There
over two million people in the UK who are addicts of some form.
Dependence exists in many different forms and to varying degrees
of intensity. For some, what starts out as casual experimentation,
normal social behaviour or even a doctor's prescription, can
lead to repeating the behaviour more frequently and with greater
quantities. Following the psychological shift to dependence
(can't do without), the brain's chemistry starts to demand more
of what it's grown used to and strongly resists the discomfort
of stopping. And so the route to severe addiction begins.
Types of addictions
Cocaine
Many people (around 3.5%) use cocaine-based drugs regularly.
What started as a form of novelty or adventure can become more
and more part of their social life to the point where it dictates
the way in which they are talking and thinking. In severe cases,
some people start to equate it to everything, for example, money
and friends, to the point where it effects their work and friends
and becomes a serious problem.
Cannabis
This habit can, for some, become a way of life. The UK has some
of the highest usage in Europe (around 35% of the population
take cannabis in some form). If this habit affects your life
significantly, we can look at the reasons behind why you are
smoking and, as with all addictions, by harnessing your will-power,
we can possibly, help you to stop.
Nicotine
/ Smoking
Recognised as more and more of a social ill, smoking has been
banned in all bars and restaurants. Giving up is not easy and
85% of the process of giving up is mental. The enjoyment of
socialising with people outside bars, or the stimulas of eating
a nice meal, seeing a favourite TV programme can for some people
become synonymous with having a deserving cigarette and have
the will power to continue living healthy can be difficult.
We can help you get to the root of this and work out why you
need to smoke, making it far less of a challenge.
Sex
Addiction to sex can be a remedy to frustration or provide a
sense of adventure, a challenge, or a fix of some form. It can
affect people's lives to the point that they are conducting
acts that are not normal or healthy in a long term sense. We
can also possibly assist you with other sexual issues such as
premature ejaculation, arousal problems, erection problems,
nervousness associated with getting pregnant or contracting
a sexually transmitted disease.
Alcohol
Risky Drinking, Alcohol Abuse, and Alcohol Dependence. How can
you tell when drinking is a problem? Not everyone who drinks
regularly has a drinking problem. In fact, more and more studies
are showing health benefits from a moderate amount of alcohol.
However, some people are more in danger of developing an alcohol-related
disorder. If you are concerned about alcohol use, either your
own, or that of someone you care about, this page might give
you some useful information.
Problem drinking. What makes someone have a "drink problem"
is that they have problems in their lives because of the way
they drink. For example, they may not be doing as well at work
because of being out late at night or having a hangover on a
regular basis. Or they may be getting into arguments with their
friends or family because of their drinking habits. Or perhaps
while drunk they have said or done hurtful or embarrassing things
that have caused problems in their relationships.
Alcohol abuse. A person who abuses alcohol can experience everything
a problem drinker experiences, but the person continues to drink
in the face of mounting problems that become more and more serious.
For example, a person abusing alcohol might be arrested for
a misconduct, drink-driving one or more times, get fired from
their job for showing up drunk or missing too much work, or
have their spouse leave them and often continue to drink as
if nothing was wrong.
Alcohol dependence. A person with alcohol dependence can experience
all of the above problems, or may have few outward problems
as a result of their alcohol use. Regardless, the person with
alcohol dependence has a serious disorder.
It is well known that alcoholism runs in families. While genetic
factors can make a person more susceptible to alcoholism, environmental
factors significantly affect whether a person puts themselves
in situations that can lead to abuse or dependence. Environmental
factors include influence of friends, overall stress levels,
ease and acceptability of obtaining alcohol, presence or absence
of concerned people who notice and intervene if a problem starts
to gain momentum. Research shows that:
" Children of alcoholics have a 2-4 times greater risk
of developing alcohol abuse and are much more likely to begin
drinking during adolescence. "
" People who begin drinking before the age of 15 are 4
times more likely to develop alcohol dependence and twice as
likely to abuse alcohol as those who started drinking later
in life."
" Alcohol disorders are more common in men and men are
more likely to be binge drinkers. although this is a rapidly
changing trend."
"
Alcohol disorders are more common in metropolitan areas."
" Alcohol disorders are more common amongst the better
educated."
It can be difficult to confront someone whose drinking is a
cause for concern. It's important to be ready for a negative
reaction on the part of the drinker, who may be in denial about
the severity of the problem or their impact on you. Be positive
and non-blaming in your approach. Remember the "Three Cs."
" You did not CAUSE the other person's problem"
" You cannot CONTROL the other person"
"
You cannot CURE the other person"
Where possible, try to get them to agree to some form of positive
action. Ask them to attend a single therapy session with you
to get another opinion on the subject. The choice of treatment
will depend on the severity of the alcohol problem as well as
other factors personal to their situation. A thorough assessment
is the first step in choosing the best treatment.
" Cognitive-behavioural therapy focuses on educating people
about alcoholism, helping them learn what triggers them to drink,
and teaching them new coping strategies so they are less dependent
on alcohol as short-term emotional relief.
" In the 12-step approach, used by Alcoholics Anonymous
(see below), the drinker proceeds through the lessons and growth
promoted by each step, while staying sober. Group support is
a major component of the programme. And has been really quite
successful.
" Family and couples therapy can be helpful. A combination
of individual (cognitive-behavioural) therapy helps the person
who is having alcohol problems develop and follow a recovery
plan, and couples or family therapy helps the partner or other
family members develop effective strategies for assisting with
recovery.
" Self-help groups are an important part of a recovery
plan for both alcoholics and those who care about them. Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA) describes itself as a "worldwide fellowship
of men and women who help each other to stay sober." It
is an effective, mutual help programme for recovering alcoholics.
There are free meetings several times a day, every day, in most
parts of the country
NB. We will only assist alcoholic clients that have been through
the process of going to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and remain
alcohol free.
We
have a strict selection policy on the type of issue. Please
note that clients with drink and drugs addiction. We would like
people to go through most effective programme that is available
to them. We would suggest to continue your search on google
or yahoo for the most appropriate programme.
Please remember if you are an EX- sufferer of drink & drugs
requiring some post counselling assistance, please email as
much details of your circumstances and we can possibly serve
your counselling needs, on the condition that you are not back
on your old habit or a new one for that matter.
