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Addictions

Addiction is defined as the recurrent failure to control a behaviour, increased tension prior to a behaviour, and pleasure while experiencing the behaviour.  As well, every addiction has specific symptoms that need to be experienced repeatedly or over a period of time in order for the addiction to be diagnosed.

Types of Addictions

There are two general categories when it comes to addictions – chemical addictions and process addictions.  Some common addictions include:

• alcohol
  
• tobacco
  
• drugs – cannabis, cocaine, heroin, steroids etc
  
• exercise
  
• sex
  
• eating
  
• computers
  
• work
  
• gambling
  
• shopping

Characteristics of Addiction

There are several characteristics of an addictive habit or behaviour.  The addiction is not under your control, rather it controls you.  It becomes a compulsion, a regular part of your life and you think that you cannot live without it.  You find yourself doing it over and over again for a bigger or better “buzz”.  You repeatedly do it in order to escape feelings such as boredom, grief, frustration, sadness, rejection and failure.  You spend more and more of your time and money on it.  The addiction becomes self-obsessive, and may rob you of your energy.  It often disrupts your social, family, love, and work life, as well as damages your mental and physical health.  While the addiction brings short term pleasure, it can bring long term harm.

12 Step Programs for Addiction

A twelve step program is a set of guiding principles for the recovery from addiction.  It was originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous but is now used in many other recovery programs such as Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and Debtors Anonymous.  The twelve step program involves admitting that a person cannot control their addiction, recognising a greater power that can give strength, examining past errors with the help of a sponsor, making amends for these errors, learning to live a new life with a new code of behaviour, and helping others that suffer from the same addiction.

Counseling for Addiction

Addiction counseling should be considered when a person cannot stop an addiction on their own; when they need a substance or behaviour to get through the day; when they have hurt themselves or others or thinking about doing so; when work has been affected because of the addiction; and when the person cannot function as normal.  Counseling can help in all the areas of life that have been affected by the addiction.  It helps to evaluate what led you to the addiction in the first place, and helps you to find ways to stop the issues or situation from driving you into the addiction again.  Counseling is also vital in helping to avoid relapse.   It arms you with the tools you need to fight the addiction and lead a “clean” life.

Acupuncture for Addiction

Auricular acupuncture, or acupuncture of the ear, has been used to treat addiction for many years.  The theory is that there are 200 points in the ear that correspond to organs in the body and, when stimulated, these points nourish and replenish these organs.  This helps with detoxification and, in the case of addiction, to suppress withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, and insomnia.  It also helps to bolster the levels of energy in the body, and leaves the patient feeling relaxed, energised, and in a positive frame of mind.

Herbal Remedies for Addiction

There are some herbal remedies that can be helpful in addiction.  These include:

• Oats – are a nervine tonic and antidepressant.  They nourish the nervous system, speed wound healing, and soothe irritated tissues.  They calm a stressed nervous system and strengthen it from exhaustion or depression.
  
• Kava – is a potent anti-anxiety herb, mild sedative, skeletal muscle relaxant, hypnotic, mild analgesic, and a local anaesthetic to mucous membranes.  Kava is safe and non-addictive so it is beneficial to addicts that suffer from anxiety, nervous tension, restlessness, sleeplessness, and depression.
  
• Ashwagandha – is an Ayurvedic herb with tonic, adaptogenic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties.  It is ideal for treating a debilitated but overactive person.  It also makes a person feel more grounded, helping to prevent relapse from addiction.  It is especially effective in treating nervous exhaustion due to stress.

Meditation for Addiction

Meditation and positive affirmations can be an important part of treating addiction.  Working on self esteem through counseling and using reflection along with positive affirmations can improve confidence and reprogram a person’s thought patterns.  Meditation can be used to help find the root cause of an addiction.  It can also help with the anger that many people with addictions feel and provide a new way of learning to cope with stress.  Meditation is important for relaxation.

Hypnotherapy for Addiction

Hypnotherapy can be very effective in helping to treat a wide range of addictions.  It can be used to reinforce the behavioural changes that are sought by those seeking to break their addictions.  Hypnotherapy can help people with a range of issues from high stress and low self esteem to motivation and self improvement.  It is not a cure in and of itself, and should be used as part of a broader treatment program.

Massage for Addiction

Massage can be helpful in the withdrawal, detoxification, and abstinence stages of quitting an addiction.  Dopamine levels are lower in the withdrawal stage, and massage can help to naturally increase the levels of dopamine within this stage, until brain chemistry normalises.  Massage also promotes the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid, allowing toxins and other waste products to be more rapidly eliminated.  Mentally, massage provides a sense of comfort, and safety.  It is also very relaxing.

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