Do you or a loved one have an “addictive personality?” What if I were to tell you there is no such thing. I am not saying that some individuals aren’t more prone to addictions than others; what I’m saying is addictions aren’t caused by some sort of personality flaw.
Addictions multifaceted and there are typically multiple underlying causes that need to be addressed. Some of the most well-known include trauma, low self-esteem, social isolation (loneliness), and mental health disorders. I will share more on how to address the mental component of addiction later. But first I’d like to discuss an extremely common cause of addiction that most people are unaware of – weak adrenal glands (adrenal fatigue).
Constant cravings for junk food, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine and many other drugs have their origin in weak adrenal glands. It’s a shame that adrenal fatigue is almost never checked for or treated because it silently triggers and fuels many addictions and treating it can make the difference between lasting recovery and relapse.
The Adrenal Gland/Addiction Connection
Adrenal fatigue predisposes you to addictions and also drives addictions in two ways. Firstly, when the adrenals are fatigued it causes hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia causes the body to become desperate for quick energy and it sends out strong cravings for addictive substances such as sugar, carbs, caffeine, alcohol, and certain drugs. Every time the addictive substance is consumed, it forces the adrenals to respond by manufacturing and secreting hormones to regulate energy production, balance blood sugar and maintain homeostasis. The extra demand placed on the adrenal glands weakens them further, which leads to even stronger cravings; so the longer the addiction continues, the harder it becomes to break.
Adrenal fatigue also predisposes you to and fuels addictions because it leads to low cortisol levels. Your adrenal glands are responsible for producing cortisol (the hormone that regulates stress) and when adrenal fatigue kicks in, cortisol levels drop. This can lead to a wide range of troublesome symptoms including: fatigue, brain fog, insomnia, depressive mood,
I experienced the addictive effects of adrenal fatigue myself when I was younger. I was a compulsive overeater as a kid. I thought I was weak and lacked self-control. I realize now I had adrenal fatigue and the inability to produce enough cortisol to feel good. This caused my body to send out strong cravings for food in an attempt to feel better. When I turned towards a healthier lifestyle in my early 20s, one that included exercise, stress reduction and a wholefoods, plant-based diet my compulsion to overeat and to binge on junk food, disappeared. This wasn’t a coincidence, it happened because my new lifestyle nourished my adrenal glands back to health.
The Simple Solution that Works
Now for some good news, the cycle of addiction can be broken! If you identify with the symptoms of adrenal fatigue listed above, then you need to boost your adrenal health. Diet is important here, and you should eliminate caffeine, sugar, and alcohol and eat more unprocessed, whole plant foods. Also, practice at least one stress-reducing technique daily, such as: meditation, yoga, Breathwork, Epsom salt baths, spending time in nature, walking, dancing, journaling, having sex, or cuddling with a loved on. And finally, take Adrenal DMG daily.
Adrenal DMG is a clinically formulated supplement that contains adrenal extract from animals and small doses of cortisol to help boost your energy and nourish your adrenal glands back to health. The adrenal extract in Adrenal DMG also helps control blood sugar levels, so you don’t experience the hypoglycemic episodes that often lead to strong cravings. Plus it contains more than a dozen adaptogenic herbs and nutrients that allow your adrenal glands to rest and recover, help support your mental health, and help your body heal from substance abuse.
Additional Beneficial Ingredients in Adrenal DMG:
Licorice root: Helps your body adapt to stress by regulating your hormones. Also reduces the breakdown of cortisol.
Ashwagandha: Restores vitality, boosts immunity and libido, and helps your body adapt to and manage stress.
Grapefruit seed, Garlic, Lomatium, and Policosanol: All of these herbs boost your immune system and help fight infections (which are common in substance abusers). They’re also high in antioxidants and can help fight oxidative damage caused by sugar, stimulants and drugs.
Dimethylglycine (DMG): A vital anti-stress nutrient that improves energy, boosts the immune system and supports brain health.
Echinacea: Boosts the immune system, controls blood sugar (thereby reducing the hypoglycemic episodes that drive cravings), and helps manage stress and anxiety.
Black cherry root: Helps to calm the nervous system and reduce stress.
Caprylic acid: Lowers inflammation and fights infections as well as candida in the blood, mouth and gut.
Cranberry: Helps your body heal by neutralizing free radicals. Also helps to cleanse the lymphatic system and eliminate toxins.
Don’t Forget the Power of the Mind
If your adrenal glands are weak, strengthening them should notably reduce your cravings, however, addictions are multifaceted and there is almost always a mental/emotional component at play. In most cases, addictions are created and fueled by the subconscious mind, which means all the willpower in the world won’t work because willpower is a conscious process. Reprogramming your subconscious mind and the negative repetitive self-defeating messages that it feeds you throughout the day is therefore essential if you want to eliminate the struggle and achieve lasting addiction recovery.
For a limited time I’m offering my hypnosis track: Release Substance Abuse for just $1.00! I advise you get this track and if you tend to worry or stress a lot to also get the Release Worry Hypnosis Track, and listen to them both daily. These tracks will reprogram your subconscious mind for success and lead to a noticeable reduction in cravings within just a couple of weeks of daily listening.
Bonus Tip
Similar to adrenal fatigue, hormone imbalances are often involved in the development of addictions, and also caused by addictions. So identifying and treating hormone imbalances is an important step in addiction recovery. Here is a FREE hormone quiz you can use to identify hormone imbalances which may be silently sabotaging your wellbeing and recovery.
