ADDICTION
Facing addiction requires courage and strength. Addictions can affect an individual's mental health, physical well-being, and relationships, often leaving the individual feeling powerless to control their own lives. Individuals can become addicted to; drugs and alcohol, food, sex, internet and computer use, pornography, gambling, self-injury, and even work. Individuals become preoccupied with engaging and carrying out these compulsive behaviours.
The loss of control, powerlessness and the negative impact on one's self and others can leave an individual with feelings of shame and guilt. Ongoing stress related to the addictions can lead to debilitating depression and anxiety. For some individuals, engaging in an addiction is a band-aid solution to dealing with negative emotions and difficult life experiences in the past and present. The addiction, however, ends up exacerbating life difficulties and creating even more distress, which then fuels the addiction further. Often the reasons for use can be linked to difficult life experiences from our earliest years.
The loss of control, powerlessness and the negative impact on one's self and others can leave an individual with feelings of shame and guilt. Ongoing stress related to the addictions can lead to debilitating depression and anxiety. For some individuals, engaging in an addiction is a band-aid solution to dealing with negative emotions and difficult life experiences in the past and present. The addiction, however, ends up exacerbating life difficulties and creating even more distress, which then fuels the addiction further. Often the reasons for use can be linked to difficult life experiences from our earliest years.
You may have an addiction and require support if you are experiencing any of the following:
- Responsibilities at home, school, or work are impaired
- Ongoing and increasing engagement with behaviour that puts you at risk
- Needing to engage in the behaviour more to achieve the same effect
- Loss of control over changing or stopping the behaviour
- Loss of self-esteem, depression, anxiety, shame and guilt
- Difficulties in couple and family relationships as a result of the behaviour