When referring to addictions, we automatically picture ' adults' partaking in an activity that either involves smoking, drinking, injecting, eating or gambling. It is quite rare for people to associate ' children' as young as 7 with addictions......but this scenario is very common. The type of addictions that I am constantly having to work with among children are playstation addiction, computer and television addiction, soft drink addiction and chocolate addiction.

In my treatment of addiction, I view this behaviour as defensive behaviour in which an addiction is used to ' zone out' of a situation or to ' numb emotions'. In each of these situations, an addiction is actually protecting a person from dealing with things, and so allowing them to suppress strong emotions.

With the case of children with, say, a playstation addiction, there may be a sibling or another family member or situation that is causing upset but the child feels helpless to react to or fight the situation. So they start to ' retreat ' into things that help them forget the situation. Feeling an ' escape' from the scenario creates a ' zoning out ' feeling and so becomes common practice to deal with stressful situations. An addiction is born!, and suppressed emotions are usually expressed at inappropriate times in inappropriate ways...e.g. Temper tantrums etc.

So how do we deal with these situations?

First we find out what or who is the cause of the upset. Second we do therapy involving creative visualisation, hypnotherapy, flower essence therapy or thought field therapy and; Third, we help them make changes in their lives that will give them the tools and the confidence to face issues without fear. Children are very open to creating change in their lives and is welcoming of love, encouragement and a happy home life. Lets make it happen for them.............