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Addiction Counselling

Addiction is the term used when someone is unable to control certain habits and behaviours, to the point where they are becoming harmful. Some examples of addiction include an addiction to alcohol, Drugs, gambling, smoking, porn, shopping… the list goes on.

Addictions can develop from what may be seen as fairly innocent, or at least common social habits. Drinking alcohol, gambling, eating, having sex and using the internet can all turn from what is considered a common activity, to a darker, more destructive compulsion.

Addictions may come from the way these activities and habits make people feel, both emotionally and physically. They can be pleasurable – a form of escapism for someone who is going through a difficult time. But this moment of pleasure can trigger a powerful need to continue the habit or activity, over and over, in order to feel that way again.

In many cases, people with addictions are not aware of the problem, nor are they aware of the impact it is having on their lives, or on the lives of those around them. If the addiction has stemmed from trauma – perhaps a past event, an accident or a mental health issue, they may be unable to break out of the addiction on their own, and more support will be needed.

For many, it’s not as easy as stopping the habit. Addiction recovery takes time, patience and a lot of support from loved ones. The person will need to take the steps to understand what may have caused the addiction and learn how to not only overcome it but manage their feelings for the future.

What is the difference between habit and addiction?

An addiction is defined as a habit that has become out of control, to the extent that the individual is dependent on it for coping with everyday life. Addictions typically have negative effects on the person’s emotional well-being and physical health, while also affecting those around them.

The psychological link, in particular, is what separates addition from habit. A habit is something people may do for fun, to relax or as a way of socialising. People can choose to stop a habit, and while it may take some time, can stop successfully. Addiction, however, can be an overwhelming need or compulsion to complete the act regularly, regardless of the time or place, in order to achieve the high. In short, a habit can be controlled, while an addiction cannot.

In some cases, the harm of addiction may only be recognised when the individual in question experiences a crisis – either as a result of a major life consequence or when the addictive substance or behaviour is suddenly unavailable. This is typically what motivates individuals to seek help, but there are those who will be able to kick-start their recovery long before the problem reaches crisis point.

While some people are able to recover from an addiction without help, many people will require support in the form of specialised addiction treatment. Generally, the earlier the person receives treatment, the more successful the recovery process will be.

The first step in seeking help for addiction is usually to speak to someone about how you’re feeling. If you are the person with an addiction, you may not feel comfortable speaking to friends or family, that’s where this service comes in not only to speak to someone but also to get professional help to understand what you are doing and why.

You may also want to consider visiting your doctor, who can answer any questions you may have about your addiction, and explain the next steps you can take.

Addiction Treatments

There are several treatments said to be effective in helping people overcome their addictions. But of course, everyone is different, so treatments are tailored to the individual and their particular addiction. Typically, addiction treatment is a combination of medication and talking therapies, which are designed to promote abstinence and help individuals manage both the physical and emotional consequences of the addiction.

Treatment may also involve aftercare support in the form of self-help groups and regular check-ups, which are designed to help people cope with life after recovery and manage potential triggers. In some instances depending on how long you have been in addiction there are support groups that are set up to help you to live in society again, paying bills, cooking food etc.

Spotting the signs of an addiction

There are many signs of an addiction. While these may vary depending on the substance or activity, every addiction has the capacity to greatly impact self-esteem and confidence – inducing troublesome feelings such as shame, guilt, a sense of hopelessness and failure. Everyone is different and some people may be better at hiding their addiction, or they may not be aware it has become a problem, but certain behaviour changes can indicate a problem.

However, with addictions being so varied – from porn, gambling to drug abuse – signs of an addiction can be obvious or not so obvious depending on the addiction.

Common behaviours and signs of a possible addiction include:

withdrawing from social activities or neglecting relationships
borrowing money or selling possessions in order to fund their addiction
attempting to hide or lie about the habit
exhibiting frequent mood swings
missing work, school or social events
losing interest in activities or hobbies they previously enjoyed

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Drug Addiction

There are so many ways in which people can become addicted to drugs, or why someone may start using drugs in the first place, from curiosity and peer pressure to seeing friends or family use it to cope with difficult events, difficult time’s or dealing with emotions. Drug abuse can spiral into addiction quicker than you realise. When this happens, getting and using drugs becomes all-consuming and can ruin relationships and your life; it also affects both physical and mental health.

Understanding drug addiction

being addicted to drugs is not your fault!
It's not because you're weak!
It's not because there is something wrong with you!

addiction can overtake the strongest of people and there is help available when you’re strong enough to fight back. As you see from my profile I have worked alongside both functioning and non functioning addict four more years than I care to remember. Everything from outreach [on the street’s] working girls, homeless people, genuine broken souls to fully functioning people in powerful positions managing somehow to hide their crippling addiction, to housewives using to help them cope with life:

Pricing

There is always a root cause to addiction, and that is what we can help you understand. Understanding why and challenging your core beliefs in yourself, something is missing or something has happened, an event, a trauma, no or bad parenting input. You may not be aware and that’s fine but coming to counselling will help unpack what has led you here and in turn will allow you to challenge your lifestyle and drug use.

When you are addicted to drugs, you’ll find you can’t resist the urge to use them regardless of how much harm they cause you all the people around you. You may have chosen to take a drug to see how it feels, and then continue to use it because you like the way it makes you feel. Alternatively, you may have been prescribed a drug to help you (with pain for example) but find it difficult to stop, even if your pain has subsided. Opiate drugs like tramadol are prescribed for pain but are very addictive, so much so that there has become a huge black market for prescribed opiate based drugs like tramadol, making them widely available fuelling the problem.

Drug abuse, over time, can affect the brain and lead to unhealthy and damaging behaviours. Not everyone who takes drugs will develop an addiction. Some drugs are more addictive than others, And as someone starts with a mild potentially less addictive drug the effect will soon become too mild, leading to upping the dose old moving on to a stronger drug, chasing the high!

Signs of Drug Addiction

In many cases of addiction, acknowledging that you have a problem is the first step. It can be hard to understand whether or not you have an addiction, especially if you haven’t been using drugs for that long. Below are some signs to look out for that could indicate you have an addiction.

You feel a desire to use the drug every day or multiple times a day.
You take more drugs than you want to and for a longer period than you wanted to.
You keep using the drug even though you can see it’s affecting your work life and/or relationships.
You find you are spending more and more time alone.
You’re lying to those around you, stealing or doing dangerous things to get more drugs.
You feel sick when you try to quit using the drug.
You spend most of your time thinking about drugs – getting them, using them or recovering from them.

When to get help

If you recognise the signs described above and you’re finding your drug use is causing problems, seeking help early is key. Treatment for drug addiction takes time and support, so finding professional help is a great first step. Visiting your GP is a good starting point. They will be able to discuss your treatment options getting on subies they might refer you to a local drug service. If you’d rather not speak to your GP, you could reach out to a local drug service directly or reach out to a private therapist like myself.

Treatment for drug addiction

If you have been referred to or have directly contacted your local drug service, in your first appointment you will be asked about your drug use. You will likely be asked about your work, family and housing situation, and may be asked for a urine/saliva sample. You’ll be told what your treatment options are and agree on a plan of action. Staff can give you more information on support groups for yourself and your family. You’ll also likely be given a key worker who will support you during treatment.

Drug addiction treatment will differ depending on your circumstances but tends to include talking therapy, medication, detox and self-help. as you will have read we work with a number of rehabs across the country, if you have done the steps above and are attending sessions with us and are showing willing over a number of weeks then we can arrange rehab for you.

Medication

when you go to your GP they will help you with whatever course of action you need to take, if you’re addicted to an opioid drug like heroin, you may be offered methadone – a substitute drug. This can help you continue your treatment without worrying about the effects of withdrawal. you will the asked to go to Your local drug service the team there will then help you come off methadone slowly. it’s important to work on the psychological reasons as to what is going on in your head! Counselling will help you process this, making reusing a lot less likely.

4 Simple Steps

How it works

In simple straightforward terms, here's how we can help you...

Sessions for Individuals & Couples

Session Pricing

The amount of sessions can be discussed and agreed at the beginning, however, we will reflect on progress every 6th session.

Individual Sessions

£60 1 Hour

Free 30min telephone/online session
Sessions are weekly
Reviewed every 6th session

Couples Sessions

£80 90 Minutes

Free 30min telephone/online session
Sessions are weekly
Reviewed every 6th session

DID YOU KNOW

Seeking help for yourself, helps others

We work with broken/marginalised people for free, so a portion of the cost of counselling sessions will help fund this. So not only will you be getting a first rate counselling service but you will be helping other people in their hour of need.

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Dealing With Addiction