Addictive behaviour … making poor choices … often prioritising temporary short-term benefits (with longer-term problems) over more constructive, but more difficult in the moment, long-lasting options.
You CAN choose to do DIFFERENTLY!
Using (and abusing) legal substances (alcohol, nicotine, codeine, THC), “illegal drugs” (opiates, crack or powder cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, Spice, etc.), or damaging levels of activities such as gambling, pornography, shopping and some eating disorders, can all be seen as dysfunctional behaviours. If we have learned to do them, we can also learn healthier alternatives. For some, this might be how to socialise and enjoy activities, for others who might have been “self-medicating” as a way of “managing”, then different, more functional coping strategies can be learned
Ideas from behavioural psychology … “Talking Therapies” … including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, etc. … can be very useful tools in managing addictive behaviours AND with their commonly-associated mild-to-moderate mental health problems such as anxiety or depression.
Sober Reflections offers a thoughtful and safe environment to explore ways of “doing things differently” … it’s all about alternatives to the dysfunctional behaviours, not the particular substance or activity.
Contact us to find out more