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Conditions: Addictive Behaviours

What is meant by addiction or substance misuse?

Addiction is an inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a behaviour even though it is causing psychological and physical harm.

Misuse is not the same as addiction and it refers to the misuse of a substance at high doses or in inappropriate situations that could lead to health and social problems. However, not everybody who misuses a substance has addiction.

There is substance addiction and non-substance addiction. Some examples of non-substance addiction include gambling; food; internet; gaming; cell phone or; sex, but it’s possible to be addicted to just about anything. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviours that become compulsive and often experience lack of control. 

Addictive behaviours are not a sign of either weakness or lack of willpower. Addictions and problematic relationships with mood altering substances often constitute progressive psychological (and sometimes physiological) conditions. It is important to try and identify reasons behind it - either from the past or more recent factors that contributed to the development of the problem. Perhaps there are things happening in your life at the moment which you try to escape from; maybe it has become the only thing you can do to feel as though you can manage and make things more bearable. Whatever the addiction, it is serving you an important purpose, but its consequences can be very painful or destructive.

Is your addictive behaviour or misuse connected to anything specific?

  • Drug

  • Alcohol

  • Gambling

  • Sex

  • Food

  • Other

When to seek help?

  • You feel compelled to misuse the substance or engage in addictive behaviour more and more to get the desired effect

  • You experience anxiety or any other unpleasant symptoms when you are not engaging in addictive behaviour or misusing the substance

  • You are finding it hard to cut down on or control your misuse or addictive behaviour

  • The misuse or the addictive behaviour is having a detrimental effect on your life and our relationships

Treatment recommendations

The treatment would be individually tailored to your needs following a comprehensive assessment process in our service. Therapy can help you to gain a better understanding of your addictive behaviour or misuse and explore underlying causes to establish new sustainable and more constructive ways to live and deal with your difficulties.

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