Let’s Talk About Addiction
Addiction is more common than many people may realise, affecting many people in some way throughout their lives, whether it be in an online capacity, behavioural addictions such as shopping, or substance abuse of some kind. It is vital to remember that there is no shame in opening up about this or seeking help.
At New Leaf Recovery, we offer support and rehabilitation for those who are looking to talk more about their addiction and break the cycle that it creates for them in their daily lives. If you, or someone your love, is struggling with addiction in some way, speak to our compassionate team today and let us help you find the start of your recovery journey.
What is Addiction?
Addiction is when an individual does not have control over what they are doing or is taking some form of substance that could be harmful. Commonly, addiction is associated with drugs, alcohol, smoking and gambling, but addiction can be anything!
At New Leaf, we work with clients that struggle with a range of addictions, including alcohol, drugs, gambling and more. Find out more about how we can help you with your addiction today at New Leaf Recovery in Birmingham.
The brain is an exceptional organ within the human body. It controls our responses to rewards and pleasurable experiences such as eating and exercising. As part of this rewarding chemistry of the brain, it releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. This helps you to feel good and encourages you to repeat this action again and again to seek the feel good reward. It also teaches the brain to repeat this behaviour. When addiction takes hold, this good feeling can begin to impact an individual’s ability to tell what a natural response is and what is now a chemical controlled response due to addiction. This change can impact daily life, with individuals beginning to experience health problems or social anxiety perhaps.
When addiction takes hold of someone’s daily lives, it can latch onto this reward feeling, rewiring the brain to associate the addictive behaviour with reward, therefore needing to repeat it in order to release dopamine.
At New Leaf Recovery, we encourage talking about addiction with those around you in rehabilitation. This helps you to understand the root of your addiction and find other means of seeking your feel good reward, stepping away from the addictive behaviours that have developed.
If you feel that talking about your addiction might help you, get in contact with our team at New Leaf Recovery today and let us help you.
Let’s Talk About the Different Forms of Addiction
Addiction is not just when you are addicted to a substance, it can also be behavioural. At New Leaf Recovery, we understand that addictions come in many forms; this is why we offer support for illegal and legal substances, and behavioural addictions.
Substance Addictions
Substances can range from drugs to alcohol addiction, both legal and illegal. It is when an individual has become dependent upon a particular substance, with their brain now relying on this for reward. These addictions can control the brain as well as behaviours and can often lead to an inability to control the usage, creating an addictive cycle.
At New Leaf, we offer a range of rehabilitation and therapeutic techniques to help you break the cycle of substance abuse. From detoxification to rid the body of toxins, to starting all clients on the 12 Steps Programme, and introducing them to therapies such as art therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and meditation. Our aim is to help each client to find a healthy and addiction free future following rehabilitation, using these techniques and the power of talking about addiction to find a new rhythm of life.
Behavioural Addictions
Behavioural addiction, sometimes also thought to be known as an impulse control disorder, is when an individual focuses on the feeling they get from an action or behaviour. This can include gaming, internet use, gambling, shopping and even co-dependency. Much like with substance abuse, when the brain chemistry is wired to reward these behaviours, individuals begin to rely on these actions to get the feeling, starting an addictive cycle.
New Leaf Recovery works with individuals who struggle with behavioural addictions, helping them to find new ways of feeling good and creating that rewarding feeling. Our rehabilitation team works with you to understand the root cause of your addiction in order to find new techniques that help you better control the need for a rewarding feeling from such behaviours. Through 121 or group sessions, counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy, you can talk with our team further, getting to the cause of your addiction before engaging with our rehabilitation therapies, including meditation or art therapy.
The Impact of Addictive Cycles
The cycles of addiction can lead to numerous risks for individuals who do not seek support and help.
Cycles of addiction can often start with a stressful situation, emotional struggles or social pressure that lead to someone feeling the need to use substances or rely on behaviours to cope. Whilst providing a temporary escape, this can lead to a dependence on these behaviours or substances that starts the cycle of reliance and addiction.
The risks and side effects of addiction can be far reaching, including physical, mental and emotional impacts. Physically, addiction can lead to medical problems ranging from liver damage, respiratory problems and cardiovascular disease to infection or overdose. From a mental perspective, individuals may feel isolated, anxious, depressed and even struggle with mental health disorders or psychosis.
The social impacts of addiction are ever present and can perhaps be felt more in today’s society than ever before. From strained relationships to financial concerns, job loss or legal troubles, all of these social factors can lead people down a path of emotional and mental struggles that then contribute towards addictive use and behaviours.
The consequences of addiction can extend to more than just the individual struggling, it can impact family and communities on a wider scale. Feelings of destroyed trust, lack of personal value and a sense of hopelessness can make it harder to overcome loneliness and addiction as a whole.
If you know someone who is struggling with addiction, or have been struggling yourself, talking to others can be a big step towards helping you overcome the initial barriers of help. Talk about addiction with your loved ones or reach out to New Leaf Recovery today for support and a place to be open about your addiction.
Start Rehabilitation Today with New Leaf Recovery
Let’s Talk About Addiction Together
Sadly, once in the cycle of addiction, it can be difficult to find a way out on your own. This is where New Leaf can help and support you. Talking about when addictive behaviours or use started and why can help individuals to understand what they need to reevaluate in order to overcome their need for the addictive substance or behaviour.
At New Leaf, we offer a rehabilitation programme that is tailored to each client’s needs, including talking about addiction and breaking down stigmas and challenges that individuals face in recovery. For more on our treatments and therapies, take a look online today. Our compassionate team works with each client to understand their needs and find the best recovery programme and therapies for their needs, working towards sobriety and a brighter future.
Whether you have experienced addiction for the first time and are seeking support, or need help with relapse, speak to our team today and let New Leaf Recovery help you turn over a new leaf in your life.