Personality/Behavioral Improvements

In addition to long-term (3 year) abstinence rates of 80%, the Peniston Protocol has consistently produced the following very healthy personality changes:

(1) Significant decreases in scales labeled schizoid, avoidant, passive- aggressive, schizotypal, borderline, paranoid, anxiety, somatoform, dysthymia, alcohol abuse, psychotic thinking, depression, psychotic depression, hypochondriasis, hysteria, schizophrenia, social introversion and psychotic delusion.

(2) Significant increases in warmth, abstract thinking, stability, conscientiousness, boldness, imaginativeness and self-control.

Thus, the Peniston Protocol consistently produces positive changes in what many consider to be "hard wired" aspects of personality. These dramatic personality changes enhance the patient's ability to cope without substance abuse, significantly reducing the likelihood of relapse.

Summary and Conclusion

Alcoholism is a debilitating and expensive disease that has responded poorly to traditional inpatient, outpatient and 12-step treatment programs (e.g., maximum 30-40% sustained abstinence). Researchers Eugene Peniston and Paul Kulkosky, along with many others over the past eight years, have consistently demonstrated that severe alcoholics treated with EEG neurotherapy, imagery/visualization and cognitive-behavior therapy (e.g., the Peniston Protocol) show startling long-term (3 year) abstinence rates of 80%. Moreover, these extremely positive results are consistently accompanied by dramatic, healthy personality/behavioral changes that clearly contribute to reductions in the likelihood of relapse.

The neurotherapeutic changes in alpha/theta EEG rhythms achieved by these patients with the Peniston Protocol produce low, sustained levels of the opioid peptide beta-endorphin, reflecting lower sustained levels of arousal and stress. Moreover, the normalization of low frequency cortical EEG rhythms (e.g., alpha & theta) apparently also produce normalization of several other brain neurochemicals whose imbalances are highly associated with severe alcohol cravings and uncontrolled alcohol ingestion.

In addition to its extremely high success rate for this difficult clinical population, the Peniston Protocol appears to be very cost-effective in comparison to traditional inpatient and outpatient treatment programs.

REFERENCES

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