Addictions & Dependencies
If the dependency or dependent behaviour fulfils a valuable need, you may find yourself increasingly relying on it. You may use your dependency or undertake an dependent behaviour to calm or energise yourself or make you more confident. You may start abusing substances to relieve pain, cope with panic attacks, or improve concentration at school or work.
If you are using your dependency or undertaking a dependent behaviour to fill a void in your life, you’re more at risk of crossing the line from casual substance use or casual behaviour to substance abuse or dependent behaviour. To maintain a healthy balance in your life, you need to have positive experiences and feel good about your life without any dependent behaviour.
For you to get maximum benefits from your Dependency Clinical Hypnotherapy sessions, typically allow for between 3 - 6 Sessions depending on the levels of these and any underlying comorbid mental health concerns
Examples of Common Dependencies
Smoking
Vaping
Drinking
Marijuana
Pornography
Eating
Gambling
Shopping
Risky Behaviour
Video Games
Sex
Internet
Work
Exercise
How Dependency Works
The following provides a general understanding of how dependency or undertaking the dependent behaviour affects your functioning:
The dependency or the dependent behaviour causes a rush of the hormone dopamine in your brain, which triggers feelings of pleasure. Your brain remembers these feelings and wants them repeated.
When you become dependent, the dependency or dependent behaviour takes on the same significance as other survival behaviours, such as eating and drinking.
Changes in your brain interfere with your ability to think clearly, exercise good judgement, control your behaviour, and feel normal without the dependency or undertaking the dependent behaviour.
No matter what you are dependent on, or what dependent behaviour you undertake, the uncontrollable craving to use grows more important than anything else, including family, friends, career, and even your own health and happiness.
The urge of the dependency is so strong that your mind finds many ways to deny or rationalise the dependency. You may drastically underestimate the quantity of the dependent substance you’re taking, or how often you undertake the dependent behaviour, how much it impacts your life, and the level of control you have over your substance use.
Signs of Dependency
Signs to look out for which may indicate you need assistance with dependency, or a dependent behaviour are:
Dependency or dependent behaviour may start as a way to socially connect. People often try substances or undertake a dependent behaviour for the first time in social situations with friends and acquaintances. A strong desire to fit into the group can make it feel like taking the substance or undertaking a dependent behaviour with them is the only option i.e social networking.
Problems can sometimes sneak up on you, as your dependency or dependent behaviour gradually increases over time. Having a social drink, or smoking a joint with friends over the weekend, or taking ecstasy at a rave, or painkillers when your back aches, for example, can change from using substances a couple of days a week to using them every day. As does the dependent behaviour from undertaking that behaviour once a day to undertaking that behaviour 24 hours a day - 7 days a week. Gradually, getting and using the substance or undertaking the dependent behaviour becomes more and more important to you.
As the dependency or dependent behaviour takes hold, you may miss or frequently be late for work or school, your job performance may progressively deteriorate, and you may start to neglect social or family responsibilities. Your ability to stop using is eventually compromised. What began as a voluntary choice has turned into a physical and psychological need.
Eventually, dependency or dependent behaviour can consume your life, stopping social and intellectual development. This only reinforces feelings of isolation.
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Dependency to a substance or to a behaviour is a complex problem that affects every aspect of your life. Overcoming these dependencies requires reaching out for support and making changes to the way you live, deal with problems, and relate to others.