“CHAOS THEORY” MAY EXPLAIN ADDICTION, ALCOHOLISM

Alcoholism, drug addiction, binge eating and a quick temper are just some of the destructive behaviors one expert says may be caused by an underlying addiction to chaos.

Raymond Salcido, L.C.S.W., author of the new book Chaos to Balance: A Life-changing Strategy, says he believes that many people crave—and are addicted to—chaos, an addiction that he says helps hide insecurities and manifests itself as other addictions or behaviors.

Chaos in this case refers to a lifestyle of utter disorder or confusion. Mr. Salcido describes a person who lives for crisis and finds what some would probably see as an odd sort of comfort in disarray, discord, disorder, even lawlessness. In fact, the more the muddle and pandemonium, the greater the sense of security. Turmoil and unruliness trump peace and  harmony.

“Often we seek out hectic schedules or destructive lifestyles because the chaos helps us hide from what really ails us,” says Mr. Salcido. “It’s a way of hiding from the pain or fear we feel, and it can obviously ruin lives.”

Mr. Salcido says he believes that an addiction to chaos can often manifest itself as other addictions and in Chaos to Balance, he presents a roadmap for identifying, managing and overcoming chaos addiction and its root causes.

He identifies the four stages of behavior in chaos addicts, which are:

“I have treated hundreds of patients in my practice and conducted many workshops for people suffering from chaos addiction,” says Mr. Salcido. “The results of it can be devastating and I believe that my Chaos Theory is going to change the way we as healthcare professionals treat people who feel overwhelmed.”

“Often we seek out hectic schedules or destructive lifestyles because the chaos helps us hide from what really ails us,” says Mr. Salcido. “It’s a way of hiding from the pain or fear we feel, and it can obviously ruin lives.”

Chaos to Balance: A Life-changing Strategy is a guide to identifying and managing chaos addiction and the behaviors that result from it. It is written for both chaos addicts and the professionals who treat them, and is based on Mr. Salcido’s eighteen years of experience as a social worker.

Raymond Salcido is a licensed clinical social worker with a thriving private practice in Laguna Hills, California. He specializes in helping individuals and families shift from living in a state of constant crisis to living with balance. His workshops in the Southern California area have helped numerous people break the self-destructive patterns of chaotic behavior and learn to live a more balanced life and his research into chaos addiction is shedding new light onto the study of addiction.