the ModeraXL Team
A ModeraXL Moment with...
Roderick O'Brien, M.D.
Roderick O'Brien, M.D. had clearly earned his wings before joining the team at ModeraXL.
After all, he had served as Chief of Neurology at the United States Air Force Academy. There, he was responsible for the treatment of Air Force Cadets, Active Duty Airmen, and local military retirees.
Dr. O'Brien also has an extensive background in chemical and biochemical matters, as well as both the psychiatric and neurological aspects of treating addiction and chemical dependency.
He did six years of award-winning Residency Training in psychiatry, neurology, and internal medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He also graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame du Lac.
So, in addition to his wealth of experience and expertise, Dr. O'Brien brings his "Luck of the Irish" to the ModeraXL Team. In dealing with addiction, it's good to take all of the help you can get.
Here are excerpts of a 2009 interview with Roderick O'Brien, M.D. and award-winning journalist, Question. Baldrick was conducting his own research for a documentary on Innovative Practices in 21st Century Addiction Treatment":
Question: Dr. O'Brien, how did you become involved with ModeraXL?
Roderick O'Brien: One of the counselors at a Colorado addiction treatment facility had asked me to speak at a meeting to give people hope. Eric Lapp, one of the ModeraXL principals was connected with the facility. At that meeting I met Eric and discussed ModeraXL with him.
Question: You played a key role in the recent ModeraXL uncontrolled clinical study. Can you tell me about that?
Roderick O'Brien: I helped to design the questionnaires given to the subjects, the data collection papers, etc. I designed the study, how often the materials were collected, and the technical aspects of the study in order to get useful data. I also consulted with the other professional experts they hired and helped to prepare them for the study.
Question: Dr. O'Brien, in your own words, what is ModeraXL and also what is it not?
Roderick O'Brien: ModeraXL is actual supplements including amino acids, vitamins and adaptogens which are naturally occurring extracts with beneficial properties to help the body maintain balance. (NOTE: Adaptogens are often referred to as rejuvenating herbs. They contain antioxidants and increase the body's resistance to fatigue, stress, anxiety, and trauma). These are naturally occurring substances, but if taken in moderation the positive effects in the brain are utilized for many years.
ModeraXL provides something the body needs for the central nervous system to regenerate chemicals that have been depleted or have been imbalanced by use of an addictive substance. Not all addiction issues are matters where you don't have enough chemicals in the brain. Sometimes it's more like there's too much of something over here and not enough of something else over there. ModeraXL helps you to re-achieve balance so you can feel good again.
With regards to what ModeraXL is not, I wouldn't consider it a substitute for other comprehensive programs needed for life change. It is not a magic bullet or pill, but it is helpful and may be a significant improvement or tool for the critical transition and maintenance from being a user to someone clean and sober. It really is important in helping your body cope with that.
The psychological aspect of addiction treatment in my opinion really does need 12 step counseling therapy, seeing your physician, or spiritual growth. ModeraXL addresses the physiological symptoms you might experience with addiction, the cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and medical detox. ModeraXL offers an excellent alternative to simply "toughing it out." I view it as a significant component for recovery, but not a substitute for everything else.
Question: How does ModeraXL offer something new or fill a void in how addiction treatment has been commonly practiced?
Roderick O'Brien: There are a lot of medications in the market to help with the depression, mania, anxiety, psychosis and so on, but the biochemical aspect of recovery is critical and it isn't something that has been very well pursued in a traditional western medicine venue. Here it is more a system of identify the problem, pick the best prescription drug to fix it, and move on.
ModeraXL addresses the brain and the important biochemical aspect of recovery.
Question: What physically happens to someone's brain when they get addicted, whether the addictive substance is social drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, or even smoking cigarettes?
Roderick O'Brien: Some of the earliest damage that occurs is depleting and overusing the neurotransmitters that function in the pleasure centers of your brain. When this happens, it quickly leads to a reconfiguration of the rewards system so you get the external picture that you need more of the addictive substance to achieve the same pleasure. This also affects all of the other areas of your life personally and professionally.
They all depend on the pleasure center or reward system in your brain, too. In addiction, you lose your system for controlling good behaviors and extinguishing bad behaviors.
In the longer term, using drugs or chemicals that are habit forming tends to also rewire connections that have much broader ramifications.
For example, addiction changes your brain's problem solving skills, memory storage ability and so on. But it's much more than what's happening in the brain from one cell to the next.
Addiction disrupts how those nerves connect with each other. There are millions of interactions with other nerves. Physiologically, your experiences change who you are.
You've completely altered the wiring which is essentially the system for programming in your brain. Addiction can turn the next connection on or the one after that off. Those connections are the program that runs your body's personal computer.
So, using drastically alters all of those in your brain. This is very important to the functioning of your entire central nervous system.
Question: How does ModeraXL help with the damage done to the brain by use or abuse of an addictive substance?
Roderick O'Brien: ModeraXL helps your body and central nervous system to recuperate from the adverse effects of alcohol, drug and tobacco use. It does this by providing nutrients, vitamins and natural adaptogens to facilitate that critical restoration. It provides building blocks to the enzymes and other neurotransmitters in your brain to help them do what they need to do for balance.
Question: How might this make a difference to someone who is trying for the first time to quit, or has tried before but was unsuccessful in quitting smoking, drugs, or alcohol addiction?
Roderick O'Brien: ModeraXL offers much needed assistance with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The worse they are, the lower the probability of success you have. This is why most relapses occur.
ModeraXL can help someone trying to quit an addictive substance for the first time. Definitely those who have failed to quit before need to take a chance on something like this to get a different outcome. It's just like you use different ingredients to make a different cake. ModeraXL helps your dealing with cravings and withdrawal. It also gives you added mental clarity and energy, to help improve your quality of life while you're making this major lifestyle change.
Question: Is ModeraXL right for everyone?
Roderick O'Brien: If you are currently on prescription medications you should check with your doctor first before adding any kind of natural supplements. An adaptogen has benefits because it affects the body and brain. Anything that does this has medicinal properties that can impact the push and pull in your body to get things back into alignment. Always consult before with your doctor before you do that.
