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PSYCHOLOGY OLLOWING THE recent surge in me- dia attention on moms and substance abuse, questions are being raised as to the reasons behind this alarming phe- Fnomenon—and how to prevent similar incidents from occurring. Startling news stories of moth- Mother’s ers abusing drugs or alcohol while caring for children and driving them to activities, or ne- glecting them while under the influence are be- coming more and more frequent. Much of this media attention has put the spotlight on subur- ban moms and celebrities whose drug and alco- Little hol use have made headline news. Diane Schuler, a suburban mom from New York, was driving on the wrong side of the road with her children and three nieces while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, resulting in a BY GAYLE MADELEINE RANDALL head-on collision that killed seven people in July 2009. Her youngest son was the only survivor. Helpers “Modern mothers face more stress, family obligations, Deborah Bradley, the Kansas City mother of a missing 10-month-old baby, admitted that she and professional responsibility than ever before.” was drunk—having polished off a box of wine— on the October night of her daughter’s disappear- is the chemical imbalances that occur within woman feels, and thus play a critical role in in- ance. Authorities note that on the evening in ques- their bodies during substance abuse, which of- fluencing how she behaves. Neurotransmitters tion, Bradley indicates she did not hear the baby ten are magnified by the female’s natural hor- are the chemical messengers that allow nerves to monitor or dog barking, which would have alert- monal fluctuations. talk to each other. They are necessary for the ed her to a possible intruder in her home. One treatment is to measure neurotransmitter body’s organs, muscles, and brain to function ef- Other prominent examples in the media in- levels, which have a profound effect on how a fectively. clude pop star Britney Spears, the mother of two Estrogen and progesterone levels plummet young children, involved in a custody battle in when a woman is premenstrual, post-partum, or part because of her alleged prescription drug and approaching menopause, which decreases trans- alcohol abuse. Actress Melissa Gilbert includes in Tips for Moms mission of the calming, or inhibitory, chemical her memoir that she was drinking up to three bot- messages—and removes a mom’s natural buff - tles of wine a night, until her eight-year-old son to Stay Healthy ers to stress. This may be another trigger for her begged her to stop. These and many more tragic to reach for alcohol or drugs to self-medicate. here are a number of alternatives for stories are being reported at an alarming rate. Toverwhelmed and struggling moth- Inside the body, drugs and alcohol resemble American life has become fully infiltrated by ers to drugs and alcohol, including: our natural neurotransmitters (NTs), and they addiction, as an increasing number of women— Practice deep breathing. It has trigger the body to release more NTs artificially. especially moms—turn to alcohol, pills, and been proven that five to 10 minutes of Because of this, neurotransmitter levels are high- other substances for stress relief. According to yoga-type breathing from the belly can ly elevated during drug and alcohol intoxication. studies, the number of women aged 30-44 years calm the nervous system and provide This is what leads to a sense of euphoria and re- abusing alcohol has doubled over the last 10 up to six hours of reduced stress, ex- duced anxiety—but only temporarily. years. Specialists are looking into the physical hibited by lower heart rate and blood As the body senses and reacts to the height- and psychological factors affecting these wom - pressure, slower brain waves, higher ened levels of these NTs inside its system, the endorphin and neurotransmitter levels, en, and what this means for more American and an increased sense of well-being. body tries to protect itself by reducing its own moms facing similar issues. In my professional Exercise. One hour of daily exercise natural production of NTs. As a result, more and experience, physical and psychological “over- is ideal, but even light to moderate ex- more of the substance must be taken to achieve load” seems to be what most are enduring. Moth- ercise has enormous health benefits on the same effect, leading to addictive use, and ers’ overly busy schedules sometimes result in all of the bodyʼs systems. sometimes causing permanent nerve damage. them turning to stimulants to keep them going Maintain a healthy balanced diet. Neurotransmitters almost always are imbal- throughout the day. Stimulants also are being Limit or eliminate caffeine, tobacco, and anced when a person is abusing substances like used to address the pressures of “keeping their stimulants (energy drinks) and hydrate, drugs or alcohol. A woman who is feeling the figures,” by artificially curbing appetites—at great which helps provide more stamina and effects of imbalanced, fluctuating NTs (but with- energy to handle the demands of life as cost to women’s nervous systems and overall a parent. out realizing the cause) may turn to drugs or al- health. Drink plenty of water. Shoot for a cohol to self-medicate. This temporary “fix” On an emotional level, moms often build in- goal of half your weight in ounces. So, works at first, but the ongoing abuse only wors- ternal resentment for putting their own activities a 150-pound woman should drink 75 ens the chemical NT depletion over time. aside, yet also experience feelings of guilt when ounces a day. In my time as a physician, I have seen an in- they do not sacrifice their own needs for those of Learn to say “No.” Oftentimes, pleas- creasing number of mothers who use substances their family. Other times, lack of adult company ing others takes precedence over car- ranging from narcotics to alcohol, benzodi- leaves some mothers feeling lonely and de- ing for oneself. This especially is true azepine such as Valium and Xanax, cocaine, and pressed. All of these stressors lead to the tempta- with moms. other stimulants. One of the most dramatic ex- Get adequate sleep. Aim for consis- tion to use substances to numb these ill feelings. tently getting seven to eight hours per amples of a drug dependent mom with NT de- There are many expectations on mothers to ad- night. Finding more time for sleep al- pletion was a 36-year-old woman who came to dress everyone’s needs, including their kids, ways is a challenge, but is necessary us after six years of snorted opiate abuse. She husband, community, and work. Often they do for the body to function effectively— pleaded with me, “I don’t want to do this any- not have any time or energy for themselves. physically and psychologically. more. Please help me stop. I have kids; they Another aspect specifically affecting women need me.” In this case, measurements of her 50 USA TODAY ★ JANUARY 2012 neurotransmitter levels revealed miserably low us for alcohol dependency and stayed 30 days. more. Family therapy with her fiancé and chil- readings of virtually all neurochemicals tested. She was a divorcée with a new fiancé and had dren, along with stress management, were very This particular mom was treated with natural every reason in the world to be happy; she was helpful, while her NT and nutritional chemical targeted amino acid and nutrient therapy. She al- well-off, attractive, and in love. Over the last imbalances also were addressed. She did well so received a full-treatment approach with psy- year, however, the stress and expectations of and remains sober today. chotherapy, family therapy, and 16 other modali- motherhood and those of her new relationship Another young woman with an infant daugh- ties. She required 90 days of rehabilitation, a caused an increase in her alcohol consumption. ter came to us after succumbing to injectable not-unusual time frame given the severe situa- She felt pressured to remain young and vital for opiate abuse. After the birth of her baby, the tion. At present, she is functioning as a mom, her boyfriend and perfectly available for her pressure of caring for an infant, being a good back to work and with her family and children, children; she crumpled under the stress. wife, and working regularly were more than she living a productive life. During rehab, she dug deep into her triggers could handle. She began using opiates to allow Drug abuse in high doses for a long duration with her therapists and realized that despite her her to do what she needed to without feeling of time causes a “burnout” phenomenon, with de- fiancé’s unwavering support, it was his tendency anxiety and stress. pletion of all neurotransmitters, which tend to stay to parent her that caused her to rebel and drink After her initial detox, treatment involved in- at that lower level until the body is reminded to tensive psychotherapy, family therapy, exercise, produce them again. After detoxing from the stress management, and spiritual guidance. She drugs, neurotransmitters can be rebalanced with needed 90 days to acquire the skills to remain targeted amino acid and vitamin therapies. This Warning Signs of sober and manage the stress of life. Her main can result in a better recovery, manifesting as im- underlying issue was the fear of being inade- proved sleep, increased feeling of well-being, Substance Abuse quate. Her mother had ingrained this sense of more energy, and decreased anxiety and cravings. f you—or someone you love—is strug- feeling “less than” from a young age.

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