Drug-damaged brain

After years of treating people with addictions, we have found that one of the best ways to break denial is to show someone an image of their brain.

Chase, 18, is the son of a billionaire. He was drinking, smoking pot, taking OxyContin, and doing coke and meth, but was in complete denial about his addiction.

His mother had tried to get Chase into treatment, but he resisted because he didn’t think he had a problem. The mother saw my program on public television and asked if I would meet with her son.

Brain SPECT scans were performed at the Amen Clinics and the images revealed that his brain was very toxic.

When Chase saw the images, he GOT IT immediately. Even though he felt like his drinking and drug use weren’t a problem, the scan proved without a doubt that they were seriously harming his brain.

Chase immediately cut out drinking and stopped doing drugs and has been clean and sober ever since.

If he had never seen the pictures of his brain, he probably would still be in denial and continuing to abuse drugs and alcohol.

It does not always happen so dramatically, but it does enough that I know the scans are often worthwhile.