Re:addictions and self-control

Dear Bill,
I just sat down and off the top of my head wrote a diagram and possible explanation of what makes people recur in their compulsive behavior.
First let's consider the following model as a possibility:
An initial THOUGHT that is "distorted", this thought has two sub thoughts, one of COMPELLING quality, that indicates the necessity of incurring in the compulsive behavior, which could be labeled the "false cognition", and another one of RESTRAINING quality, which indicates the probable results of the compulsive behavior, we could call this a "true cognition".
following the distorted thought comes the ACTION, which is the compulsive behavior itself. From this action a CONSEQUENCE follows in two diverging components.
one component is an INITIAL EMOTION, which reflects the affective state that arises with the compulsive behavior and follows right afterwards, and its concomitant PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCE, which is related to the physiological responses to the behavior.
This PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCE in turn signals a second or FINAL EMOTION, which is related in quality to the initial RESTRAINING THOUGHT and overpowers the INITIAL EMOTION in intensity, bringing the person down to a resting period until the DISTORTED THOUGHT returns.
Now, why is this distorted thought present over and over? This is somewhat more complicated; I believe there is such a powerful experience during the ACTION (COMPULSION) phase that makes this INITIAL EMOTION as exciting or maybe more so than the FINAL EMOTION that leads to some sort of a miserable state. Therefore the person faces a dilemma that the DISTORTED THINKING helps remediate for the worst: the follow-up miserable state is caused by the RESTRAINING EMOTION and not by the whole maladaptive process. Therefore the person seeks the pleasurable experiences of the COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR and the INITIAL EMOTION attributing to them the power of a great and intense experience (which actually could be true in a way, and thus blaming the RESTRAINING THOUGHT for the final results.
Is there a way to prove me right? Well, I am not sure, maybe an inventory that may include several possible thoughts both compelling and restraining and have the person measure their intensity, plus the intensity of both emotions, the initial and final ones. Given the fact that there is also a chemical issue going on, the clarity of the person for measuring these fields "without distorting them" may be doubtful. Maybe new ideas could arise from my comments here?
I hope this in a way answers your question.
(I wish I could include my little diagram for clarification...If anyone wants an example of this, I could write one for Binge/Purge, and one for Gambling real quick.)

Demian
musicoterapia@bigfoot.com

Replies:

A few corrections to my previous message..., by Demián Goldstein, 02/24/01

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