Help for drug problems using Psychotherapy at 1066 Therapy
covering Battle, East Sussex, Hastings, Bexhill, Rye, Heathfield, Hailsham, Eastbourne, Crowborough, Brighton, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Ashford and Kent.
I am often asked for help by people who have used Class A drugs. This may be problems with using coke, or pot smoking. It might be problems with prescription painkillers for instance. I have helped a variety of clients with all sorts of drug problems, past or present, at my practice just outside of Battle, East Sussex. Sometimes drug problems are their main reason for wanting help and sometimes it is part of a range of issues.
The drug isn’t the problem
Whatever the drug problem, I hope it is helpful to know that the drug itself is NOT the problem. At least, it didn’t start out that way. It started out as a quick solution to feeling uncomfortable / uneasy inside. And it works very well to numb / escape such feelings. But it’s only temporary. The next day, we are back where we started and we need to have another hit. And over time, we tend to build a tolerance to it. So, we need more and more to have the same effects. The problems arise when we come to (psychologically*) depend on it. Perhaps we can’t relax properly without it. Or we want to feel better able to cope with stress. Maybe it helps us to feel less anxious in social situations. Perhaps it helps to numb / escape some uncomfortable feelings (for instance). However, the real problems – the causes – underlie the drug problems. (* see note below). Please see my page on Addictions for more.
Causes of drug problems
Many people believe that they have a problem because of a ‘genetic malfunction’ of some sort, or because they have a character flaw or weakness. Neither is true. There is no gene for ‘having an addictive personality’, for instance. Some of our genes may predispose us towards addiction but these predispositions are affected for good or ill by our early experiences. We use drugs because our system is trying to regulate / sedate itself from our inner experiences. Unresolved feelings from negative past experiences are the most common cause of uncomfortable inner experiences. These usually come from early life. The events are sometimes long-forgotten by the time we develop a drug problem. As a result of having these emotional conflicts, we feel ‘compelled’ to use drugs to make ourselves feel better somehow. This will only ever have a temporary effect though. The ‘compulsions’ tend to be subconscious (i.e. operating outside of conscious awareness). This tend to make it more difficult in many ways for people who have drug problems.
However, it is possible to resolve even long-standing, subconscious causes using appropriate therapy.
How can I help?
I offer different therapy approaches but have found that Lifespan Integration therapy to resolve the underlying causes tends to produce the most effective results.
You can browse my site for information on the various therapies / approaches that I practise.
Call or text me now on 07722783490 to book your free 30 minute initial consultation.
* IMPORTANT NOTE – if you feel that you have developed a physical dependency on drugs, especially if you are actively using heroin or crack, you must consult your normal medical doctor first.
