources

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out to one of these resources:

Canada: Call or text 988 for the Suicide Crisis Helpline (24/7).

United States: Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7).

United Kingdom: Call 0800 1111 (Childline) or 0800 915 4644 (Addiction Helpline).

Australia: Call 13 11 14 (Lifeline).

International: Visit findahelpline.com to locate support lines in your country.

You are not alone. Reaching out for help is not weakness—it’s one of the bravest things you can do.

Bigmommaj

#mentalhelath #Awareness

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Find A Helpline | Free emotional support in 130+ countries

Global vetted directory of helplines, hotlines and crisis lines. Chat, text or phone support with suicide, anxiety, depression, domestic violence, gender& sexual identity and more.
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Universal support

I have noticed that I get help through the universe, to use the New Age terminology. For instance we are having problems recording TV programs through our set top box. Last night something was being recorded okay and then it stopped. I thought that's strange and I noticed another recording had started. At this point my wife said why don't you look up about buying a smart TV? Reading up about one it said that unless they had two channels for doing so, they could only record one thing at a time. It seems our box may have reverted to this as although it had managed to record two programs at the same time before, it was old and we recently went over to digital then onto fibre, which may have messed up its functioning

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Resources for my mom (senior)

Hi Mighty friends,

I’m popping in here this afternoon because I need some help. This may be an ongoing thing I need support with.

Long story short: My mom is leaving her husband and moving in with me and my boyfriend at the end of this month. Currently she lives out of state, so this will be a big move for her. She will find a job and apartment. We live in the United States (Ohio).

My mom is a senior and has never saved money and doesn’t have retirement. Currently, she doesn’t have any medical needs (she doesn’t go to the doctor, so I take that with a handful of salt). She doesn’t have a lot of skilled experience so I am concerned about cost of living, especially with cuts to social safety nets that are happening in the US.

I cannot help financially because I am on SSI. My siblings are not involved and will not help her.

This is way out of my area of expertise and there are more social safety net cuts expected in the next couple of years. Information is not yet available for what programs will be cut, making it even harder to plan for.

Does anyone have ideas of where to look for programs or resources for seniors? 😬

#MentalHealth #Disability #Trauma #Anxiety

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Mental health matters!

Guided by lived experience and evidence-based practices, NAMI-NYC helps families and individuals affected by mental illness build better lives through education, support, and advocacy. Join one of our support groups, connect with resources through our Helpline, or build skills to care for your mental health in our classes. Learn more about our free mental health programs at naminyc.org.

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Likely going to have to stop or reduce my therapy

I am not doing well. My anxiety has been ramped up, my panic attacks have been pretty bad lately.

The cost of living is becoming really burdensome. I have already felt like I am a burden because I cannot work and only have an income less than $1,000 a month from SSI. I’m 39 years old and want nothing more than to manage my conditions and return to work in some capacity.

I have been trying to do a few different approaches for trauma therapy and my trauma therapist is amazing. Unfortunately she doesn’t work within the insurance system. We were able to afford the private therapy for awhile but now we cannot. I have luckily been able to get a grant to cover the last several months, but that will run out soon.

I am going to have to stop or significantly reduce my trauma therapy. I don’t know how I am going to be able to work through my trauma, but I’m just going to have to.

My bf asked to borrow some money from his mom and she lectured him about how I need to work or move in with my mom (and if you saw my more recent post about my mom- we all know that is not an option). He has never borrowed money from her before, and we have told her in great detail my health problems. I had a feeling she wasn’t listening because she never really acknowledged what I said, and would just make a comment about something else.

I cannot tell you how infuriating it is to be seen as an object that can just be moved so me and my disability are someone else’s problem. Obviously and thankfully, my bf is not going to stand for that. But the hurt is still there because people don’t see my worth and haven’t seen I became disabled. The stigma is really bad for people with disabilities and it’s honestly getting so much worse.

The idea that I should just move somewhere else is a common refrain I have heard since being disabled. My friends and their families kept deciding what was an option for me and often would just tell me to move somewhere else, which would not fix my problem at all. It’s hurtful, so hurtful, that this is coming up again. I am so tired of not feeling like a person because I have chronic conditions. I’m tired of the way people have treated me. I’m so upset that this is coming up again.

Before I became disabled, I was respected by my friends and family. I have no idea how my value seemingly did a 180 because of my disability status. And honestly- if health insurance wasn’t as big of a deal here as it is, I would have significantly less things to worry about. I would be more likely to return to work sooner because I wouldn’t be worried about how much it costs to keep me alive and if the job I take will provide adequate and affordable health care for someone who will still need treatments, medicine, and support on a consistent basis.

Not only that, as a previously unhoused person, I am very triggered about the comments and policies that are happening around the United States about the unhoused population. I am so scared I’m going to end up homeless again. So scared. And this time, I wouldn’t just go hungry and without adequate living conditions. Social safety nets and programs to help people like me already were lacking (especially with housing) before these cuts. Now there is talk of sending the National Guard to other cities, including in my state.

I went downtown with my boyfriend this weekend and we saw people who are unhoused sleeping where they could; and i couldn’t help but feel so scared for them, and for people like me. I am so scared.

Please note this is not a political post. I am not engaging in a discourse about how my triggers are related to politics and what my reality is. I am also venting and will talk to my therapist about this, as she has a bigger picture of my circumstance and options.

While i appreciate advice, today I need support.

#MentalHealth #ADHD #Anxiety #Agoraphobia #PanicDisorder #ChronicVestibularMigraine #Migraine #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #AutonomicDysfunction #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #Disability #ChronicIllness #Trauma #CheckInWithMe

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I feel like life is getting worse in the US… and maybe in general (vent) | TW money, president, swearing, suicidal ideation

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And not just because of that horrendous president. Everything costs so high these days, and more and more online programs are forcing us to pay for subscriptions and locking actual useful shit behind a paywall. What happened to stopping poverty?! We’re not made of money!! They’re only just making things worse…… even private and secure mail services like Mailfence.

And now I’m wondering about ending my life again. I’m just… so fucking sick of this shit. I’ve lost all faith in the US, and I hate being American. I’m sick of all of this talk about money and inflation, I’m sick of this president (why the fuck was he elected twice?!), I’m sick of feeling so ignored in this damn cruel world, I’m sick of this damn pain… I don’t want to be in a world that treats everyone and especially minorities so harshly…

#MyAutismIsNotADisorder #MyAutismIsNotADisability #Anxiety #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #OSTD #OtherSpecifiedTraumaDisorder #SuicidalIdeation #SuicidalThoughts #SuicideAttemptSurvivors #FeelingKindOfHopeless

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Good, helpful topic on today's "Ask an Expert" virtual session, at 11 AM Central time

"Managing and Treating Gait and Balance"

If you miss it live, no problem: They are all recorded and available here, along with links to today's and future programs. Watch your step!

www.nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-pr...

#MultipleSclerosis #we Are #MightyTogether #newlydiagnosed #Disability #Caregiving #autoimmune

(edited)

Empowering people affected by MS to live their best lives

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society exists because there are people with MS. Our vision is a world free of MS.
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How Do You Deal With Turbulence?

Many people struggle with turbulence when it comes to fear of flying. Some spend much of a flight anticipating turbulence, almost bracing for it throughout the flight while hoping it doesn't show up. Even though people know rationally in their minds that turbulence is a part of flying and doesn't present any reasonable danger (outside of not wearing a seatbelt during turbulence), the emotional experience of turbulence can feel like you are in danger— that catastrophe either is happening, or about to happen.

Fear of Turbulence

There's a lot that goes into fear of turbulence, psychologically and emotionally on deeper levels, and these underlying causes for the fear generally vary from person to person. The body can emotionally have a way of responding immediately to turbulence, whether it's tension, a pit in the stomach, heart rate increasing, sweaty palms, panic, rapid breathing, and more. Thoughts and worries can start to surface, imagining all of the bad things that could happen or may be happening, even if they're not actually happening. These "what if's" can take over when feeling out of control and scared. These are important to address while working to overcome fear of flying.

The vulnerability that comes along with being in a shaking plane can feel incredibly overwhelming. Many people with flying anxiety experience the moment turbulence starts as an indication everything is going wrong. It goes from smooth and stable to out of control and seemingly catastrophic very quickly.

Fear of Flying Programs and Even Many Therapies Miss on Treating Turbulence (and Flying Anxiety as a Whole)

Turbulence has stumped people over time who try to help with fear of flying. While I work with the whole range of fear of flying (from people who fly with anxiety to those who don't fly at at all), I do hear from a significant number of people who haven't been able to overcome the fear of turbulence in spite of all of the therapies and programs by airlines and pilots they have tried. They may learn a lot about turbulence, but still can't stop the emotional response when in it, or in the anticipation of it.

One of the reasons people often feel little improvement for fear of flying and turbulence is that the vast majority of what's out there uses typical emotional regulation techniques that have never really worked well in flying scenarios (imagery or breathing exercises). While these types of exercises can be useful for parts of the overall flying anxiety process, they don't tend to be so helpful with with calming anxiety and panic once it has taken over. These exercises often misdirect people into trying to control their feelings in ways that emotionally sets up an internal battle in these fearful moments. If you feel like your safety is truly being threatened, you can't just start meditating or deep breathing with any sort of effectiveness. It becomes a tug-of-war that often leaves people feeling more out of control and helpless.

So, How Can People Approach Turbulence in a Way that Can Be Helpful?

I've written a lot about my approach to helping people overcome fear of flying in other articles if you wish to read more. A significant piece of overcoming fear of flying is shifting how we experience flying and how we interact with it. The same goes for turbulence. When we get caught up in trying to make big feelings smaller, or trying to figuratively run away from the turbulence (which many common emotional regulation techniques aim to do), we are already fighting a losing battle. As much as we may urge to, we can't run away from the turbulence when we're in the plane with it.

Therefore, it becomes necessary to shift how we interact with the turbulence, as opposed to battling it for emotional control. Rather than trying to get away from it, it's important to start finding the middle ground between smooth and catastrophic, and start shifting the "what if's" into "what is". A lot of people who struggle with flying anxiety can find it difficult to locate that middle ground, which can lead to catastrophic feelings if any turbulence shows up (or a certain threshold of shaking or bumping in the plane is crossed).

A Turbulence Exercise

I have created a number of turbulence exercises that focuses on shifting how you engage with turbulence—effectively changing the interaction with it, locating the what is and the middle ground—which actually gives you the space to feel more empowered and in control in these moments. When you can coexist with the turbulence, you allow the room to start to experience that it's not as scary.

One starter exercise is to "rate the bumps" in turbulence.

What does this involve?

It's how it sounds. When the plane bumps or shakes, rate the intensity of the bump on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the strongest bump). Keep a list on your phone or write it down somewhere as you experience each bump. Keep writing down rating of each bump through turbulent moments—3/10, 6/10, 4/10, 3/10 again, etc. Try to be reasonable with it. If every bump is a 10/10 then try to challenge yourself to find a different number for as many as possible. As turbulence happens, continue to add to the list while looking back over the list to remind yourself of the middle ground between catastrophe and calm.

Building On This Technique and Overcoming Fear of Flying

This one exercise shouldn't be expected to cure your fear of turbulence on its own, so don't over expect from it. But it can hopefully start to lower the catastrophic feelings just a bit into a middle ground, as you allow yourself to experience a different interaction with turbulence. You're not running from it now, you're engaging with it. This allows the space to be in the room (or plane) with turbulence and, mixed in with other turbulence exercises and working through your own fear, this new interaction can go a long way towards overcoming fear of turbulence and flying anxiety as a whole.

#Phobia #fearofflying #Claustrophobia #PanicAttacks #Anxiety #Agoraphobia #flyinganxiety

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I'm new here!

Synchrony is a mission-driven organization dedicated to helping neurodivergent adults build meaningful relationships, experience social belonging, and develop social independence. Through inclusive programs and community support, Synchrony creates safe, welcoming spaces where individuals feel connected, confident, and empowered to thrive socially.

#MightyTogether

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Disability Pride Month 2025 — It's never been more important to tell your story

Right now times are rough. It's vital we connect, get involved and share our personal stories here on the Mighty and elsewhere.

By helping others understand us, we'll strengthen our rights, programs and dignity. We are Mighty!

#DisabilityPrideMonth #MultipleSclerosis #MightyTogether #newlydiagnosed #Disability #Caregiving #ChronicIllness

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