When discussing addiction, it’s easy to think of substance or alcohol use, but this can also include behavioral addictions, such as shopping, gambling, overeating, or pornography use. More often than not, when behaviors begin, they do not feel out of control, but for some, the behavior or substance can become more frequent. When this happens, a person may start to recognize that they feel less in control of their behavior or their notice that it’s impacting their health, their relationships with people around them, and even their daily functioning.

Addiction symptoms and behaviors include, among others:

• Feeling the need to engage with substance or behavior regularly, which can be daily or multiple times a day
• Having intense urges or consistent distracted thoughts related to the addiction
• Escalating behaviors (i.e. drinking or using more of a substance, spending more money than intended, etc)
• Not meeting obligations and work responsibilities
• Doing things you wouldn’t normally do, such as lying, hiding, or even stealing
• If substance, experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you go without
• Failed attempts to stop or minimize the behavior

If you can relate to any of the above symptoms or behaviors, it may be time to consider addiction counseling.

As an addiction counselor, I will address the symptoms of your addiction and the related areas of impaired functioning, and together we’ll structure the time and content of your ongoing recovery.

I believe that there are many paths to successful recovery that will work with your goals and desires, and ensure you can make the life changes you want to make. Contact me today for a free consultation.