Feeling-State Treatment for
Behavior and Substance Addiction
The FS treatment breaks the fixation between feeling and behavior. This fixation is the cause of addictions. By identifying the exact feeling and behavior, the fixation can be processed using a modified form of the 'EMDR protocol. Once the fixation is broken, there are no further cravings or urges that have to be controlled or behavior that has to be managed. In fact the person is able to perform the behavior as appropriate.
Because any feeling can become fixated with any behavior, identifying the exact feeling and behavior are crucial steps in the FS treatment procedure. For example, shopping has many different sub-behaviors such as going into the store, having people wait on you, trying on clothes, buying the items etc. any one of these parts of shopping may be behavior that creates the most intense positive feeling. The behavior that creates the most intense positive feeling is the particular behavior that has to be identified.
In addition to identifying the exact behavior, the exact feeling also has to be identified. A shopping compulsion might be connected with the feelings of power, status, relaxation or being special. Whatever the feeling is, FS treatment requires the the intensely desired positive feeling underlying the compulsive fixation be identified.
Once the exact feeling and behavior has been identified then the ImTT processing protocols are used to process the fixation. The exact number of sessions varies due to the fact that more than one feeling may become fixated with the same behavior in order to completely eliminate the compulsive fixations, all the feelings must be processed.
To Summarize the FS treatment:
1. Identify the exact behavior that has the most intense positive feeling.
2. Identify the exact feeling that underlies that behavior.
3. The ImTT protocols are utilized to break the connection between the feeling and behavior.
4. The negative beliefs that underlie the compulsive fixation are processed.
Because any feeling can become fixated with any behavior, identifying the exact feeling and behavior are crucial steps in the FS treatment procedure. For example, shopping has many different sub-behaviors such as going into the store, having people wait on you, trying on clothes, buying the items etc. any one of these parts of shopping may be behavior that creates the most intense positive feeling. The behavior that creates the most intense positive feeling is the particular behavior that has to be identified.
In addition to identifying the exact behavior, the exact feeling also has to be identified. A shopping compulsion might be connected with the feelings of power, status, relaxation or being special. Whatever the feeling is, FS treatment requires the the intensely desired positive feeling underlying the compulsive fixation be identified.
Once the exact feeling and behavior has been identified then the ImTT processing protocols are used to process the fixation. The exact number of sessions varies due to the fact that more than one feeling may become fixated with the same behavior in order to completely eliminate the compulsive fixations, all the feelings must be processed.
To Summarize the FS treatment:
1. Identify the exact behavior that has the most intense positive feeling.
2. Identify the exact feeling that underlies that behavior.
3. The ImTT protocols are utilized to break the connection between the feeling and behavior.
4. The negative beliefs that underlie the compulsive fixation are processed.
Listen to Dr. Miller describing Feeling-States
and how to identify them.
and how to identify them.
Peer reviewed articles by Robert Miller, PhD
The Feeling-State Theory of Impulse-Control Disorders and the
Impulse-Control Disorder Protocol
Impulse-Control Disorder Protocol
| traumatology_article_pdf.pdf |
Treatment of Behavioral Addictions Utilizing the Feeling-State Addiction Protocol: A Multiple Baseline Study
| article-_multipe_baseline_study.pdf |
The Dynamics of Food Addiction
(2002)
The Dynamics of Food Addiction is my first description of Feeling-State treatment written for a class taken in my doctoral program.
The article is available here or in the Library of Congress
(2002)
The Dynamics of Food Addiction is my first description of Feeling-State treatment written for a class taken in my doctoral program.
The article is available here or in the Library of Congress
| dynamics_of_food_addicton.pdf |