“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
~ Viktor E. Frankl
Hypofrontal syndomes concern the plasticity of the brain in regard to dopamine-sensitive neurons of the frontal lobe of the mammalian brain. The dopamine system powers the reward and motivation conditioning of humans, and is heavily involved in addictions of various types.
Dopamine (the craving neurochemical) also can selectively target some types of sense input over others, and therefore is implicated in psychological denial or “cherry-picking” one track of information over other. Additionally, the frontal lobe can modify information coming in from the limbic system, and so is a part of the organic structuring of the brain that socializes us, and adapts us to our culture.
Hypofrontal syndromes are implicated in schizophrenia at one end of the spectrum, and addictions that produce dissociation and unhealthy life choices at the other end.
The symptoms of hypofrontal syndomes include impulse control problems, compulsions or cravings around an addictive substance or activity, along with increasingly impaired judgement. In other words, addictions lead to a “downward spiral” of addiction, digging the addict deeper into suffering and a lack of agency.
In addition to the suffering caused by addictions, hypofrontal syndromes have been foundt o physically change the human brain, including a measurable volume loss in several areas of its structure.
Energy healing can offer complementary support for addiction recovery (both drug-induced, food-related, or other compulsive behavior detrimental to health) by clearing and re-balancing the energetic brain of the client. Additional psychotherapeutic support will probably benefit, with the energy work first targeting the “re-boot” or resetting of the dopamine receptor system, and then supporting the impetus towards choice and change.
In energy healing work, we are looking at five specific energy healing skills:
1) Basic astral clearing (removing extraneous emotional energy from the frontal lobes)
2) Re-balancing the frontal lobes in concert with withdrawal symptoms (moving from hyper-stimulation through to hypo-stimulation (flat-lining), with the eventual goal of returning to a natural balanced state of sensitivity
3) Reinforcing whole-brain balancing over the long term, so as to avoid relapses into the addiction
4) Clearing emerging or spiking anxiety (dopamine binges are used to avoid any surfacing anxiety!) can be addressed with full-spectrum or whole-body (all-chakra) healing work
5) Addressing chakra heritage cord clearing, so as to reduce the impact of family karma upon the client’s recovery process
The key to this form of energy healing support is that the client has to truly be ready for the shift from their addictive or compulsive state, and is aware that the withdrawal challenge that will eventually lead to a reset of their brain but only if they can tolerate the withdrawal symptoms. The moral argument that addictions are about character or responsibility hold no truth in the face of the actual way the brain functions, and how addicts recover.
But the good news is that the very plasticity of the human brain that allows its dopamine reward system to be hijacked can, with the right support and guidance, be reset over time.
In order for addiction healing to be sustainable, a powerful shift into our authentic identity has to occur. Energy healing is one tool that can support and help rebuild the addict’s energetic brain, once they have begun to come to terms with their addiction. Therapeutic energy work is about leaving the past behind, and moving towards a healthier future.
© 2016 by Dean Ramsden. All rights reserved.
