You are likely to feel a multitude of overwhelming emotions when you discover someone you love is addicted to alcohol or illicit substances. There can be grief, anguish, guilt, anger, shame, and confusion. You may have the initial reaction to immediately force the addicted person to quit, only to be met with resistance and retaliation. You may be feeling anxious and fearful that your loved one’s addiction will go too far beyond repair, whether it’s the loss of a relationship or one’s life. Conversely, if you are the one with the addiction, you may be feeling as if quitting is an impossible task to begin with, or not worth considering at all.
Now more than ever is the time to act and support those who are living with an addiction, or are impacted by a loved one’s addiction and substance use. At Expressions Counselling, we tailor-fit our addiction counselling service to better fit the unique beliefs and knowledge that people hold about addiction, both for those who are impacted by the aftermath or who are living with the addiction themselves.
We recognize that therapy for addiction and substance use is both a rewarding and yet challenging process. Addiction counselling can not only benefit those dealing with these feelings of overwhelm for their loved one’s sake, but also for people with addictions who are wanting to quit and yet aren’t sure how to start.
What is an Addiction?
An addiction is defined as a strong physical and/or psychological urge or need to use something or do something. It’s an extreme dependence on a substance or an activity, even while knowing that it’s causing you and your loved ones a great deal of harm.
There are four factors of addiction, also known as the 4 C’s, that are unique to addiction alone and can be found in any one of them: compulsion, craving, consequences, and control. These contribute to the behaviours commonly found in addiction, which are very similar to one another.
Both substance use and addiction can have a severe and damaging impact on daily life. Addictions can develop in anyone and can be caused by a great deal of many reasons.
Process
At Expressions Counselling, we use a non-judgmental, flexible, and compassionate approach to our addiction counselling service. Collaboration and trust between counsellor and client is a fundamental part of the process. Together, we will work with you to identify the root cause or causes of the addiction, gain a better understanding of the emotions surrounding it, built upon trust and collaboration when setting and achieving realistic goals, and ensure that the tools and insider knowledge needed for these goals are readily accessible.
We are here to support you on what many people call the “roller coaster ride” of substance use. We welcome people from all backgrounds to reach out to us for our service.
