Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Anita James Drug and Alcohol Addiction Therapy Services

It isn’t easy to admit you have a drink or drug problem. Many of us go through periods of life when drink and even drugs become a regular part of our social lives. But, if the amount you drink or take drugs is having an adverse impact on your relationships, your health, or your work, you may have lost control, developed an addiction or even a dependency, and you could need medical help and psychological support to stop.

In the first instance, stopping might require the help of a doctor. If you have been drinking or using at a high level and /or for a long period, your body will have become chemically dependant on the substance. For this reason, your doctor is the first person to visit. If necessary, they can help you to withdraw safely from the substance, or recommend that you attend a rehabilitation clinic where a supervised, medically assisted withdrawal can be arranged.

Once you have stopped, the real work begins – staying stopped. That is where therapy can help.

Understanding the function that drink or drugs have had involves each person looking at and understanding their experience of life, where things have and do feel challenging and perhaps the reasons why those difficulties have not been met differently. Knowledge facilitates understanding, understanding facilitates change, and change facilitates recovery.

It all sounds so easy, but it is a difficult journey and one best made with a therapist with the experience to help you avoid the pitfalls, cope with the setbacks, and to find a new perspective on a different way of life that may initially feel impossible.

I have helped numerous clients deal with their addiction to drink and drugs and to deal with the underlying emotional issues – whether that be stress, low self-esteem, anxiety, trauma, grief or abuse. When you are ready, I will be ready to help.