One of the first steps to healing the addicted brain is achieving sobriety. This is defined as stopping the addictive behavior, be it related to drugs, alcohol, or sex.

However, if you stop at sobriety you are missing out on the full benefits of healing the addicted brain, such as overcoming “Stinking Thinking.” This is critical for relapse prevention.

Stinking Thinking Undermines Addiction Relapse Prevention

“Stinking Thinking” is a term often used in 12 Step programs to refer to the negative patterns of thought that add fuel to the fire of addiction. These thoughts sabotage your ability to see the world clearly and take responsibility for your actions.

Just a few examples of Stinking Thinking:

• Rationalizing acting out so that it sounds like a good idea

• Blaming others versus focusing on what you can control

• Resenting other people versus learning to forgive

• Attributing others’ behavior to negative motives versus giving them the benefit of the doubt

• Viewing the world in black and white versus living with shades of gray

Even if you stop an addictive behavior, you may still find yourself slipping into Stinking Thinking. At best, you will not come to experience all that life has to offer. At worst, you will not be able to stick to your addiction relapse prevention plan.

Healing the Addicted Brain Involves “Secondary Change”

Truly healing the addicted brain involves working on “secondary change.” This is a term we use to refer to the deeper transformation that happens when a person works to reverse the negative impact that addictive thinking has had on their relationships and point of view. It’s critical to relapse prevention.

It represents a shift from seeing the world around you as the problem to seeing yourself as the real culprit. It’s the difference between living a life of fear, shame, and negativity, and walking in a state of abundance and freedom.

In-Depth Look at Stinking Thinking and Healing the Addicted Brain

A few years ago, one of our therapists Treina Nash, LMFT, had the opportunity to speak on this issue with our colleague Scott Wood, LMFT. The presentation below was given at a Sexual Addiction (Recovery) Leaders Training (SALT) meeting in San Diego.

RCA Counseling, which sponsored this video back in 2015, is no longer operating as a group practice. Aaron Reinicke has passed the torch on to our director (Cory Anderson, LMFT) and the team at Integrity Counseling Group to be the leaders in Christian sex addiction treatment in San Diego County.

Stopping an addictive behavior is a great first step, but it must be followed by a change of heart. You need to address Stinking Thinking if you want long-term freedom from your addiction.

We offer addiction counseling in San Marcos, Carlsbad, and Mission Valley. To schedule an appointment with Treina or one of our other therapists, please contact our intake coordinator, Elizabeth, at (760) 283-7000.