Addictions

You opened this page. Perhaps you already acknowledge you have an addiction (or several.) For many of you, it’s something you’ve been wondering about but haven’t fully owned yet, or maybe you’re confused. It can be scary to open to the idea that you’re not in full control and that you have a dependency on something or someone. Addiction takes many forms: alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, food, social media, exercise, to name a few.

We’ve all heard the phrase “addictive personality.” It’s not your personality that is defective, it’s that there is an emotional hole you’re trying to fill with something. This emotional hole could be loneliness, or not feeling worthy or good enough, not feeling lovable. Maybe yours is something else. We develop an addiction when we’re trying to shove these feelings down and replace them with substances, people, food, social media, exercise, etc. The problem is these things will never fill that emotional hole. Ignoring your painful emotions by focusing instead on whatever it is you’re addicted to just makes the hole that much bigger. And so your cycle of addiction continues.

Many people feel shame for having an addiction(s). They hide it from others. They lie to themselves or try to force themselves into thinking it’s not a problem. And yet who doesn’t want to feel good, and to avoid suffering? Most likely you weren’t given what you needed when you were growing up to make you feel whole, whether that was sufficient love, care, and attention, or skills such as emotion regulation. Our therapists embrace a harm reduction model and non-judgmental stance that views addiction as a coping mechanism you developed to address needs that you didn’t know how to otherwise meet. We’ll help you build new coping mechanisms that will make you feel strong and secure in yourself. Together we’ll look into that hole inside you, brimming with painful emotions, and start to heal it .