ADDICTION

‘What is addiction? It is a sign, a signal, and a symptom of distress. It is a language that tells us about a plight that must be understood.’

Alice Miller, psychologist and best-selling author

Numbing discomfort with substances, or destructive behavior, can become a cycle – taking you further and further from what is important to you.

Here are some things to consider about addiction:

• Addiction is often stigmatized and misunderstood, keeping many people away from seeking help until they are desperate.
• Long term use of substances, or repeated behaviours to cope with stress or avoid pain, result in significant changes to the brain. It is best to seek help as soon as worrying patterns are noticed.
• Often people do recognize they have a problem with a substance or a behaviour, but attempts to stop alone invariably fail. Without addressing the root cause, it is too hard to sustain sobriety.
• Research shows addiction is often linked to past traumatic experiences. As trauma lives on in the body long after the event, effective treatment for addiction has to include body-based therapy, as well as traditional modes of therapy.

My approach includes a thorough assessment, followed by a treatment plan which includes cognitive behavioural strategies, solution-focussed therapy, psycho-education, body work (TRE) and strategies for relapse prevention.

‘It is impossible to understand addiction without asking what relief the addict finds, or hopes to find, in the drug or the addictive behaviour.’

Dr Gabor Mate – Author and addiction specialist.