Behavioral Addictions

understanding and recovery

Although counseling takes many forms, it is essentially a conversation between a client and a trained professional that is meant to help bring understanding and a shift in thinking. This shift in thinking is designed to encourage a change in behavior which, for addiction counseling, focuses on the individual’s addiction. All addictions have the same basic symptoms: obsession, compulsion, loss of control, and continued use in the face of negative consequences are all hallmarks of addiction. A counselor helps you to understand your dependency and to take those first steps towards recovery.

The term addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences to the individual's health, mental state or social life. This term is most often used in reference to drugs and alcohol but can encompass much more. Compulsions can range from sex addiction, to gambling, over eating, obsessive compulsions. Many people, both psychology professionals and layperson's, now feel that there should be accommodation made to include psychological dependency on such things as gambling, food, sex, pornography, computers, work, cutting, shopping.

What is addiction?

Addiction is a chronic but treatable disorder in which people lose the ability to control their need for alcohol or other drugs and behaviors due to changes in the body & brain caused by their addictions.
More information on, what is addiction, and can online counseling help me?

Why do some people become addicted?

Scientists have identified biology (including genes), mental health, social environment, childhood trauma and even the age at which a person begins to use drugs as key factors that affect whether or not a drug or alcohol user becomes addicted.
Why some people become addicted to drugs, alcohol and unwanted behaviors.

What is relapse?

Most people who struggle with addiction will return to their drug or alcoho use (relapse) at least once. This is the result of the way the brain function has been altered by substance use.
People differ in their susceptibility to relapse.