About this video

• Video Title: Tools for Overcoming Substance & Behavioral Addictions | Ryan Soave
• Channel: Andrew Huberman
• Speakers: Andrew Huberman, Ryan Soave
• Duration: 03:07:33

Overview

This video features a discussion between Andrew Huberman and Ryan Soave, an expert in addiction treatment and trauma recovery. They explore the multifaceted nature of addiction, including its relationship with trauma, and provide practical, zero-cost tools for recovery. The conversation covers various aspects of addiction, from recognizing it and understanding dopamine dynamics to building distress tolerance and utilizing practices like Yoga Nidra. They also touch upon the role of community and spiritual connection in recovery and address specific behavioral addictions like gambling and pornography.

Key takeaways

• Addiction as a Solution: Addiction is viewed not as the primary problem, but as a problematic solution to underlying stressors or discomfort.
• Distress Tolerance: A core aspect of recovery involves building the capacity to tolerate discomfort and distress without resorting to addictive behaviors.
• Proactive vs. Reactive Tools: The discussion highlights proactive strategies (like cold plunges, meditation, Yoga Nidra) and reactive strategies for managing stress and emotional states.
• Mind-Body Connection: The importance of understanding the connection between thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the autonomic nervous system is emphasized.
• Community and Connection: Social support and connection, as found in 12-step programs or other peer groups, are crucial for sustained recovery.

Here's a step-by-step approach based on the conversation, focusing on actionable insights for overcoming addictions:

Phase 1: Awareness and Admission

1. Recognize the Pattern: Honestly assess if a substance or behavior "has you" rather than "you having it." Ask yourself:

   • Does it drive your behaviors?
   • Are you leaning on it as your "medicine" for stress or discomfort?
   • Can you abstain for a significant period (e.g., a month)?
   • What is it impacting in your life (relationships, work, health, self-esteem)?

2. Acknowledge Powerlessness: Understand and admit where you are powerless over the addiction, recognizing that your current approach isn't working. This isn't about weakness, but about identifying where your power lies in making different choices.

3. Identify the Underlying "Why": Explore what discomfort, stress, or pain the addictive behavior is trying to solve. This often involves understanding past traumas or difficult life experiences that shaped coping mechanisms.

Phase 2: Stabilization and Building Capacity

1. Seek Immediate Stability (if needed): For severe physical dependencies (like alcohol), medical detox is the first priority to ensure physical safety.

2. Build Distress Tolerance: Actively practice and schedule activities that increase your capacity to handle discomfort without resorting to the addiction. This includes:

   • Mindfulness and Meditation: Engage in practices that help you become aware of your internal state without immediate reaction.
   • Breathwork: Focus on techniques, especially those with long exhales, to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
   • Cold Exposure: Use practices like cold plunges to train your nervous system to manage uncomfortable physical sensations.
   • Physical Activity: Engage in regular exercise to "transmute energy" and manage stress.

3. Develop Self-Awareness: Understand your own patterns, virtues (assets), and liabilities (defects). This can be done through journaling, therapy, or sharing with trusted individuals.

4. Create an "Emotional Weather Forecast":

   • Gratitude: Start the day with gratitude, including for challenges.
   • Plan Your Day: Outline your day's activities.
   • Assess Emotional State: Identify your current feelings and physical sensations (e.g., irritability, tension).
   • Identify Potential Triggers: Based on your plans and emotional state, anticipate potential character liabilities or reactive patterns that might surface.
   • Define Strivings: Identify virtues or states of being you want to embody (e.g., patience, kindness).
   • Watch and Strive: Be aware of potential negative patterns and consciously strive for the desired states.

Phase 3: Rebuilding and Sustaining

1. Connect with Community: Engage with peer support groups (e.g., 12-step meetings, Smart Recovery) to find shared experience, hope, and accountability. Try multiple meetings to find a good fit.

2. Reorder Your Loves/Priorities: Identify what you are valuing most and ensure it's aligned with a healthy life. This might involve re-evaluating relationships, work, or personal goals.

3. Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms: Replace the addictive behavior with adaptive strategies for managing distress and seeking pleasure. This involves learning to "feel bad" in a way that doesn't lead to self-destructive actions.

4. Practice Authorship of Your Life: Move from being a "passenger" on the train of life to being the "driver." This means actively making choices and engaging with life, rather than being passively carried by circumstances or past programming.

5. Seek Professional Support: If needed, engage with therapists or treatment centers that can provide specialized care, assessments, and guidance.

6. Embrace the Struggle: Recognize that recovery is a process of continuous effort and that setbacks are part of building resilience. The goal is not to eliminate all discomfort, but to build the capacity to navigate it.