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Hypnotherapy for Addiction
Hypnotherapy for addiction offers a unique, empowering approach. I can help guide your subconscious towards healthier choices, breaking the chains of addiction. It’s not just about stopping; it’s about transforming. With hypnotherapy, embrace a new chapter of life free from addiction. Welcome to your stronger, healthier self.
Why Hypnotherapy for Addiction?
Once an addict, always an addict.
You’ve heard that phrase many times, haven’t you? Whether cocaine, heroin, alcohol or sex! It’s reinforced everywhere you go mainly by the people/companies/groups that are trying to help you recover! Imagine that, your best hope for help comes from the same camp as the people who say you can’t be helped. This is why addiction statistics go up every year. Lifestyle and environment are one of the main causative factors of addiction and with modern-day stress, on the increase, people are turning to substances for what they aren’t getting in their life and the help out there really isn’t that effective, which, if you’re reading this, you know all about.
We are pack animals so when we’re in a group we feel safe and protected. This is why the relapse rate is so high following group-work and rehab centres, we feel better in the group but eventually, the group-work ends and we’re thrown into the same environment as before the group-work started so the addiction is triggered again. You see, it’s not often the work in the group that helps, it’s being in the safety of the group that meets our unmet needs.
There is strong evidence for past trauma and human needs not being met for us turning to a substance, be it alcohol, sex, cigarettes, opiates (the list is almost endless), for a coping mechanism to the stress and anxiety of modern life. The substance isn’t the problem, the reason for the urge that chases the substance is what we need to focus on. Behind addiction are feelings of pain, suffering, anxiety and many others such as guilt and shame, the substance is used as a coping mechanism to feel better, unless the underlying cause is addressed the chances for prolonged recovery are reduced.
NeurOptimal Assisted Hypnotherapy
All Substance addiction sessions will ideally be carried out using a combination of hypno/psychotherapy and NeurOptimal Neurofeedback. Neuroptimal is a type of neurofeedback therapy that utilizes advanced technology to help individuals achieve optimal brain function. The therapy involves monitoring brainwave activity through sensors placed on the scalp, which are then fed back to the individual as auditory or visual cues. These cues help the brain learn to re-regulate and self-correct its own functioning, leading to positive changes in mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
The therapy is designed to be non-invasive, and it does not use any drugs or medications. Instead, it works by helping the brain create new neural connections and pathways through the use of positive reinforcement and gentle feedback. By training the brain to recognize when it is functioning optimally, Neuroptimal encourages the brain to maintain these healthy patterns, leading to improved mood, cognition, and overall well-being.
During a Neuroptimal session, an individual sits comfortably in a chair while wearing the sensors on their scalp. The therapist then initiates the neurofeedback program and monitors the individual’s brainwave activity, providing real-time feedback to the individual in the form of audio or visual signals. These signals are designed to correspond to specific patterns of brainwave activity that have been associated with positive mental and emotional states.
Over time, the brain learns to recognize and maintain these optimal patterns of activity, resulting in long-term improvements in mood, cognition, and overall well-being. Neuroptimal is a safe and effective form of therapy that has been used to treat a wide range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, and substance abuse disorders. It is an excellent option for individuals who want to improve their mental and emotional well-being in a holistic and non-invasive way.
Neuroptimal: A Powerful Tool in Addiction Recovery
Brain Function: Substance addiction often disrupts the brain’s natural balance and functionality. Neuroptimal helps restore neural pathways and promotes healthy brainwave patterns. By training the brain to function optimally, it enhances the brain’s ability to self-regulate and helps combat the root causes of addiction.
Reducing Cravings and Withdrawal Symptoms: Neuroptimal trains the brain to become more resilient, enabling individuals to cope better with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. By regulating brain activity, it can help alleviate the intensity and frequency of these challenging experiences during the recovery process.
Enhancing Emotional Well-being: Substance addiction often coexists with emotional imbalances such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Neuroptimal’s neurofeedback sessions can help individuals achieve a more balanced emotional state, promoting mental well-being and reducing the reliance on substances to cope with emotions.
Increasing Self-Awareness and Self-Control: Addiction recovery requires developing self-awareness and self-control. Neuroptimal enhances both of these essential skills by providing individuals with real-time feedback on their brainwave patterns. This feedback gives insights into their current mental states and enables them to gradually gain better control over their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Improving Sleep Patterns: Sleep disturbances are common among individuals with substance addiction. Neuroptimal helps promote healthier sleep patterns by training the brain to achieve more balanced and peaceful states. Improved sleep quality aids in overall recovery and reduces the risk of relapse.
Supporting Long-Term Recovery: Neuroptimal’s effectiveness extends beyond the initial stages of recovery. Regular neurofeedback sessions can be an ongoing support system, helping individuals maintain sobriety and prevent relapse by providing continuous brain training and emotional regulation.
Substance Addiction Treatment Options
If you are addicted to alcholol, heroin, cocaine or another substance then the packages below are with NeurOptimal and therapy. I do not see clients for single sessions as the substance has an effect on the brain and NeurOptimal has shown to increase the effectiveness of treatment and recovery when used with hypno/psychotherapy. If your addiction is behavioural then please get in touch as I offer single sessions for this.
NeurOptimal Office
Plan 1
- 6 Therapy Sessions
- 12 NeurOptimal Sessions in Office
NeurOptimal Home
Plan 2
- 6 Therapy Sessions
- Hire of NeurOptimal for 6 Weeks
An interesting study with rats was carried out based on an experiment in the 1980s. The experiment was simple. Put a rat in a cage, alone, with two water bottles. One is just water. The other is water laced with heroin or cocaine. Almost every time you run this experiment, the rat will become obsessed with the drugged water, and keep coming back for more and more, until it kills itself.
A professor of Psychology in Vancouver called Bruce Alexander noticed something odd about this experiment. The rat is put in the cage all alone. It has nothing to do but take the drugs. What would happen, he wondered, if we tried this differently? So Professor Alexander built Rat Park. It is a lush cage where the rats would have colored balls and the best rat-food and tunnels to scamper down and plenty of friends: everything a rat about town could want. What, Alexander wanted to know, will happen then?
In Rat Park, all the rats obviously tried both water bottles, because they didn’t know what was in them. But what happened next was startling. The rats with good lives didn’t like the drugged water. They mostly shunned it, consuming less than a quarter of the drugs the isolated rats used. None of them died. While all the rats who were alone and unhappy became heavy users, none of the rats who had a happy environment did.
What this study taught us about addictive behavior is that the very addiction, at some level, is a coping mechanism for an unmet need which the brain duly tries to satisfy. If all our needs are being met then there is no need for the brain to ‘help’ you by finding something/substance to find satisfaction in.
Addiction is a multifaceted and pervasive problem that impacts millions of individuals worldwide. It is a disorder that affects not only the person struggling with addiction but also their loved ones and society at large. While addiction is often viewed as a behavioral issue or a moral failing, it is crucial to understand that addiction is, at its core, a brain disorder. In this article, we will delve into the intricate workings of the brain and explore how addiction disrupts its normal functioning
The Brain’s Reward System:
The brain’s reward system plays a vital role in addiction. At the heart of this system is a cluster of structures known as the mesolimbic pathway, primarily involving the nucleus accumbens, the ventral tegmental area, and the prefrontal cortex. These regions work together to regulate pleasure, motivation, and reinforcement. When we engage in rewarding activities such as eating, socializing, or engaging in hobbies, the brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine, creating a pleasurable sensation.
The Role of Dopamine:
Dopamine is a key player in addiction. It reinforces behaviors by associating them with pleasure, encouraging us to repeat them. When someone uses drugs or engages in addictive behaviors, the brain’s reward system goes into overdrive, flooding the brain with dopamine. This surge of dopamine produces an intense euphoria, creating a powerful incentive to seek out the substance or behavior again.
Neuroplasticity and Reinforcement:
Addiction causes profound changes in the brain’s neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and change in response to experience. With repeated drug use, the brain undergoes structural and functional alterations. It becomes increasingly reliant on the substance to maintain a state of equilibrium, leading to a diminished response to natural rewards. This phenomenon, known as tolerance, drives individuals to consume larger quantities of the substance to achieve the same level of pleasure.
The Vicious Cycle of Cravings and Withdrawal:
Addiction not only affects the brain’s reward system but also disrupts the brain’s delicate balance. Over time, the brain becomes conditioned to associate drug use with pleasure, leading to intense cravings. These cravings can overpower rational thinking and impulse control, driving individuals to engage in compulsive drug-seeking behaviors, even in the face of negative consequences.
Additionally, addiction alters the brain’s stress response system, leading to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. When the drug is absent from the system, the brain experiences withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can be both physical and psychological and can range from mild discomfort to severe distress. The fear of withdrawal often perpetuates the cycle of addiction as individuals seek to avoid the unpleasant symptoms.
Long-Term Effects on Brain Structure and Function:
Prolonged drug use can have far-reaching consequences on the brain’s structure and function. Chronic drug abuse can impair decision-making, impulse control, and judgment. It can also impact memory, attention, and emotional regulation. These changes make it increasingly difficult for individuals to quit, as the brain becomes wired to prioritize drug-seeking behavior over other important aspects of life.
Addiction is a complex brain disorder that profoundly affects the individual’s behavior, emotions, and overall well-being. By understanding the impact of addiction on the brain, we can develop effective interventions and treatment strategies. The brain’s ability to adapt and change also provides hope for recovery and rehabilitation. Through targeted therapies, counseling, and support, individuals can rewire their brain, restoring a sense of balance and leading to a healthier, addiction-free life.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, it is essential to seek professional help and support. Together, we can unravel the complexities of addiction and pave the way towards healing and recovery.
Life experiences and trauma have a profound impact on individuals, shaping their perspectives, emotions, and overall well-being. For some, these challenging circumstances can lead to the development of addiction as a coping mechanism and a means of escaping the difficulties of life. In this section, we will explore how life experiences and trauma can contribute to addiction, highlighting the importance of understanding these underlying factors in the recovery process.
The Brain’s Reward System:
The brain’s reward system plays a vital role in addiction. At the heart of this system is a cluster of structures known as the mesolimbic pathway, primarily involving the nucleus accumbens, the ventral tegmental area, and the prefrontal cortex. These regions work together to regulate pleasure, motivation, and reinforcement. When we engage in rewarding activities such as eating, socializing, or engaging in hobbies, the brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine, creating a pleasurable sensation.
The Role of Dopamine:
Dopamine is a key player in addiction. It reinforces behaviors by associating them with pleasure, encouraging us to repeat them. When someone uses drugs or engages in addictive behaviors, the brain’s reward system goes into overdrive, flooding the brain with dopamine. This surge of dopamine produces an intense euphoria, creating a powerful incentive to seek out the substance or behavior again.
Neuroplasticity and Reinforcement:
Addiction causes profound changes in the brain’s neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and change in response to experience. With repeated drug use, the brain undergoes structural and functional alterations. It becomes increasingly reliant on the substance to maintain a state of equilibrium, leading to a diminished response to natural rewards. This phenomenon, known as tolerance, drives individuals to consume larger quantities of the substance to achieve the same level of pleasure.
The Vicious Cycle of Cravings and Withdrawal:
Addiction not only affects the brain’s reward system but also disrupts the brain’s delicate balance. Over time, the brain becomes conditioned to associate drug use with pleasure, leading to intense cravings. These cravings can overpower rational thinking and impulse control, driving individuals to engage in compulsive drug-seeking behaviors, even in the face of negative consequences.
Additionally, addiction alters the brain’s stress response system, leading to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. When the drug is absent from the system, the brain experiences withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can be both physical and psychological and can range from mild discomfort to severe distress. The fear of withdrawal often perpetuates the cycle of addiction as individuals seek to avoid the unpleasant symptoms.
Long-Term Effects on Brain Structure and Function:
Prolonged drug use can have far-reaching consequences on the brain’s structure and function. Chronic drug abuse can impair decision-making, impulse control, and judgment. It can also impact memory, attention, and emotional regulation. These changes make it increasingly difficult for individuals to quit, as the brain becomes wired to prioritize drug-seeking behavior over other important aspects of life.
Addiction is a complex brain disorder that profoundly affects the individual’s behavior, emotions, and overall well-being. By understanding the impact of addiction on the brain, we can develop effective interventions and treatment strategies. The brain’s ability to adapt and change also provides hope for recovery and rehabilitation. Through targeted therapies, counseling, and support, individuals can rewire their brain, restoring a sense of balance and leading to a healthier, addiction-free life.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, it is essential to seek professional help and support. Together, we can unravel the complexities of addiction and pave the way towards healing and recovery.
According to Prochaska, Norcross, and DiClemente, the Transtheoretical Model of Change, also known as the Stages of Change model, provides a framework for understanding the process of behavior change, including addiction recovery. The model identifies six stages that individuals typically progress through on their journey to recovery:
1. Precontemplation:
In the precontemplation stage, individuals are not yet aware or do not acknowledge that their addictive behavior is problematic. They may have a lack of insight or denial regarding the consequences of their addiction. At this stage, interventions may focus on raising awareness and helping individuals recognize the need for change.
2. Contemplation:
During the contemplation stage, individuals start to recognize that their addictive behavior is causing problems, and they begin to consider the possibility of change. They may weigh the pros and cons of continuing their addictive behavior and start contemplating the benefits of recovery. Interventions during this stage aim to help individuals resolve ambivalence and increase motivation for change.
3. Preparation:
In the preparation stage, individuals are committed to making a change and actively prepare to take action. They may start seeking information, exploring treatment options, or making plans to address their addiction. Interventions during this stage focus on assisting individuals in setting achievable goals, developing a support system, and creating a plan for change.
4. Action:
The action stage involves actively modifying behavior and implementing the chosen strategies to overcome addiction. Individuals engage in treatment, make significant lifestyle changes, and work on developing healthier coping mechanisms. Interventions during this stage may include therapy, support groups, medication-assisted treatment, and other interventions aimed at helping individuals sustain their recovery efforts.
5. Maintenance:
Once individuals have successfully made changes and are actively working on maintaining their recovery, they enter the maintenance stage. This stage involves consolidating gains, preventing relapse, and developing strategies to sustain long-term recovery. Interventions during this stage focus on relapse prevention, stress management, and ongoing support.
6. Termination:
In the termination stage, individuals have achieved their recovery goals and have confidence in their ability to maintain a substance-free lifestyle. At this stage, the addictive behavior is no longer a central focus, and individuals have successfully integrated recovery into their lives. It is important to note that not all individuals reach this stage, and for some, ongoing maintenance and vigilance may be required to sustain recovery.
It’s essential to recognize that individuals may move back and forth between stages, and the progression is not always linear. Relapses or setbacks may occur, and individuals may need to reengage in earlier stages of the model. Understanding the stages of change can inform treatment approaches and interventions tailored to meet individuals where they are in their recovery journey.
A Poem on Addiction - Sound Familiar?
“I drank for happiness and became unhappy.
I drank for joy and became miserable.
I drank for sociability and became argumentative.
I drank for sophistication and became obnoxious.
I drank for friendship and made enemies.
I drank for sleep and woke up tired.
I drank for strength and felt weak.
I drank for relaxation and got the shakes.
I drank for courage and became afraid.
I drank for confidence and became doubtful.
I drank to make conversation easier and slurred my speech.
I drank to feel heavenly and ended up feeling like hell.”
What is your addiction costing you? Isn’t it time to change?
You should do it if you:
- Experience recurring cravings
- Face negative consequences of the addiction
- Find you're unable to quit on your own
- Experience withdrawal symptoms
- Frequent high-risk environments
- Experience emotional distress
- Want a better life for you and those around you
Testimonials
What you will achieve
Here are some of the achievements you are likely to achieve by working with me to help resolve your problems.
Breaking Unhealthy Patterns
Address the root causes of addiction at a subconscious level, helping clients break free from destructive behaviors.
Reducing Cravings and Withdrawal Symptoms
Reprogram the subconscious mind and optimize brain function to decrease cravings and provide clients with tools to prevent relapse.
Heal Emotionally and Build Resilience
Resolve emotional wounds, promote emotional well-being, and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
Restore Self-Esteem and Confidence
Rebuild self-worth and regain confidence in maintaining sobriety through rewiring negative self-beliefs.
Manage Stress and Anxiety
Reduce stress and anxiety, which often contribute to addiction, through relaxation techniques and regaining emotional control.
Empowerment and Personal Growth
Gain insights into addiction, develop new perspectives, and implement positive changes for personal growth and fulfillment
Commonly Asked Questions about Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes hypnosis to access the subconscious mind, allowing for positive changes in thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. It is a safe and effective method of addressing various issues and achieving personal growth.
Yes, hypnotherapy is a safe practice when conducted by a trained and certified hypnotherapist. Clients are always in control and cannot be made to do anything against their will. The therapist guides the client into a relaxed state where positive suggestions and therapy can take place.
Hypnotherapy can help with a wide range of issues, including addiction, anxiety, weight management, smoking cessation, phobias, and improving confidence or motivation. It can also be used for relaxation, stress management, and enhancing performance in various areas of life.
The duration of a hypnotherapy session can vary depending on the therapist and the specific needs of the client. Typically, sessions range from 60 to 90 minutes, although some might be shorter or longer. It is important to discuss session length and frequency with your hypnotherapist.
The number of sessions required will depend on the nature of the issue being addressed, the individual client, and their goals. Some clients may see positive results in just a few sessions, while others might benefit from ongoing therapy. Your hypnotherapist will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan.
Yes, almost everyone can be hypnotized to some degree. It is a natural state of mind that we enter multiple times a day, like when we daydream or become engrossed in a book or movie. However, the level of depth achieved during hypnotherapy may vary from person to person
During hypnosis, clients typically experience a deep state of relaxation and/or heightened focus. It is often described as a pleasant and calm sensation, similar to being absorbed in a daydream or meditative state. Clients remain aware of their surroundings and are always in control of their thoughts and actions.
Yes, it is common for clients to remember the majority, if not all, of what happens during a hypnotherapy session. While the experience may feel dream-like, hypnosis is not a state of unconsciousness. You will be able to recall the suggestions and insights provided by the therapist.
No, you do not need to believe in hypnosis for it to be effective. Hypnotherapy can benefit individuals regardless of their beliefs or skepticism. The therapy is grounded in scientific principles and works by accessing the subconscious mind to make positive changes.
When choosing a hypnotherapist, it is important to consider their qualifications, experience, and areas of expertise. Look for certifications from reputable hypnosis organizations and ask about their training and background. Additionally, a good fit between you and the therapist is crucial, so trust your instincts and feel comfortable in their presence.