Addiction/Recovery

Addiction is a disease of disaster

Addiction is, in my mind, a “disease of disaster.” People rarely seem to seek treatment for an addiction unless there has been a disaster: someone lost a job, got a DUI, had a spouse threaten to leave if they didn’t get help, had a spouse actually leave – and take the kids, got picked up for indecent exposure or solicitation, were put in jail for public intoxication, or things much worse involving life and death. It’s when a disaster of some sort happens that a person may seek help for an addiction. Because who wants to admit they have an addiction? After all, we see the “worst of the worst” cases on the so-called reality shows. The people on those programs are worse than we are (they drink more, spend more, gamble more, snort more, sleep with more people, work more hours, etc.) … so, if THEY’RE an addict, surely you’re not!

Lots and lots of people are functional addicts. They go to work every day, take the kids to daycare and remember to pick them up. They perform surgeries, represent you in court, deliver your mail, fix your plumbing and teach your children. Functional addicts need help, too, as do their families. Addiction is a family disease that requires family recovery.

Here’s a very non-therapeutic definition of addiction:

If you know something is causing a problem in your life (relationship issues – with spouse, kids, parents, etc.), work problems, health problems, legal problems, AND you want to stop the problematic substance/behavior (alcohol, cocaine, food – usually sugar and/or other carbs, shopping, online shopping or gaming or social networking, exercise, online pornography or other sexually-related behaviors, gambling, etc.) AND you crave it (think about it or physiologically crave it)… BUT YOU CANNOT STOP, it’s most likely an addiction.

IF SOMETHING IS CAUSING PROBLEMS IN YOUR LIFE, IT’S A PROBLEM!

The good news is, there is HOPE and there is HELP!

Contact me and let’s talk about your situation. 

Remember, there’s no shame in having a problem. There’s shame in doing nothing about it.

Professionals

Research suggests that many health care professionals feel inadequate in treating addiction issues with their patients. A personal and professional goal of mine in working with professionals is to educate them about addiction (functional addiction, in particular) and recovery.  To this end, I offer a wide variety of services to assist professionals in treating patients and clients dealing with addiction issues.

• Sex addiction evaluations
• Chemical dependence evaluations
• Online therapy options for patients (GA and SC residents) 
• CEUs/Speaking topics:

For more information or to schedule a presentation, please contact my office.

Patients