What isn’t addiction? Addiction isn’t a lack of morals or self-control.
SHAME. HUMILIATION. FEAR. THREAT. Do these words elicit hope and motivate you to change and take positive, effective action? In most cases it does not. In fact, research on addiction and recovery has shown that these approaches to change are more likely to precipitate relapse rather than promote recovery behavior (White and Miller, 2007). Perhaps you (or your loved ones) believe that “I/you can stop if I/you really wanted to”. How’s that been working for you?
What is addiction?
Addiction is an attempt to solve the problem of emotional, psychological, and even physical pain. Moreover, addiction is a chronic brain disease that has been influenced by genetics, environment, behaviors, substances, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, material changes to your brain that have significantly impaired your ability to simply "choose to stop" (Bartlett et al., 2013). Likewise, recovery is not merely abstinence; rather, it involves building your tolerance and resilience to pain while filling the "holes" left by your addiction with values and values-based goals.
At Bayview Counseling Services, you will acquire the tools, skills and resources needed to develop new, more effective problem-solving strategies, increase your resiliency to emotional pain, and replace unhealthy addictive behaviors with behaviors that are goal-directed and values-driven so that you can regain control of your recovery and your life.
References
Bartlett, R., Brown, L., Shattell, M., Wright, T., & Lewallen, L. (2013). Harm reduction: compassionate care of persons with addictions. Medsurg nursing : official journal of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, 22(6), 349–358. Online at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/p...
White, W. & Miller, W. (2007). The use of confrontation in addiction treatment: History, science and time for change. Counselor, 8(4), 12-30. Online at http://www.williamwhitepapers....