By applying principles of developmental psychology. The model provides a brand-new framework for examining "addictive thinking" in all of its forms.

How does the model account for specific types of addictive thought patterns? The answer to that question could fill a large book. In fact, as the infant-shock model becomes more widely applied, we may see a new professional specialty emerge specifically devoted to studying these thought patterns and assisting addicts, both practicing and in treatment, with applying appropriate context and meaning to those thoughts.

Sorry, but this is one of those questions for which there is no short answer.

Perhaps an explanation of how the model addresses a few well-known addictive thought patterns will provide at least a general idea of how the model addresses this aspect of addiction.

"I can stop any time I want to."

As we begin to explore the thought patterns of addicts from the perspective of the Sonora model, a curious pattern begins to emerge. Many of the false notions and delusions common among addicts and compulsives begin to make an intuitive sense, and appear far less false or delusional than we once believed. And this appearance is in fact reality, because the delusions and false notions of addicts can generally be described far more accurately as half-truths used by addicts to make sense of their situations in the absence of the information which would help them think or speak a more whole truth.

"Addicts who don't experience these triggers or distresses are actually telling the truth: they can stop any time they want to."

Addicts who have hit the wall of self-control at least once - and that's the vast majority of them - know that this isn't true...they can't stop their addictive behavior any time they want to. But they usually only know this in a mind-body state in which they are experiencing the triggers or distresses which lead to the addictive need. Interestingly, addicts who don't experience these triggers or distresses are actually telling the truth: they can stop any time they want to, and stay stopped, for as long as they can avoid these discomforts. But very few of us have enough control over our lives to remain insulated from these triggers and distresses. And those who've suppressed or repressed triggering experiences won't even be able to stop if they can avoid the triggers...not until they've dealt with what they've suppressed well enough to bring them to a state of equilibrium.

This notion is common because all addicts have some form of memory gap which denies them access to knowledge about themselves which would allow them to realize that they can't stop. Fill enough of that gap through some form of corrective treatment, and no addict will be able to say this without knowing that they're telling less than the truth.

"I'm the normal one...it's the rest of the world that's gone mad"

Professionals practicing current modes of addiction treatment know that this is a belief that must be addressed before the addict can be treated. Professionals practicing methods consistent with the Sonora model, however, see this notion as one which needs to be adjusted.

Most of us view this notion as delusional...how can someone who is obviously an addict rationally believe that they are normal? What we're finding, though, is that this notion is actually closer to the truth than we might care to believe. Addiction is common enough to be considered "normal" if we include many socially-sanctioned activities and "indulgences" as part of the spectrum of addictions. In fact, if we forget all the others and include only religious belief and practice in the addictive spectrum, this alone makes addiction the norm among every civilized culture on Earth. Whether our religion is not spirit-centered, such as success, power, wealth or nature, or oriented around a spiritual philosophy such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism, addictive adherence to belief systems is perhaps the single most common addiction on Earth...and fortunately for us, it's also one of the least harmful, most sustainable, and most compassionate choices of addiction...at least from the standpoint of the individual addict. But of course, until far, far more of us have a far more thorough understanding of how our minds really work, and how .

The appropriate context for this notion is to view the human world as "mad" - mentally deranged - for not recognizing the pervasiveness of addiction, and for not accepting addiction as the norm rather than the exception. But adopting this belief is not necessarily healthy for an addict...unless, of course, they have the appropriate context for it, and learn when it is and is not appropriate to express this belief.

And as for the natural world? Well, it seems relatively sane...except for this thorny matter of its most complex organism suffering from mass addictive/compulsive problems.

"I'm in control"

Self-control is a fundamental adult need. By the time we reach adulthood, we all need to be able to choose how we will act, and to know that when we will our bodies to act on these choices, they'll do as we expect.

What we fail to see in addiction is that when an addictive need is satisfied, the addict is in control...or at least, in as much control as is possible given their affliction. (Addiction is degenerative by its nature, so having any addiction or compulsion weakens us, and decreases the range of choices we can make. We're still in control as long as we can get the addictive need met, but we're not able to control as much of our lives as we'd be able to control without the addiction.) It's only when the need for addictive relief is felt - and we don't need to be practicing addicts to experience this - that we experience a significant loss of control.

So technically speaking, addicts who have had their addictive needs met to a reasonable degree aren't being irrational when they say this. But an alcoholic suffering from an intense craving is not likely to be able to exert adult levels of control. That control "reverts"...it drops to adolescent control, with all the energy and brashness that suggests, and if the need still isn't satisfied, it will revert back to childhood, with all the incapacity for responsibility that that suggests, and finally to infancy, until the need is met or the addictive need is corrected. At each level of need, the addict is still in control, but the total degree of control is less than in an adult mind/body state.

Technically, the addict can think or say this and be right...but only insofar as their mind/body state allows them to exert control. And interestingly, once the need becomes so intense that infant-level rationale takes over, the addict has truly lost virtually all self-control, since infants don't have the capacity for self-control. An addict in this much distress (or this intoxicated) might still say or think this, but not even they will fully believe it.

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