#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. It’s a great discussion brought to you by, https://perfectketo.com, the makers of high-quality exogenous ketones and MCT oil products. *Save over 20% by using this link https://www.perfectketo.com/HIH ➢ 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.