I work with my clients to understand their addiction process, identify factors that contribute to continuing use, and identify those areas that need to be strengthened in order to recover from addiction.
Addiction
Addictions begin as a way to meet needs and to cope with the environment. Over time they become the focus of the life. The process of addiction includes a narrowing of interests and activities, a weeding out of all relationships, hobbies, and work activities that interfere with the addiction process. Withdrawal symptoms make it difficult to quit, and increasing tolerance to the "drug" (which could also be alcohol, prescription drugs, cigarettes, food, sex, work, rage, gambling, shopping, etc.) mean that the person can never get enough. All needs and all issues are dealt with through use of the "drug". In this way, addiction is a self perpetuating cycle that has physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual components.
Symptoms of addiction can include:
- Use of a substance or activity to escape from difficult situations
- Increasing use of the substance or activity, with potentially decreasing effect (tolerance)
- Inability to stop the behavior even while saying “I can stop anytime”
- Inability to handle life’s difficulties
- Extreme moods
- Isolation and secretive behavior
- Deteriorating relationships
- Decreased ability to handle responsibilities
Family and Addiction
Addiction is an environmental disorder and affects all those who relate to the person who is using. Family members and friends of the person using may focus their lives and activities around the person using and so develop similar addiction symptoms. They may feel out of control as they are manipulated and used by their loved one, or when they "help", only to be disappointed when the person using, uses again.
Recovery
Addiction recovery includes learning:
- to understand the process of addiction, and so the process of recovery
- to identify triggers and ways to handle them
- to identify and satisfy needs
- to identify and include what is meaningful in life
- to connect with self and with community