The document discusses how when addictive substances or behaviors are removed, the brain seeks alternatives to manage feelings and bodily states. When deprived of their addiction, the brain experiences a "cortical defensive bypass" that leaves people vulnerable to giving in to their addiction or finding a replacement. Recovery behaviors help reduce this fight or flight response to triggers in order to think through consequences rather than act impulsively. The document also mentions mechanisms of alpha and theta brain waves related to calm and reactive sensory input.

1. Pacific Grove, California
www.beaconhouse.org

2. Opiates or Cutting?
Cocaine or Shoplifting?
Compulsive Sex or Purging?
Alcohol or Food (Sugar)?

3.  Just because we abstain from one
substance or behavior, it does not
mean our brain is not seeking
another manner by which to
effective manage (soothe) feelings
and uncomfortable internal bodily
states!

4.  Take away our drug or behavior of choice, and
it is like taking away food and water from a
normal person.
 Our brain experiences a traumatic response
sometimes called a “cortical defensive bypass”
which leaves us defenseless against the first
drink, drug, Oreo cookie, sex addicted act, etc.
 Recovery behaviors all have one thing in
common: they reduce our tendency to enter
into this fight/flight response in reaction to a
trigger, uncomfortable emotion or even a
happy emotion.

5.  When we enter into this “defensive cortical
bypass” – what we are “bypassing” is our
ability to think through consequences. We
quite literally can’t access our visual cortex to
see the images of our spouse divorcing us,
getting our 3rd DUI, being put back on a
feeding tube because we became so engaged in
the euphoria of starving ourselves, getting an
STD from unprotected sexually acting out, and
the list goes on and on!

6. Mechanisms of Alpha Theta Reactive Sensory
Input
Less active
cortex has higher
amplitude alpha
Alpha is the idle rhythm of the cortex

7. Mechanisms of Alpha Theta Calm
Sensory Input
More active
cortex has lower
amplitude alpha
Alpha is the idle rhythm of the cortex

8. The Beacon House is fully licensed by the State of California and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
The Beacon House is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization