Addiction

 

 

Alcohol, drugs, food, sex, gambling - regardless of the agent(s) chosen addiction represents the basic inability to control our use of the things that allow us to deal with life’s stresses. The lives of those affected are often chaotic - appointments are missed; money is tight; sleep patterns often become disturbed; family, friends, and work don't get the attention one would like to give them.


Wherever you are with your addiction, it’s worth considering the following:

  • Addiction is partly biological and partly social - meaning that it is brought about by both a physiological response of the body, as well as by difficulties in the manner in which you relate to others on a day-to-day basis.
  • Addiction is often difficult to beat alone. This is because at the very root of the addiction is a feeling of isolation. As well, there’s often an inability to relate to others in a way that provides the support that every human being needs in life. Your needs are no different from those of others. You just haven’t found the best way to have them met yet.
  • Those suffering from addiction are not bad people or unintelligent people. In fact, it’s often the intelligence of sufferers that makes recovery difficult - being able to rationalise one’s way through life or be persuasive with others is a common trait of those who have addictive behaviour.
  • There is hope. Many others have found a way out of their dilemma. The solution rests in knowledge of the addictive process and in reintegrating yourself with the rest of the world in an authentic way. This is where psychotherapy and counselling can help. For some, one session per week can provide the support needed to turn the corner. Others need two or more sessions per week, individual and/or group, to find a new path. Either way, progress is most likely to come through the hard work that talking to a therapist and to others like yourself in group therapy can provide.

At your initial assessment, we’ll discuss the options so that you can decide what’s best for you.
Request Initial Consultation