How Endorphin Activity Influences Opioid Addiction and Considerations for Recovery Artwork

Surviving Opioids - Beyond an Epidemic

Suriving Opioids - Beyond an Epidemic is a show about life beyond opioid addiction. You'll hear from guests who have lived through, researched, experienced, or been working along side folks at the ground level. These lived experiences are raw, honest, and you're going to get incredible perspectives and conversations from a diverse group of people. This show is for anyone interested in opioid addiction and interested to hear that although we have lost hundreds of thousands of people this past decade, we also do recover. Jeff Simone is a Doctor of Pharmacy, Certified Professional Recovery Coach (CPRC), Advanced Dietary Supplements Adviser and person in long-term recovery from opioid addiction. Dr. Simone works one on one as a behavior modification coach with Reaction Recovery and hosts group coaching sessions with the Reframe Thrive community. His focus is on identifying behavioral changes and lifestyle adjustments that integrate safely and appropriately with any current pharmaceutical or nutritional approach to treatment. He believes that recovery happens in the trenches of every day life. Inch by inch, day by day, and with a little accountability and encouragement, we do recover!

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Surviving Opioids - Beyond an Epidemic

How Endorphin Activity Influences Opioid Addiction and Considerations for Recovery

August 06, 2021 • Jeff Simone • Season 1 • Episode 11

This episode is about the biology of the endorphin system (the body's natural opioid system) and how early life dysregulation of this system becomes a major risk factor for later life

Endorphins – which are the love and attachment chemicals – need to be considered if we want to start feeling better once an opioid dependency is ended and those outside opioids (e.g. heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, etc. ) are removed and taken out of the picture

We'll be talking about the opioid apparatus (or endogenously, the endorphin apparatus.. which is what our natural system is called) – one of the most pivotal motivating and life organizing systems in the mammalian body.

And just like attachment is the drive for physical and emotional closeness with other people, and attachment is directly wrapped up with endorphin activity, I’m proposing here that opioid addictions are all born out of deep attachment wounds, and that wound is exactly what the opioid is treating.

When I'm working 1 on 1 with a client who is recovering from an opioid addiction or who is tapering off a long-acting opioid replacement medication, I am making recommendations and providing guidance while considering how the endorphin system is functioning at the current moment.

All guidance and recommendations need to consider the individual and their unique situation, Very little guidance she be broadly applied to everyone.

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