Has what started as enjoyment become an addiction?
Has an addiction taken control of your life?
Common addictions include:
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Gambling
- Eating
- Work
- The internet
- Sex
- Shopping
- Pornography
Often, it is the sense of stimulation and reward experienced in an addiction that becomes a craving and needs to be there constantly and repeated continuously.
However, it’s likely the addiction doesn’t only affect you.
It may be hurting your loved ones and creating a real struggle in your relationships and in your life in general.
Behaviours associated with addictions:
- Neglecting your responsibilities at school, work, home or parenting
- Risk taking such as driving whilst using drugs or having unprotected sex
- Using essential finances for gambling
- Your addiction is creating legal problems
- Your life revolves around your substance use
- You’ve stopped activities you used to enjoy
- Hiding your behaviour from your partner, family or friends
The addiction to a substance or behaviour may be giving you temporary relief from a deep-seated problem or issue.
However, escaping from your struggles is a short term fix and won’t address or resolve the problem.
The addiction is an avoidance or distraction from emotional, psychological or physical pain. The pain usually returns and sometimes becomes more painful as a result of pushing it away.
Are you ready to acknowledge you have a problem?
The first step in dealing with your addiction is to accept you have a problem and need some help.
Counselling with one of our experienced psychologists or psychotherapists will guide you to:
- Understand the underlying causes that are driving your behaviour
- Recognise your triggers
- Develop individually tailored strategies for you to overcome them
