What Is The Cycle Of Addiction And How Can A Psychologist Help You?

The cycle of addiction is a complex pattern of behaviour that often begins with the use of a substance or engagement in a behaviour that produces a pleasurable sensation or alleviates negative emotions. Over time, the body and brain become accustomed to the substance or behaviour and require it to function normally. This can lead to a pattern of compulsive use, despite negative consequences. A psychologist at Sunshine Coast can play a critical role in helping an individual break the cycle of addiction by providing counselling, support, and evidence-based interventions. 

The cycle of addiction typically involves several stages, including:

1. Experimentation: This is the initial stage where an individual first tries a substance or behaviour that produces a pleasurable sensation.
2. Regular Use: After the initial experimentation, an individual may start using the substance or engaging in the behaviour on a regular basis. At this stage, the substance or behaviour may still be manageable and not have a significant impact on the individual's life.
3. Tolerance: With continued use, the body and brain become accustomed to the substance or behaviour, and the individual may require larger doses or more frequent engagement to achieve the same pleasurable sensation.
4. Dependence: As tolerance increases, an individual may become dependent on the substance or behaviour to function normally. They may experience withdrawal symptoms when they attempt to stop using.
5. Addiction: At this stage, an individual's substance use or behaviour has taken control of their life. They may continue to use despite negative consequences, and may experience significant physical, emotional, and social problems as a result.
6. Relapse: Even after an individual has undergone treatment for addiction, there is a risk of relapse, or a return to substance use or addictive behaviour.

A certified psychologist can help an individual identify underlying psychological and emotional factors, develop coping skills, provide motivation and accountability, address co-occurring disorders, and provide relapse prevention strategies. These strategies include identifying underlying psychological and emotional factors, developing coping skills, providing motivation and accountability, addressing co-occurring disorders, and providing relapse prevention strategies. Addiction often stems from deeper psychological or emotional issues, so a psychologist can help an individual identify these underlying factors and develop strategies for addressing them.