Overcome Addictions & Dependencies
Brief and effective treatment to break free from the chains of addictions
Addictions
At The Inward Process, we understand better than most the depth of this struggle.
- The internal tug of war.
- Overpowering triggers, cues and and cravings that blur judgement.
- The immediate relief or buzz you thought you’d get, quickly spirals into enormous disappointment and regret by what you’ve just done.
Many people say to themselves that they will quit. That this will be the last time. But they fall back into the same pattern. Making the same choice. Again. This only adds more stress and boredom afterwards. It becomes to a point you actually become more reliant on this addiction – reinforcing this cycle.
Is this you? Common signs and symptoms of Addiction
- Does the addiction meet some emotional or physical need? Like trying to reduce stress when you feel overwhelmed, or get some excitement/buzz when you’re bored?
- Do you feel like “it hits you”? Suddenly you’re triggered, you’ve got this urge? Then it’s like it floods your entire body?
- The addiction cycle repeats – the temporary relief, brief high or buzz, followed by the immediate disappointment and guilt.
- Do you ask yourself questions like “Why can’t I stop?”, “What’s wrong with me?”
- Do you say to yourself “I’ll quit”, “that this is the last time”?
- A part of you desperately wants to quit and/or stop, but deep down you feel you can’t. You’ve failed multiple times in the past.
- Are there times in your life where you distract yourself because you are afraid to be alone with your own thoughts?
- You feel you can’t talk about what you’re going through – out of fear of judgement, being misunderstood, or your own sense of guilt and shame?
At The Inward Process, we know addictions aren’t about your lack of willpower, a weak character, or the fact that you have an “addictive personality”. It’s your brain and body forming deep seeded unconscious patterns, in an attempt to seek relief from emotional discomfort, or fill an unmet need. There is a process behind the addiction, and it can be a complex web of thoughts and feelings. However, it can be understood, managed and and overcome. You do not need to deal with this all on your own any longer if you choose.
How do we address Addictions
Dependencies?
Firstly, a lot of people mistake addictions for dependencies. You aren’t actually “addicted” but dependent on the feeling that you think it gives you – a feeling that you believe you can’t give yourself. So whatever “it” is, an external substance/thing like drugs, alcohol, smokes, or an external behaviour done like shopping, social media, pornography, or binge eating, the first key is, what does “it” give you, that you feel you can’t give yourself?
We see dependencies as a series of steps – a process. A trigger, urge, or craving hits. Once this occurs, many people struggle to tolerate the discomfort that they’re going through. The pattern is to turn to “it”. Usually, when life is seems so overwhelming, stressful or boring. While the logical brain may know you should stop, you dismiss the future consequences, and the immediate need right now wins out. So you engage with “it”. This process refers to internal orientation – a key addiction Pillar that we tackle. When you listen solely on your immediate needs and feelings as the indicator of what to do, you are going to make mistakes, regardless of your logical rationale.
We also address two fundamental keys as to why triggers/cravings have such perceived power over someone. With the cognitive style, how do you think about the addiction? What is your overall thinking style? With the attribtuional style, this relates to what are your perspectives and how do you explain your experiences, or choices you make? Do you believe you can change? By shifting these key factors through critically analyse your experiences, beliefs about addiction, and refining your process, you’ll gain the control to change your situation, instead of just getting sucked in by the triggers, urges and cravings. At The Inward Process, we know that you are capable of change, and we believe that you can change! Even if your previous attempts in the past have failed. You are not your unchangeable past, nor your history.
The methods are tried, tested and proven. At The Inward Process, we will teach you compartmentalisation and emotional regulation skills, so that you can “park” those intrusive thoughts and feelings that don’t serve you. The ones that suddenly come out of nowhere. You’ll learn how your feelings can serve you, not the other way around! Where you can sit and tolerate the discomfort, see it for what it is – a sensation in the body that you can consciously manage. So that you can make a free, conscious choice, taking back control of your life and breaking free of this dependency.
Take 20 minutes to forge a new direction.
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best self!
Hi, I'm Matthew
Your Local Strategic Psychotherapist and Clinical Hypnotherapist in Albury Wodonga
I work as a strategic psychotherapist, accredited coach, and clinical hypnotherapist.
Feeling anxious, stuck, or unsure about how to reach your goals? I get it.
I used to struggle with these exact same challenges, particularly my lived experience in the past with anxiety/stress, dependencies and procrastination.
But after receiving strategic tools, principles and approaches through my training, I was able to successfully apply them in my own life. Overcoming my own self-imposed limitations, and becoming who I was suppose to be.
Now I help others do the same.
At The Inward Process, we’ll work together to transform your choices and patterns today, so that you can live your life in a way that truly feels yours.
Break free from your dependency
If you are fed up, sick of feeling like you have no control and cannot justify this behaviour any longer, then it is time to act!
Envision a future where any addiction doesn’t dictate your life, where choice and strength are your new norms. Book a free, 20 minute discovery session with me. It’s your opportunity to tell me about your situation, ask questions and see if we are the right fit to work together. Let’s embark on this process together, to reclaim control of your life from the grips of this dependency. Contact me today and let’s begin this process.