Ways of dealing with addiction... AA versus personal therapy

12 Step Programs have been criticised in the past for reinforcing the            'addict identity'. 

Members are encouraged to think of themselves as recovering addicts. Sobriety is treated in the same way as remission from any incurable disease. The understanding is that the individual could relapse at any time. The problem is that the individual’s sober self image is still tied up with alcohol or drug abuse. Some people who break away from programs like 'AA' claim they want to give up the addict identity as well as the substance abuse. Members of 12 Step groups would claim that such criticisms are unfair and that the program helps many people achieve lifelong abstinence.

Dave became alcohol dependent after working in London for 3 years, previous to that he hardly drank alcohol or had any addictive traits. Dave was surrounded by his colleagues and felt he wanted to fit in. A drink at lunchtime and after work each day became the norm and the way to do business and feel accepted.

Dave eventually realised he had a problem after logically adding up all the units he drank every week compared to the recommended amount a male should consume. He was also starting to have arguments and problems at home with his wife as she was feeling neglected.

Dave attends an AA meeting, they tell him he is powerless against this addiction and that he will always be a recovering addict... Is this correct? Is he getting the right help... the right message? 

Does Dave need to stay away from alcohol forever?... Or learn to deal with the emotions behind the drinking? Or even just stay away from the group of colleagues that he felt pressure from?

Should Dave instead discover his self-esteem and confidence so that the risk of peer pressure doesn’t affect his decisions?

Many people in re-habilitation would argue he must be treated the same as all people with addictions regardless of how it started, what triggered it, their upbringing, whether they are surrounded by it, peer pressure, emotional stresses past and present, learnt behaviour and learnt mentality regarding substance abuse and for how long they’ve had the problem.

In my opinion, there are too many grey areas with addiction whatever form it takes, but one commonality is that it’s linked to emotion. What has worked for many of my clients is focusing on the emotion and just exploring how life would be without the addiction. With motivated interviewing and investigation of their thoughts, emotions and memories that the addiction tends to numb for them, they begin to realise that they CAN face their issues, and generally the addiction starts to fade along with the emotional healing.    

Dave was stuck in a vicious cycle where he felt emotionally drained from his wife being constantly upset and angry and the pressure from the boss to go for another drink. Dave felt threatened that he may lose his job if he didn’t conform. Dave was drinking to numb and forget the pain and pressure but ultimately the alcohol was a big catalyst towards Dave’s unhappy marriage. Dave was afraid to face his wife and face his boss with his low self-esteem and confidence. With work in therapy, he learned to recapture his confidence and felt he could say no to his boss and spent the extra time at home reconnecting with his wife.

Therapists: Always take a record of how much substance the client is taking for their safety and others around them, and suggest they seek help from their GP for safe reduction and quitting. If the client is heavily taking substance, the best route might be to enter a facility for their own safety.

If you or someone you know is suffering, don’t hesitate to contact Sam at www.therapyforlife.co.uk

Just the smell of alcohol can make it difficult to maintain self-control, new research has shown.

The smell of alcohol may make it harder for people to control their behaviour.

Just the smell of alcohol may trigger the cognitive response in the brain to want and need to consume it.

An experiment was carried out by a research team at Edge Hill University.

participants were asked to wear a face mask that was either laced with alcohol, or a non-alcoholic citrus solution. Participants were then instructed to press a button when either the letter K or a picture of a beer bottle appeared on their screen.

The researchers measured the number of times the participants incorrectly pressed the button causing a 'false alarm'. These false alarms indicate a reduction in the participant's power to inhibit their behaviour when they were expected to.

Dr Rebecca Monk, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Edge Hill University said that she and her fellow researchers found that the number of these 'false alarms' were higher in participants who were wearing the alcohol treated mask.

In other words, their behaviour was altered from the smell of alcohol alone.

Things that trigger alcohol consumption might be our state of mind and emotions, the environment we are in or the people in our company. This is the first investigation into other kinds of triggers - such as our sense of smell.

Although this was only an early lab based experiment into further triggers regarding alcohol, during the experiment it seemed that just the smell of alcohol was making it harder for participants to control their behaviour to stop pressing a button.

Imagine someone faced with the daily torment of wanting to drink but had faced health problems from alcohol consumption and depression resulting in drinking, they had been sober for weeks, months or even years, when one day their cognitive trigger is set off by just walking past a busy pub.

People who have suffered from alcoholism and addiction problems (if this test is proven further), would need to avoid pubs and bars and many other social occasions not only to resist temptation from environment and peer pressure, but now also for protection from just the sheer smell of alcohol alone!

If you or someone you know is suffering from substance abuse, please contact Sam or Jackie at Therapy for Life for immediate help and support.

source

Where do your priorities lie?

I have had clients addicted to various substances and behaviours in my counselling experience. When it comes to paying me for my services to help them they sometimes say...

“I can’t afford to pay you this week, can I pay next week?”
- OR -
“ I have no money, but can I still come to the session?”

It’s an unfair position to put the counsellor in; the dilemma is that within a helping profession such as this, it is difficult to turn a client down who needs help. It goes against my nature to turn someone away. I allow the unpaid session and I realise as their story continues, that they are infact under the influence of a substance (that they purchased this morning), or did infact deplete their finances to fuel their addiction the day or weekend before they came. This is typical behaviour for people suffering with addictions, logic has trouble prevailing and the fact that they had taken advantage of you can get missed with the condition.

I’ve had clients spend £100’s to £1000’s on cocaine, alcohol and prostitutes just before their counselling session and then tell me they have nothing left to pay me with. I of course take the opportunity to challenge the client’s priorities at this stage and question whether they really want to continue counselling. It's a tough conversation for both of us.

On the other hand, away from addiction, in my experience working as a dental nurse for over 15 years, and being on Tax Credits, I have seen many patients on Income Support and Tax Credits who appeared to have either their nails manicured or their hair professionally styled and some even wearing designer clothing.... People on benefits seem to be able to save for and afford some occasional personal treats as I was also able to do.

Back then, if I had problems coping with life, I would certainly sacrifice certain treats to get the help I needed... Maybe I'm alone in this thinking...

Surely if someone feels their situation is becoming unbearable, thoughts are becoming too irrational and life is increasingly upsetting. Do you still get your acrylic nails done? Or do you put that off briefly and put that money towards some real help with your life? 

Isn't it a matter of Prioritising what finances you do have?

Yes a treat for yourself is certainly a nice quick fix to feel better, but it hasn’t resolved the depression, anxiety, stress or loss that you are feeling overall.

Your options are to just leave things as they are

- OR -

To pop along to the GP and refer yourself to the free NHS service and be put on the waiting list. (This can work for some)

- OR -

You could come along and see us immediately and get started on the road to recovery and wellbeing fast. The nice thing about our therapeutic counsellors is that we are willing to negotiate a session price based on your income to make it affordable for you.

Your decision really depends on:

How long you are able to wait for help with your problems

If you are willing or able to pay something affordable each week...

towards taking steps to improving your life for good.

"I have seen many clients on benefits and agree an affordable price they are happy with. Many have been on the NHS waiting list and couldn't wait any longer. They had only a few sessions with me and felt so much better having left with new skills and new hope. Even at the end of treatment, they still hadn't got their appointment through from the NHS - they were just glad to feel better so much more quickly."

Sam at Therapy for Life 

At Therapy For Life, we tailor your sessions to suit your needs. As integrated therapists we have access to many types of different therapies... And we can see you now!

A letter to GP's

Dear GP

‘Therapy For Life’ has an experienced set of Counsellors who can be available within 24 hours. Sometimes almost immediately if your practice is nearby, the client can travel straight to our office just off the High Street in Southend-on-Sea, alternatively with arrangement we can travel to your surgery.

You may find that patients suffering from mental health issues are propelled to repeat behaviours and are unable to escape a vicious negative cycle. Part of that cycle can be repeatedly returning to the GP surgery with unrealistic worries, fears and negative thoughts.

Please consider offering our help to your patients if...

• ·       Patients are re-contacting you whilst being on the NHS ‘Therapy For You’ waiting list needing help much sooner than is available and are able to pay for private sessions (Staff can advise patients to come along to ‘Therapy for Life’ as an interim whilst waiting for an NHS response).
• ·       A patient seems chronically depressed needing help quickly and in your opinion should be seen within days or hours.
• ·       Patients seem to be taking up nurse and GP time discussing problems other than physical ailments.
• ·       Patients that repeatedly return complaining of undiagnosable ailments or unexplainable pain.
• ·       Patients that return with the same or similar issues that are realistically manageable by themselves.
• ·       Patients suffering from recent loss of a loved one or unhealthy long-term grief.
• ·       Patients repeatedly approach you outside of the surgery.
• ·       Patients who approach with hostility and anger.
• ·       Patients that don’t adhere to your advice yet keep returning.
• ·       Patients that bring along symptom after symptom, none of which falls into any recognisable pattern of illness.
• ·       Patients that are ‘manipulative help rejectors’... "Why don't you?" "Yes, but I can’t because ... "
• ·       Patients that are ‘self-destructive deniers’ e.g. Patients with emphysema who cannot stop smoking, alcoholics drink even though their liver is failing etc.

A chronically depressed patient needs time to talk about their issues, much longer than the nurse or GP can provide in a booked session. Please do offer them a solution at Therapy for Life in addition to their physical needs.

It will not only help the patient, but your future interactions with the patient will become simpler. 

"We believe Physical Illness is linked to Mental Health, let us work side by side with you."

We understand the NHS provides IAPT, which is essentially low and high intensity CBT. We provide CBT but also Psychodynamic, Transactional Analysis, Solution Focussed and Loss/Grief Therapy.

As you already know, CBT is not the choice therapy for someone suffering from loss and grief. If you do have a patient who is unwell but also grief stricken, offering them therapy alongside physical healthcare is the most beneficial treatment for your patient.

We would be happy to leave more business cards with you if you think you will refer to us. Please check out some of the counsellors on our website, we have many more all with different backgrounds and experience. Give us a try, and see the positive feedback from your patients.

Take Care... Samantha

Director at ‘Therapyfor Life’

Impact of Mindfulness on our Health & Wellbeing

“As you read this, wiggle your toes. Feel the way they push against your shoes, and the weight of your feet on the floor. Congratulations, you’ve just done a few moments of mindfulness”

Says Tom Ireland writing for 'Scientific American'

Did you know Mindfulness originates from Buddhism?

We don’t have to be Buddhists to practice it though.

“You too could become enlightened!”

It’s been a useful therapy for anxiety and depression for around the last decade.

Schools, pro sports teams and military units are exploring it’s possibilities for enhanced performance, and is showing promise as a way of helping sufferers of chronic pain, addiction and tinnitus, too.

There is even some evidence that mindfulness can help with the symptoms of certain physical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, cancer, and HIV.

“And all it involves is some quiet reflection each week and even better 10 minutes each day”. 

If you would like to try some mindfulness, we like to use this one for clients, it’s just 10 minutes long just click here.

A University in North Carolina at Chapel Hill demonstrated a correlation between mindfulness practice in couples and an enhanced relationship.

“The couples reported improved closeness, acceptance of one another, autonomy, and general relationship satisfaction.” 

This ‘loving-kindness’ type meditation involves positive imagery and wishes towards another or yourself affecting how we relate to people.

One study tested participants by showing them pictures of strangers after carrying out this particular ‘loving-kindness’ meditation.

The participant’s thoughts and feelings were positively affected regarding the stranger’s pictures, which demonstrated how the meditation heightened their abilities to socially connect.

Also, parents of children with disabilities noticed increased positive parenting and improved relationship with their children. They also experienced less stress as a result of the mindfulness.

“In these studies, the children of these parents benefited from the mindful parenting practice, showing decreases in aggressive and non-compliant behaviour.”

If you or someone you know is interested in experiencing the benefits of mindfulness, or you are finding life difficult to cope with, please contact Therapy for Life

Sam or Jackie will be happy to help you.
Source:
Scientific American
Mindfulness Research