Addiction | Dr. Justin Jacques

Addiction is on a spectrum, and prevalent for everyone, especially for those in pursuit of performing at their best on a consistent basis.

Welcome to the sport psychology of, I’m Gabe Zelico. Today, we’re breaking down the sport psychology of addiction.

Dr. Justin Jacques joins the podcast to discuss topics like different forms of addiction, how even minor forms can impact performance, how one’s mindset influences addiction patterns, and some client stories.

Dr. Justin Jacques is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Addiction Counselor II, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Approved Clinical Supervisor. He is also completing his Certified Mental Performance Consultant certification from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Currently, Justin is in private practice as mental performance coach at Human Theory Group. He is also the Chief Clinical Officer at Technotherapy, a group private practice. Recently he completed a Ph.D. in counseling at Oregon State University.

We take this discussion through many different avenues that touch on the depth addiction brings.

Timestamps are below, enjoy!

(00:00) Episode Introduction

(01:30) Introduction to Dr. Justin Jacques

(02:37) Defining addiction

(04:04) Different forms of addiction

(06:00) How minor addictions can impact performance

(08:24) Sleep and mental health

(10:15) Why is moderation so difficult?

(14:58) How long does it take to break an addiction?

(17:57) specific ways to boost hormones

(22:27) Lost connections can lead to addiction

(23:15) Addiction impacting performance mid-game

(25:13) The addiction spiral as a result of performing poorly
(27:14) Lacking social support through addiction

(28:55) Genetics influence addictive behavior

(31:28) Aggressive reactions from trying to help others

(34:18) Client story

(36:42) How prevalent is addiction in sports?

(42:29) Mood trackers can be misleading

(45:49) Overlap between athletic personality and addictive behaviors?

(46:58) Fixed v. Growth Mindset’s relationship with addiction

(51:53) Proactive ways to manage or prevent addiction

(54:36) Education on addictive mechanisms

(57:05) Parents restricting their kids' access to social media

(01:01:08) Doing internal work to manage addiction

(01:02:39) Working on your mental health/mental performance does not mean things are going poorly

(01:04:59) A break might be necessary for athletes experiencing severe mental health concerns

(01:06:58) Outro

⁠https://www.humantheorygroup.com/

⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-jacques-ph-d-lpc-a6388711/

⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@humantheorygroup?hl=en

⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077667843077

⁠⁠https://twitter.com/HumanTheoryGro

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/humantheorygroup/⁠

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If you want to start working on your mental game, try out 1 on 1 sport psychology coaching with me, Gabe Zelico, by visiting my website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.zelicoperformance.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠schedule a free introductory call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where we’ll discuss your goals, obstacles to success, and determine if we’d be a good fit to move forward.

You can also email me directly at gabriel@zelicoperformance.com regarding private coaching or the podcast.

Music by Ben Zelico.

Disclaimer: The Sport Psychology Of podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not represent mental health care services, including the giving of mental health care advice. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining mental health care for any condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.