Do you feel like you’re constantly on high alert, waiting for the next shoe to drop? Like your body is braced for impact even when there’s no real danger around you? You’re exhausted, on edge, and maybe you find yourself reaching for something—anything—to make it stop. A drink, a pill, a behavior that gives you just a moment of peace.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not broken.
In this eye-opening episode of The Addicted Mind, host Duane Ostlund reveals the hidden connection between past trauma and present-day addiction. Drawing from groundbreaking research by experts like Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and Dr. Bruce Perry, Duane explains how trauma literally rewires our brains, keeping us stuck in survival mode long after the danger has passed.
You’ll discover why your brain’s alarm system (the amygdala) won’t shut off, how chronic stress floods your body with harmful hormones, and why substances become a desperate attempt at self-medication rather than a moral failing. This isn’t about willpower—it’s about biology.
But here’s the hope: there’s a way out. Duane shares the surprising antidote to this cycle—and it’s not what you might expect. Instead of running from uncomfortable feelings, the path to healing involves gently turning inward and learning to embrace your nervous system.
Through practical techniques like body scanning and interoception (awareness of your body’s internal signals), you can begin to retrain your brain. You’ll learn to shift from asking “What’s wrong with me?” to “What happened to me?”—a simple question that changes everything.
This episode offers both scientific understanding and practical hope for anyone who feels trapped in cycles of addiction, chronic stress, or emotional numbness. Whether you’re struggling yourself or supporting someone who is, you’ll gain valuable insights into the body-mind connection and discover that healing truly is possible.
Key Topics
- The neurobiological impact of trauma – How trauma reshapes your brain and body
- Fight, flight, or freeze responses – Understanding your body’s survival mechanisms
The addiction-trauma connection – Why substances become self-medication for chronic stress - Interoception and body awareness – Learning to listen to your body’s signals
- Practical healing techniques – Body scanning and soothing actions you can try today
- Moving from survival to thriving – Shifting perspective from shame to compassion
- Therapeutic approaches – Somatic therapies that work with your nervous system
Timestamps
[00:00 – 01:00] – Opening: Living in constant high alert and the exhaustion of survival mode
[02:00 – 03:00] – Shifting from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What happened to you?”
[04:00 – 05:00] – The brain science: How trauma affects the amygdala and prefrontal cortex
[06:00 – 07:00] – Understanding addiction as self-medication, not moral failure
[08:00 – 09:00] – The antidote: Embracing your nervous system through interoception
[11:00 – 13:00] – Practical steps: Body scanning and offering yourself soothing actions
[14:00 – 15:00] – Hope for healing: Moving from survival to thriving
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Supporting Resources:
If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center
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