Feeling Trapped in a Cycle?
Addiction to substances or gambling can feel overwhelming and uncontrollable. It can disrupt your life, relationships, and overall well-being.
Understanding the Science:
Addiction is a complex condition that affects the brain's reward system. When you engage in addictive behaviors, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of pleasure. Over time, your brain becomes reliant on these substances or activities, making it difficult to break free from the cycle of addiction.
What does this feel like for you?
-
Cravings:
"I have intense urges to use substances or gamble, even when I know it's harmful."
-
Loss of control:
"I can't control how much I use or gamble, even if I want to."
-
Neglecting responsibilities:
"I'm neglecting my work, family, or other important commitments."
-
Financial problems:
"I'm spending more money than I can afford on substances or gambling."
-
Legal troubles:
"I've gotten into trouble with the law because of my addiction."
-
Physical health problems:
"My physical health is deteriorating due to my addiction."
-
Emotional distress:
"I feel anxious, depressed, or irritable."
-
Isolation:
"I'm withdrawing from friends and family."
Hope and Healing:
Our compassionate team of mental health professionals can help you overcome addiction and rebuild your life. Enveloped by our ICCE certified Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) system that helps deliver measurable progress, our approach to overcoming addiction incorporates a variety of evidence-based techniques, such as CBT, motivational interviewing, and neurofeedback, to address the underlying causes of addiction and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
Ready to break free from addiction? Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
We offer in-person counselling sessions in our North Vancouver, BC offices as well as Secure Remote Video Counselling Sessions for those connecting from further away. If you are outside of British Columbia but within Canada and your insurance provider requires counselling sessions be done by someone locally licensed please let us know for billing purposes as we have counsellors licensed under both BCACC (RCC) for BC and CCPA (CCC) for Canada.
Community and Industry Resources
- Gambling Support BC Program: 1-888-795-6111
- Pathways North Shore Community Service Directory: https://www.northshore.edu/academics/areas/index.html
- Vancouver Coastal Health Smart-Recovery Program: https://www.vch.ca/en/service/smart-recovery
- Gamblers Anonymous: https://gamblersanonymous.org/ga/?q=address/canada-ontario
- Addiction Services: A provincial health service providing treatment and support for addiction.
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA): A national resource centre for information and support on substance use and addiction.
- The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): A national charity dedicated to helping people achieve mental health.