Overcoming Alcohol Abuse and Addiction

Addiction leads to broken promises.

You swore it would be your last drink, your last hit, your last snort.

You promised yourself and your family.

Promises, promises, promises. You make them, and then you break them.

Again, and again, and again!

You search for an explanation in vain.

You’re confused, ashamed, and don’t understand why you can’t stop this madness.

Your friends and family have suggested that maybe you have a “problem.”

You struggle to understand why you can’t stop drinking or using. It doesn’t seem fair.

The way out is not clear.

You start with a drink or two to cope with boredom or stress… but wake up the next day regretting a long night of binge drinking, embarrassing behavior, and unfortunate conversations.

Or worse, you wake up unable to remember anything at all.

You believe that your life, your health, and your relationships would improve if you could manage your drinking and addiction, but you haven’t been able to find the way.

Start by acknowledging the need for help.

Deciding to challenge and conquer your drinking and drug use can be frightening. Everybody you know drinks… It’s hard to imagine your life without using.

Denial and fear can keep you from taking the necessary steps to get help. You tell yourself that you don’t drink as much as this friend or use as much as that friend.

You only drink after 5 p.m. Your relationship ended, but that had nothing to do with your drinking. You can stop using anytime you want to. You haven’t been fired, and you haven’t been arrested. Yet.

It’s surprising when you realize how much of your life revolves around your addiction. When you’re not actively engaged in it, you’re likely thinking about that next drink or that next hit, or you’re planning on how to get it. This constant preoccupation isn’t how you want to live, but you don’t know any other way.

An addicted brain is not functioning properly and will do its best to keep you addicted. It is a scary disease. But it is also a treatable disease.

Perhaps you’re at the point where you’re just thinking about making changes. That’s okay. Maybe you’re not sure. That’s okay, too. Or maybe you’re sick and tired of alcohol and addiction controlling your life.

Learn to break the addiction, not the promises.

At whatever stage you find yourself, I am here to help.

Together, you and I can develop a plan to meet your goals.

During individual sessions, we will work to uncover the root of why you engage in substance use and what triggers your desire to drink or use drugs. You will learn to identify negative thoughts, which may lead to self-destructive actions. I will help you recognize the connection between your thoughts and actions so that by modifying your thought patterns, you can alter negative behaviors.

I also teach Mindfulness skills to help you learn to observe your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in a nonjudgmental way. This process helps strengthen your ability to manage difficult emotions. Increased self-awareness helps you learn to become less emotionally reactive to events that trigger you and to control self-destructive actions better. Distress tolerance skills will give you new techniques for managing stress. We will also work on improving communication skills and rebuilding relationships. Often, we will have family members attend a session or two.

It takes time and a willingness to change.

It won’t be easy, and you will likely have some slips along the way.

Addiction is a brain disease – not a moral failing or a personality flaw – and like most diseases, addiction responds to treatment.

Successful treatment requires a good bit of self-awareness, accountability, and a willingness to make some lifestyle changes.

Life can get better.

My experience working with addicts and their families in residential rehab has given me an intimate perspective of the struggles involved with this disease.

The path to recovery requires hard work and commitment. Having the support of a therapist and the knowledge that happier and healthier days are possible can make all the difference in your journey to sobriety.

If you’re ready to start that journey or have some questions, please call me. You CAN reclaim your life and your sobriety, and I’d like to help you.

Call (601) 498-8263 for a free 20-minute consultation, and let’s see if we’d make a good team.