Addictions are something you find yourself doing frequently and repeatedly that you don’t want or need to do anymore. We all have something that we’re addicted to, which can be behavioral, emotional or even physical.
Addiction is a cycle. As human beings, we all have a genuine need to feel and give love, to be cared for and belong, and ultimately express ourselves in order to be understood and accepted. When we attempt to fulfill those needs through food, alcohol, drugs, compulsive behavior, etc. we feel that our desires are being met. Unfortunately, because these good feelings are only temporary, we turn to these quick fixes more often and they become an addiction.
Addictions are a temporary fix to long term pain. It’s impossible to satisfy the addiction enough to be in control of it. Often we put our hope on other people and things on the outside world to provide for our deeper needs but they don’t and cannot. Ultimately we feel let down and keep returning to our addictions.
To overcome addiction you have to address yourself and meet the needs that are being temporarily ‘fixed’ by your addictions. Think of addiction as the sticky plaster that constantly needs replacing when really you need stitching together and becoming ‘whole’ again.
Addiction is any behaviour that becomes a problem when you can no longer control the addiction but the addiction controls you. It is possible to become addicted to just about anything. Here’s a list of some common addictions people experience:
- Anger, sadness, worries and depression
- Control
- Compulsive cleaning
- Exercise
- Hoarding
- Internet use, pornography, computer games or mobile phones & texting
- Jealousy
- Love
- Shopping
- Smoking
- Sex, affairs, chasing for partners
- Substance use (pain relief, anti-depressants, alcohol, social drugs)
- Religion
- Risk-taking and impulsiveness
If you feel that your addiction has become a problem that is affecting you, your family, work or it’s making you feel bad, guilty or ashamed and you just want it to stop. To find out how my active, result-orientated counselling, coaching or NLP-Hypnosis therapies and support can help you with your addiction, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
“I didn’t think I had an addiction until Vanessa asked me not to use my mobile phone during the weekends if I didn’t need it for work. Initially I found it hard as I started to get aggitated and fustrated, even found myself unable to sit still. Unconscously, I kept picking up the phone. On the second weekend I gave it to my wife to hide. It’s not something I would ever thought would become or would call it an addiction. But I had the same withdrawl symptoms of an addict. The restlessness, the fustration and gettting angry proved otherwise. I now make a point to leave the phone well alone after I get home and during the weekends. My wife says I have more time for the family and seem more happier.” – Robert, Sales & Marketing, London
I use a combination of therapies to find a treatment strategy that will work for your particular addictions and needs. By giving you the tools and techniques you need to release the underpinning emotional and physical attachment you have with your addictions, you can construct the behavioural patterns and psychological support to live without them.
I often use Hypnotherapy to guide and strengthen the subconscious processes of your mind, stop the addiction and align your thinking, feeling and behaviour to meet your specific and personal needs from within you.
It’s not easy giving up an addiction but by working with me, I will use powerful new and traditional therapies that will give you more control, making it a lot easier to change your habits and emotions. I will help you to take charge of your addiction and prevent the addiction from taking control of you. All you need to begin is your commitment to change.
There are free support options available for certain addictions that you may wish contact for more information such as Addaction (UK only) and Brent Mind (you can check out if your local borough has a similar charity).