What is Addiction & How to Beat it

Vast numbers of us do things to excess, or have the feeling that it might be difficult to stop doing something, or sometimes wonder why on earth we have just done something that seemed attractive before we did it… To relieve the Pain!

Addiction spreads to every kind of pleasurable behavior – drinking, sex, food, drugs and so on. Some substances and activities can give a feeling that is so powerful that a life without the feeling may never seem worthwhile. Whatever people call it, a habit, occasional binge, drug addiction, dependence – these are just labels… we are all different.

Why do addictions seem so hard to beat?

We need to relieve the Pain that we are suffering, Why the addiction… the correct question is “why the Pain?

The answer lies in the chemical reward mechanisms that the human brain uses to motivate itself to act and learn making addictions easy to acquire and difficult for most people to shake off.

When we are keen to do something and we get the excitement, this excitement is produced by dopamine, a natural brain chemical, its effects are very like cocaine – it raises our emotional level so we want to take action. When we have the warm feelings of satisfaction we get after doing something e.g: eating, having sex, drugs, or achieving some new skill or new understanding – another natural substance endorphin is produced – which is similar to heroin.  As these chemicals work together they keep us interested in doing the biological functions that preserve the species and stretch each one of us to learn and achieve.

A reasonable amount of natural reward is felt by humans every day in a well-balance life however in a life where essential emotional needs are not met and abilities are not stretched the rewards don’t come and we feel meaningless.

If life feels flat and meaningless this is rich territory for addictions to focus, as every addictive behavior or substance either gives a reward mechanism or delivers a chemical reward directly.

Repeated exposure to an addictive substance or behavior causes nerve cells in the brain to communicate in a way that connection of liking something with wanting it. Dangerous activities stimulate production of dopamine giving a feeling of exhilaration, injecting heroin gives a warm, cosy feeling like the natural feelings of satisfaction you might get after doing any biologically necessary function.

Addiction can be beaten

“Every recovery from addiction began with one sober hour”

Addiction can be beaten by many people without having to consider yourself as an ‘addict’ for the rest of your life or becoming dependent on a recovery group.

There are two things to understand to get away from addictive behavior: The way these required mechanisms work and they way life should be constricted in order to receive natural rewards that make these addictive activities less attractive.

Client Testimonials

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I had received hypnotherapy a number of years previously for treating agoraphobia and I found it very effective and changed my life. The problem of anxiety arose after my mum and dad passed away 3 years ago, and I felt sure it would help me again.
I was right. In contacting Lynne I found it really helpful. I felt more confident and less worried about the future. I found Lynne to be very professional but friendly and very approachable which I personally feel is why my treatment was successful.
It wasn’t just the hypnotherapy, it was working together with Lynne and putting things in place that I could use at home if I suffered a “blip”.
I would recommend anyone to be treated with hypnotherapy in this way as it is very successful, and has worked for me.

Linda
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I sought the help of Lynne because I was struggling with alcohol. I am not addicted to alcohol but when I had to socialise I drank excessively to give me confidence. It did not matter if I knew them well or not at all. I would always drink before I went out would get really drunk become argumentative say and do things I would never do sober or a little tipsy. Lynn helped me through hypnosis what in my past could be one of the reasons I do this and gave me coping techniques. It has been approx. 10 months since I last had hypnotherapy and with the exception of a couple of lapses I have really controlled my alcohol intake at social events and people have commented I have done well and they are proud of me.

Julie
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The results were almost instant, as you put my life in perspective. I could see things for what they were and the self-help i.e. breathing and techniques really worked for me.
I’ve not looked back.
I’ve not had an episode at all, I’ve cut down on my drinking. Losing weight slowly and feel generally more motivated. I’ve started to wean myself off the panic attack meds under guidance from docs, and I’m doing great.
I wouldn't think twice about returning to see you if I felt I needed it as you were very easy to talk to and put me at ease straight away. My life at the moment is great, and this is all because you taught me about my life and put it in order.
Can’t thank you enough

Nicola

GHSC Accredited

The General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (GHSC) and General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR) are the UK’s largest and most prominent organisations within the field of Hypnotherapy and together present an exemplary model for the simultaneous protection of the public and the provision of practitioner credibility and services. The GHSC is responsible for overseeing the criteria for the ongoing registration of individual practitioners within the GHR, all complaints brought by the public against such registered practitioners and for the assessment and accreditation of hypnotherapy training courses which lead to that registration.