Ottawa Addiction Counselling: A Commitment to Recovery
Addiction is widespread and negatively impacts the lives of millions of people worldwide.
Contrary to what people believe, addiction is a disorder that has a clear biological basis. It’s more than just something that is “in the mind.” However, there may also be clear triggers and causes for many. These causes can be especially notable in big, fast-paced cities like Ottawa and others.
As such, properly dealing with addiction can be a tricky thing to do.
Addiction comes in many different forms. For example, excessive alcohol consumption has been reported in a significant percentage of the Canadian population. There is a possibility that some of these people are already addicted. The same can be said of substance use and abuse in the country. Many people are affected by these conditions every year.
Types of Addiction 
One widespread misconception that many people have is that addiction is all in the mind. They believe a person just needs to stop doing the addictive to addressing the addiction. While it is true that psychology plays a substantial role, it is not the only factor that matters. Several physical processes are also in play. Chemical imbalances in the brain, for example, can cause or aggravate addiction.
Another common misconception that many people have is that addiction is always drug-related. That is simply not true, though drug addiction is indeed one of the more common types. There are many things that people can become addicted to. Some of these things are the following:
- Substance addiction, like drug and alcohol addiction
- An addiction to gambling and other games of chance
- Video game addiction, which is especially notable in youth
- Shopping addiction
While all of these addictions significantly affect a person’s life, they vary in severity. Some addictions, like substance-related abuse, can spiral further into other physical and psychological complications.
How Addiction Can Impact Your Life
Addiction can have severe repercussions on many aspects of a person’s life. The topic of addiction has been addressed in many forms of media. As a result, many of us are aware of what the impacts are. Sadly, many of the portrayed physical, mental, and social repercussions are accurate. These make addiction all the more severe. Among the most notable aspects of a person’s life that gets an impact are:
- Physical impacts: Some types of addiction, like substance abuse, can lead to physical complications.
- Mental health: Addiction, in the long run, can lead to the development of other mental disorders. Some examples include anxiety, depression, and more.
- Families and other relationships: Addiction can get in the way of healthy interactions. Among the most affected are spouses, children, close friends, and others.
- Career and professional life: Addiction, more often than not, also gets in the way of work and career. That can lead to the person underperforming or missing workdays, which can reflect poorly on performance.
How Counselling Can Help You Get Over Addiction
Counselling is one of the best ways of dealing with addiction. It’s been used time and time again to deal with mental health issues, and addiction is no exception. The benefits that counselling can bring a person suffering from addiction are too significant to merely set aside. Among the most significant ways by which counselling can help are the following:
1. It can help sort out the root of the problem.
Addiction rarely just pops up out of nowhere. For many people, certain life experiences can lead them to become addicted to some things. Sadly, not everyone can deal with issues healthily. That is one way that addiction can start.
Counselling is a fitting way of dissecting these issues and sort out the problem at the root. An experienced counsellor can help with addressing these issues, which can deal with addiction.
2. Counselling helps deal with triggers.
Some people have specific triggers that make them crave their addiction even more. Resisting and managing these triggers can require quite a bit of training and fortitude. Counselling is something that can help with both. One of the goals of counselling is to keep a person free of the addictions. As such, the process also involves helping a person manage triggers and decide properly when faced with them.
3. It can help with the coping process.
Dealing with addiction is a very stressful process. Many people have trouble doing so without help. Counselling, however, is a good way of coping. A person can develop the skills needed to deal with the issues that accompany addiction through counselling.
4. Counselling helps with modifying ways of thinking.
There are specific types of counselling, like cognitive behavioural therapy, that can help change the bad into good. CBT is also a great way of dealing with addictions. It can help modify old, harmful ways of thinking into ones that can benefit the person.
5. It can help prevent relapse.
It is all too common for many people to be free of their addictions, only to relapse later on. Many factors can cause a relapse. Counselling is one way of dealing with things that increase the chances of relapse.
6. Counselling can help the family and friends of a person with an addiction.
Addiction can also negatively impact the people around them. Close relationships are the ones that are the most severely affected. Luckily, counselling can help. It does not only seek to help the person with the disorder. Counselling can also help other people in dealing with the consequences of addiction.
Counselling is a great way to pave the path to recovery for those with addiction
Counselling is a proven method of staying mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy. It’s an excellent way of dealing with addictions.
If you are in Ottawa and you or someone you know is suffering from an addiction, look no further.
Capital Choice Counselling is the most experienced in the area when it comes to dealing with this condition. Our therapists will make sure that you stay on the path to recovery. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.