True or False?
Values can change over time.
TRUE! It is based on our decision-making abilities!
What is ambivalence?
The state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.
These neurotransmitters are considered the "feel good" types!
Dopamine and serotonin.
Values are the same thing as goals.
FALSE. Values are not goals, instead they are used to SET goals.
When people work toward living in accordance with their identified values, their chances of success in ________ increases, as does their overall level of contentment.
Recovery.
This part of the brain impacts our ability to face our fears.
Amygdala.
Values are subconscious (i.e., not in our awareness).
TRUE!
This (common) defense mechanism begins to fade away during recovery when one consciously considers the differences between their behaviors in active addiction and their values, and between their current situation and their hopes for the future.
Denial.
This part of the brain impacts our ability to feel motivated and think rationally, say like entering recovery and doing a values clarification assessment.
Prefrontal cortex.
There are values that are considered "bad."
FALSE! There are no intrinsically good or bad values. This is just a judgement we make based on our values. However, they can be considered "bad" if they are non-factual or out of our control (ex., popularity).
Name at least (2) defense mechanisms and how they can impact your values.
Various answers: (i.e., rationalization, denial, projection, rationalization, intellectualization, suppression, humor, anger/hostility, victimizing, etc.) In the quest to get what we want, be accepted by others, or just feel good or feel better, individuals who struggle with addiction often go against their own values in ways that start out as subtle but become more blatant over time.
Name at least (2) brain areas that are impacted by drugs & alcohol.
Various answers (i.e., hippocampus, PFC, amygdala, cerebellum, motor and parietal cortices, etc.).
Values are more enduring and long-lasting than beliefs or attitudes.
TRUE! Values arise out of our belief system and attitudes! Hence, why values can chance over time!
These are considered psychological strategies that people use to cope with stress, anxiety, and other distressing emotions.
Defense mechanisms.
When we use any type of substance, our brains become more resistant towards dopamine, leading to an overflooding of our reward system. When this happens, what effect is taking place?
Tolerance.
BONUS: What is the brain's reward center? Nucleus accumbens.