My answer to the question posed by the title of this article is yes.  Before proceeding I want to make something clear.  There are many approaches available to people who have psychological and/or substance use issues.  These approaches offer varying degrees of relief to individuals that last different amounts of time.  One of the most important factors which contributes to someone’s ongoing successful management of symptoms is the extent of their willingness to take responsibility for their recovery.  However, there is another component of recovery that, if successfully addressed, could help people to experience long-term solutions.   

These seemingly elusive component involves addressing the underlying factors which could be contributing to existing symptoms rather than solely treating the symptom itself.  It is my belief that chemical/nutritional imbalances fuel psychological/substance use distress.  Thus, assisting the body/brain to perform at its optimal functioning level by giving it the fuel (i.e., nutrients) it needs can provide the so called missing link to achieving a long-term solution.

To illustrate this point let’s consider the following example.  Imagine the situation in which someone  regularly drinks alcohol.  This substance is broken down into a simple sugar in the body.  Generally speaking, ongoing use of sugar contributes to the craving of simple carbohydrates and sugar.  Ongoing consumption of simple carbohydrates and sugar has been shown to correlate with the existence of a medical condition called diabetes.  It is not unusual for a doctor to give someone who is showing diabetic tendencies suggestions about foods to eat and foods to decrease.  This advice might come directly from the doctor or from a referral made by the doctor to a trained profesional.  The doctor’s objective would be to help his “patient” prevent the development of the need to take insulin in the future.  This same rationale would apply to someone who already has the diagnosis of diabetes.  Eating less sugar and simple carbohydrates could affect the individual’s needed insulin dose.  Based upon this line of reasoning, helping to manage ”sugar cravings” could then help someone abstain from the use of alcohol.

I welcome your thoughts and questions.