Are You Worried You Might Have A Problem With Addiction?
- Have you made countless promises to stop, but always seem to go back to drinking, or using drugs or other addictions?
- Have you been arrested, hospitalized or fired from your job because of your drug or alcohol use?
- Do you worry your partner is going to leave you and take the kids if you don’t confront your addiction?
- Do you feel guilty about being physically and emotionally unavailable for your family and long to regain trust and respect from the people you love?
- Has a recent disastrous or dangerous event in your life caused you to wonder if you’ve hit rock bottom?
- Do you long to let go of the fear, anger and disconnection caused by your dependency, but feel powerless to create positive change?
When you’re stuck in the throes of addiction, you may feel as though your life is spinning out of control. Perhaps you regularly use drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping or gambling as a means of escape from the world. Although you may feel certain that you don’t have a problem, the state of your relationships or career may be telling you otherwise. The people in your life may be tired of dealing with the consequences of your binges and have repeatedly asked you to seek help for your dependency problem.
Despite repeated failed attempts to quit, you may wake up each morning vowing never to engage in the addictive behavior again. However, by lunchtime, you may find yourself overwhelmed by work-related stress and long for a pick-me-up to get yourself through the day. You may be unable to concentrate during important meetings because you can’t stop thinking about the first smoke, drink, hit or casual encounter you’ll have after work. Despite your best intentions, you may end up falling into your behavior all night long. The next day, you likely feel tired, groggy and unproductive at work or, unable to make it at all.
By now, you may be worried about losing your job, breaking up with your partner, getting arrested or endangering your life. Perhaps you long to gain control over your addiction, but fear you have gone beyond the point of no return and feel helpless on your own.
Addiction Can Be Difficult To Overcome
When you struggle daily with addiction, it’s easy to feel misunderstood, powerless and alone. You may face a lot of resentment from the people you love, who perhaps don’t understand why you can’t just say no to the vice that currently has a chokehold on your life. However, breaking free from addiction is not a simple act of willpower and emotional fortitude. Addiction is often the result of powerful psychological and biological forces that can be difficult to overcome. It is a kind of mental obsession coupled with a physical compulsion to seek out a form of short-term relief. Just saying no is not easy. It requires hard work, constant self-monitoring and dedication. Thankfully, an addiction counselor can serve as your confidant and guide as you make your way along the road to recovery.
Seeing An Addiction Counselor Can Help You Find Relief From Your Addiction
Addiction counseling is an integral part of an individual’s journey toward recovery. As an experienced addiction counselor, I can help you sustain your motivation to stop using drugs and alcohol and provide you with the tools and support you need to maintain sobriety in the long term. This is not an easy process, and there is nothing wrong with you if you stumble along the way. With a strong commitment to create positive change, you can learn from these missteps and ultimately become stronger and more resilient in the process.
During our sessions together, you can start to triumph over your addiction by identifying your addiction triggers and learning to navigate or avoid situations in which you might be tempted to use. You can begin to replace your drug of choice with healthy, healing activities that promote feelings of wellbeing. In addition, I will encourage you to make use of addiction support groups and help you address any anxieties or fear you have about community support.
Without judgment, shame or ridicule, I will also help you examine how your addiction has impacted the people you love and discuss ways to repair your relationships. With the help of an addiction counselor, you can become a better communicator, listen to others with more compassion and find non-aggressive ways to express negative emotions like disappointment and anger. Through a process of thoughtful introspection and techniques like hypnotherapy, you can identify the source of emotions like anger, fear, sadness and self-loathing and challenge negative perceptions about yourself that may be contributing to your addiction.
My approach is informed by one underlying goal: to remove blocks that prevent clients from making healthy life choices. As someone who has grappled with my own addiction issues, I know from experience just how challenging recovery can be. However, I also know how powerful and transformative the effects of addiction counseling are. I have seen many people (including myself) find relief from their addiction and believe that you can too. With the help of a supportive addiction counselor, it’s possible to put yourself back in the driver’s seat and gain control over your addiction.
Perhaps you’re ready to see an addiction counselor, but still have some questions and concerns you’d like to explore first…
I’m only a casual user. I don’t have a problem.
Perhaps you don’t have a problem with addiction. However, you must have found your way to this website for a reason. Regardless of the severity of your dependency, an addiction counselor can provide you with strategies for curbing worrisome drug and alcohol use. You don’t have to get fired, lose your job or damage your health in order to seek help. It’s best to explore and tackle your use now before it develops into severe dependency or leads to distressing consequences.
I’m too ashamed to talk about my addiction.
Many people have either experienced their own addiction or can relate to it through a friend, colleague or relative. Addiction is incredibly common in our society, and you don’t have to feel ashamed. Furthermore, I offer a supportive, nonjudgmental and confidential environment.
Nothing you share with me will ever leave my office.
I can stop using any time I want to.
If you can choose to stop using, that’s great. However, temporarily curtailing your drinking, smoking, shopping or gambling will not resolve the underlying issues that are driving you to abuse your drug of choice. An addiction counselor can help you make long-term, positive changes to your internal well-being and your behaviors.
It’s Never Too Early To Intervene
By seeking the guidance of an addiction counselor, you will be taking the first and most difficult step on your road to recovery. Please email me. I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation and would be happy to answer your questions. In the meantime, feel free to peruse my blog where I discuss strategies for coping with addiction.