Alcohol dependancy and other addictions
If you are wondering if you or someone you care about is an addict or not, below are 8 questions that doctors use to make a defining diagnosis. Although aimed primarily at substance abuse, the questions apply just as well to gambling and other non- substance addictions.
You are an addict if three or more of the following features are present:
* A strong desire or sense of compulsion to take the substance.
* Difficulties controlling the substance-taking behaviour in terms of when it occurs, and or being able to stop, and or being unable to control the amount consumed once started.
* A physically unpleasant withdrawal state when not consuming the substance.
* Further substance use to relieve or avoid the withdrawal state.
* Evidence of increased tolerance (increased doses are required in order to achieve the effects originally produced by lower doses).
* Progressive neglect of alternative pleasures or interests because of the substance use.
* Persisting with substance use despite clear evidence of harmful consequences.
* Narrowing of a person's personal repertoire or lifestyle, In other words, taking the substance becomes more important than anything else.
No one deliberately sets out to seriously damage or destroy their own life . People become addicted to something because it either gives them pleasure or prevents them from suffering pain through repeated use. In their minds, what they get from doing it far outweighs any consequences that it may have for them afterwards. Normally the time someone seeks help for an addiction, whether it is alcohol, binge drinking, gambling, smoking, shopping or drugs, is when they have gone beyond denial and reached the point when they realize that their addiction is beyond their control.
In fact, reaching the point of accepting you are an addict and wanting to break free of the dependency, is an essential first step in the process of change and healing. There has to come a point when someone says enough is enough and means it, for change to occur.
Sadly, this point usually occurs when the self-destructive behaviour has already caused significant damage to their lives, family, health, relationships, career and self-esteem. Strong feelings such as self-loathing, guilt, anger, self-pity and hopelessness help to keep people trapped in the vicious cycle of their addiction.
People also find their addictive, compulsive habit difficult to break partly because they may also have often tried over and over again to stop, and failed. And when people keep trying but don't succeed, they endure a series of disappointments, which leads them to believe that they'll never be able to succeed.
There is also the notion that there is a genetic cause for the addictive behavior, an "addictive personality" type. This term "addictive personality" is used so commonly in our culture that few of us question whether an addictive personality type really exists, yet many doctors and psychiatrists believe that the term means little or nothing. Certainly, there is little evidence for an addictive personality as such. Personality is very complex and the role of personality in addiction is uncertain.
The "addictive personality" notion is unproven but, it is also very unhelpful. To believe that you are as you are because you were born that way can simply become a self fulfilling prophecy that stops people from taking action to change.
In point of fact addiction is not inherited but is learned behaviour. The more one consumes the more likely one is to be become addicted. Addiction can thus happen to anyone.
However, that said, you do not need to subscribe to the cognitive model for hypnotherapy to help you to change. You may instead prefer to think of an addiction as an illness or disease yet also recognise too that the mind plays a significant part in the process of becoming well again.
What matters most is that someone is motivated to change his or her behavior and is prepared to help themselves to get better. If that is the case then hypnotherapy can really help. Hypnosis enables someone to access their sub-conscious mind in order to activate their potential for changing a certain habit or behavioural pattern.
To overcome addictions, my approach involves enabling clients to:
* Develop a strong belief that he or she will be able to quit and can overcome any cravings if and when these occur.
* Build a strong desire to be the way they want to be, in control and entirely free of the dependancy.
* Have great determination to succeed, to follow the right path and feel compelled to do things differently.
* Develop habits that help them to live a better life.
Depending on the addiction and the person, treatment would typically involve at least 3 sessions. It is also beneficial to provide support beyond the therapy and this is an important part of the long term success of the treatment.
If you feel that you may have an addiction please call for an informal and free confidential chat - 07845 291437 or e-mail [email protected]
You are an addict if three or more of the following features are present:
* A strong desire or sense of compulsion to take the substance.
* Difficulties controlling the substance-taking behaviour in terms of when it occurs, and or being able to stop, and or being unable to control the amount consumed once started.
* A physically unpleasant withdrawal state when not consuming the substance.
* Further substance use to relieve or avoid the withdrawal state.
* Evidence of increased tolerance (increased doses are required in order to achieve the effects originally produced by lower doses).
* Progressive neglect of alternative pleasures or interests because of the substance use.
* Persisting with substance use despite clear evidence of harmful consequences.
* Narrowing of a person's personal repertoire or lifestyle, In other words, taking the substance becomes more important than anything else.
No one deliberately sets out to seriously damage or destroy their own life . People become addicted to something because it either gives them pleasure or prevents them from suffering pain through repeated use. In their minds, what they get from doing it far outweighs any consequences that it may have for them afterwards. Normally the time someone seeks help for an addiction, whether it is alcohol, binge drinking, gambling, smoking, shopping or drugs, is when they have gone beyond denial and reached the point when they realize that their addiction is beyond their control.
In fact, reaching the point of accepting you are an addict and wanting to break free of the dependency, is an essential first step in the process of change and healing. There has to come a point when someone says enough is enough and means it, for change to occur.
Sadly, this point usually occurs when the self-destructive behaviour has already caused significant damage to their lives, family, health, relationships, career and self-esteem. Strong feelings such as self-loathing, guilt, anger, self-pity and hopelessness help to keep people trapped in the vicious cycle of their addiction.
People also find their addictive, compulsive habit difficult to break partly because they may also have often tried over and over again to stop, and failed. And when people keep trying but don't succeed, they endure a series of disappointments, which leads them to believe that they'll never be able to succeed.
There is also the notion that there is a genetic cause for the addictive behavior, an "addictive personality" type. This term "addictive personality" is used so commonly in our culture that few of us question whether an addictive personality type really exists, yet many doctors and psychiatrists believe that the term means little or nothing. Certainly, there is little evidence for an addictive personality as such. Personality is very complex and the role of personality in addiction is uncertain.
The "addictive personality" notion is unproven but, it is also very unhelpful. To believe that you are as you are because you were born that way can simply become a self fulfilling prophecy that stops people from taking action to change.
In point of fact addiction is not inherited but is learned behaviour. The more one consumes the more likely one is to be become addicted. Addiction can thus happen to anyone.
However, that said, you do not need to subscribe to the cognitive model for hypnotherapy to help you to change. You may instead prefer to think of an addiction as an illness or disease yet also recognise too that the mind plays a significant part in the process of becoming well again.
What matters most is that someone is motivated to change his or her behavior and is prepared to help themselves to get better. If that is the case then hypnotherapy can really help. Hypnosis enables someone to access their sub-conscious mind in order to activate their potential for changing a certain habit or behavioural pattern.
To overcome addictions, my approach involves enabling clients to:
* Develop a strong belief that he or she will be able to quit and can overcome any cravings if and when these occur.
* Build a strong desire to be the way they want to be, in control and entirely free of the dependancy.
* Have great determination to succeed, to follow the right path and feel compelled to do things differently.
* Develop habits that help them to live a better life.
Depending on the addiction and the person, treatment would typically involve at least 3 sessions. It is also beneficial to provide support beyond the therapy and this is an important part of the long term success of the treatment.
If you feel that you may have an addiction please call for an informal and free confidential chat - 07845 291437 or e-mail [email protected]
