Addiction and substance abuse
• Acknowledging an unhealthy relationship with alcohol or drugs
• Rebuilding relationships
• Coping with addiction in the long-term
• Finding a purpose that doesn’t involve drugs or alcohol
Reprocessing the start of your addiction
We find that addiction often started when a deep emotional need was met at the same time you experienced the physical sensations associated with the substance. Your brain fuses those two elements together.
For example, the day of your first cigarette, you were walking to school feeling isolated and dorky - one of the cool kids asked if you want one. So that moment your body was flooded with nicotine is the same moment you felt cool and included.
Years later, even though you rationally see the harmful side of the addiction, you can’t break that link between the emotional needs and the physical sensations.
So we go back to those memories - examining those emotional needs, examining the sensations - and by reprocessing the memories and those needs (often with EMDR therapy), we can sever that link.
