As a therapist I am more than happy to see clients with absolute confidentiality to talk about counselling to resolve addictive behaviour - which comes in many forms. 

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I remember sitting in a tutorial listening to the tutor unravel addiction with such kindness and compassion, yet factual without frills and nonsense - that it completely changed my view of addictive behaviour. 

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The media portrays addicts as weak selfish almost soulless individuals.

I suppose if you are a friend or family member, or a support worker, you will have experienced the dark side of trying to help an addict - and it is exhausting!

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But what if you are the addict?

My tutor taught me to ask 'What is it you seek' 

What is the emptiness you need to fill?

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Hating, loathing and berating does not help; not the carer or the user.

For some it says "I'm struggling, I don't know what to do, and I'm scared".

For others it may say " I'm lost, alone, scared, a fraud, a failure, and if you stay i know you still love me"  I have often found that drinking alcohol pushes down unpleasant feelings as if to drown them or anaesthetise them.  Drug users tended to want to escape their existence as a way of 'feeling better' or feeling strong, capable, interesting and extrovert.

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Addiction can materialise in many forms; washing, cleaning, drinking coffee, fizzy drinks, chocolate, sugar, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, working, studying, excersizing, hair pulling, etc.

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As mysterious as it is to many - the behaviour offers a little relief or freedom or comfort from a different feeling or thought process that is unwanted.

As a therapist I understand the emotional process and how easy it is to slip into addictive behaviour - but this does not have to define you.

This is your experience for now - but you CAN change it.

It does not have to always be this way.

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