Universidade Federal do Ceará
Departamento de Química Orgânica e Inorgânica

A huge development as we end June and move into July 2020 are the easing of restrictions around lockdown leading to a huge sense of anxiety and unease amongst many of us. What we are seeing happening around us is, for many people, very different to how we feel things probably should be. The irony being is that life in early lockdown was in many ways much clearer when compared to the conflicting messages we are receiving now as restrictions are being lifted. Neuroscience research with animals is elucidating how the brain constructs and maintains the neural networks that support learning. One process identified, long-term potentiation (LTP), has features that parallel key aspects of learning. Recent research has sought to account for the strikingly long-lasting ability of maladaptive drug-stimulus associations to influence behavior and provoke relapse.

In the grand symphony of your mind, cognitive dissonance therapy can be the conductor, helping you create a more harmonious melody from the sometimes discordant notes of your thoughts and beliefs. You also tell yourself that people really exaggerate how dangerous smoking is.  After all, you know people who smoke who have lived very long lives. Then, of course, you tell yourself that if you quit smoking, you might gain weight, which is also bad for your health. When there are conflicts between cognitions (thoughts, beliefs, opinions), people will take steps to reduce the dissonance and feelings of discomfort. However, while that may be true, evidence-based scientific research has shown that this disease plays mind games, controlling all aspects of a person’s life, mentally, physically, and socially. However, there are fortunate individuals who see how their substance abuse is causing not only destruction in their lives but also with those who love them.

Impact on Addiction Patterns

The high-risk nature of the population was supported by their high rates of drug use and related attitudes and behaviors. Some youth encounter significant “motivational barriers” when coerced into treatment (Winters, 1999). Approximately half of the youth in treatment relapse in the first 3 months following discharge (Brown, Mott & Myers, 1990), and 65–80% relapse after 6 months (Brown, 2001; Cornelius et al., 2003). Recognizing these instances of cognitive dissonance is the first step toward understanding our behavior. So next time you find yourself justifying something that feels a little off, take a moment to reflect. Understanding these dynamics can lead to greater self-awareness and even personal growth!

Tools and Recovery Resources

For example, a small 2019 study notes that dissonance-based interventions may be helpful for people with eating disorders. This approach works by encouraging people to say things or role-play behaviors that contradict their beliefs about food and body image. Drawing a person’s attention to the dissonance between their behavior and their values may increase their awareness of the inconsistency and empower them to act.

Cognitive Dissonance and Addiction: The Psychological Struggle of Addictive Behaviors

These platforms have become increasingly popular in recent years, providing users with a convenient and engaging way to access a wide range of entertainment content and interact with other users in real time 24. With the rise of smartphones and mobile Internet access, pan-entertainment mobile live broadcast platforms have become accessible to a wide range of users and have the potential to revolutionize the way people consume and interact with entertainment content 25. Prior studies on pan-entertainment mobile live broadcast platforms have focused on various aspects, such as user engagement 26, retention 27, broadcasting intention 28, gifting behavior 29, and comment motivation 30. The these platforms have an impact on the entertainment industry, and these factors contribute to the success of these platforms 31,32.

Stages of Addiction: A Neurological Journey Through the Brain

As President and Chairman of the Board, Dan’s mission is to grow the unique Elevate model outside of California and to bring it nationwide. Dan brings a unique and modern perspective to substance abuse and the problems faced by addicts, families, and society. Christina Kuzio has been a Registered Nurse for 40 years – the majority of those years working in a large South San Francisco Bay Emergency Room. For the past 17 years, Christina has been managing the Health drug addiction and Wellness Department at EAS in Watsonville, CA. Christina has volunteered for many years with Flying Doctors, a humanitarian group that provides health services to underdeveloped areas in Mexico and Central America.

• “Praxis” an active, continual movement between action and reflection (Freire, 1971) is used in comparison to more passive, didactic methods of teaching curricula.
• Youth can benefit from participating in prevention interventions and this may actually serve as a form of treatment, especially for youth who do not yet meet criteria for or accept the need for clinical intervention.
• User addiction to the pan-entertainment mobile live broadcast platform has a positive influence on users’ cognitive dissonance.
• Self-efficacy, or the belief in one’s ability to perform a task effectively 45, has also been shown to be a key determinant of user behavior in the context of technology usage 45.
• In utero exposure to tobacco byproducts has been linked to cognitive deficits in laboratory animals and human adolescents (Dwyer, Broide, and Leslie, 2008).

Does Insurance Cover Mental Health Treatment?

When people in addiction recovery begin therapy with a beginners mindset, this allows them to adapt to new thinking styles and healthier ways of behaving. Leon Fester, psychologist and author of the book; A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (1957), proposed that people experience psychological unease when their beliefs are conflicting or when their actions and behaviours contradict each other. Practices that promote mindfulness and meditation can cognitive dissonance and addiction help individuals become more aware of their thoughts and emotions. This increased awareness facilitates the recognition of cognitive dissonance and empowers individuals to make healthier choices. Tim is an experienced and talented administrator and director of mental health and addiction treatment facilities. With years spent as Executive Director at The Palm Beach Institute, The Camp Recovery Center, Promises Malibu, and Elevate Addiction Services, Tim has guided dozens if not hundreds of fellow professionals along his empathetic, clinical path to excellence in providing therapeutic treatment.

On a regular basis, Matt collaborates with Elevate’s President, CEO, COO & Clinical Director to evaluate, plan and monitor program objectives and requirements. My goal is for everyone to enjoy coming to work, and for their days to be as productive as possible toward the end of helping people put their lives back together. Camille Cox is the Family Advisor, Continuing Care Supervisor at Elevate Addiction Services South Lake Tahoe campus.

• Together, we nurtured a profound sense of empathy and compassion, extending kindness to others, no matter their circumstances.
• Addressing cognitive dissonance through therapy, self-awareness, and coping strategies supports better mental health outcomes.
• This presents a challenge for practitioners because there are few substance abuse prevention programs that are tailored for older adolescents who have experimented with substances (Sussman, Dent, & Stacy, 2002; Sussman, Sun, McCuller, & Dent, 2003).
• For example, research has shown its efficacy in preventing and treating eating disorders, reducing prejudice, and improving decision-making processes.
• In the absence of judgment, such inquiries can prompt greater connection and client self actualization.

Early Studies of Cognitive Dissonance

Your therapist will work with you to identify the conflicting beliefs causing distress. This might involve discussing various https://adfluxagency.com/2020/12/07/alcohol-consumption-can-be-a-double-edged-sword/ aspects of your life, from relationships and career choices to personal values and habits. It’s like being a detective in your own mind, searching for clues to solve the mystery of your internal conflicts. Cognitive Dissonance is not always a bad thing, and like any kind of pain or distress, it is communicating something to us. If there is a behavior you’re having trouble changing, the things you’re doing to reduce cognitive dissonance may be getting in your way.

• These same regions underlie declarative memory—the memories that define an individual, without which it would be difficult to generate and maintain a concept of self (Cahill and McGaugh, 1998; Eichenbaum, 2000; Kelley, 2004; Setlow, 1997).
• During the research for this project, participants became emotional when describing the drug risks that their younger siblings and/or cousins face and their desire to help them avoid consequences they have experienced.
• Rather, it’s about learning to recognize these conflicts, understand their impact, and find ways to resolve them that align with our authentic selves.
• One cannot reason with someone on drugs or use logic and data to persuade them out of their distorted reality.

Self-Management Skills to Cope with Cognitive Dissonance in Addiction Recovery

Furthermore, they may devise justifications for their addictive behaviors, deceiving themselves and avoiding the harsh reality of their addiction. It is crucial for specialists to comprehend the role of cognitive dissonance in addiction perception in order to effectively treat their clients. This article describes an innovative new intervention tailored to older youth who are already abusing drugs, but who are not diagnostically ready for treatment. The basic tenet of this intervention is to utilize adolescents engaged in drug use as “experts” in the prevention curriculum adaptation activity.