Addictions - Including Substances Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

Addictions - Including Substances

While some people can use prescription or recreational drugs with no negative effects, many others become addicted and face dramatic health and lifestyle problems as a result. Substance addictions negatively affect relationships, home, school or work, leaving the person feeling ashamed, helpless and isolated.

Physical symptoms of substance abuse and addiction are varied depending on the drug of choice, but the symptoms of the addiction itself are similar. People who are addicted to substances may neglect their responsibilities, take potentially dangerous risks and get into trouble with the law. As their drug use spirals out of control, they will lose interest in activities that used to be enjoyable and continue to take drugs despite knowing the harm it causes.

Substance addicts tend to build up a tolerance to their drug of choice, and get angry when they can't get more of it. Withdrawal symptoms are highly probable when an addict goes without it for too long. Depression, nausea, insomnia, sweating, restlessness, anxiety and shaking are all common withdrawal symptoms.

Psychotherapy can help you to overcome substance addiction by focusing on correcting maladaptive behaviors. Substance abuse is usually a coping mechanism against emotionally overwhelming past events or memories. Substances are often used to provide instant gratification instead of facing certain issues.

Therapists are equipped to help clients deal with addiction recovery through empowerment and helping them set simple short term targets. The first target is sobriety, followed by empowering the client with adaptive skills and finding new coping strategies that deal with the issues that caused the addiction. Substance addiction can be ended, allowing the person to live a healthy, productive life.

If you need a counsellor or psychologist to help you address the effects of substance addiction, you can search the directory below to find a professional with the approach best suited to your situation.

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Telephone Counselling

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy encompasses a range of six principles that aim to help clients develop greater psychological flexibility. The six principles include:

1. Cognitive defusion help to reduce tendencies to regard thoughts, memories and emotions as real and concrete events.

2. Acceptance is about allowing the thoughts to surface and pass without the need to allow them to interfere with daily life.

3.  Being present means being aware of current existence and being involved with the now.

4. Self observation helps the client to be aware of the self and the unchanging consciousness.

5. Exploring values to discover those that are most important to the person.

6. Committed action involves setting goals based on the explored values, and setting actions in place to reach those goals.

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy and is commonly used in therapy, and in it's sub-forms and helpful for a range of conditions, including OCD. If you require Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, have a look at the counsellors listed below.

Telephone Counselling can be an excellent solution for people with busy schedules. Many therapists now offer talking therapies via Telephone Counselling and online video sessions, to make counselling more readily available and more affordable to more people.

Telephone Counselling typically uses talking therapy as an approach, which is ideal for people dealing with negative mindsets and emotions, as it can help them make positive changes.

While therapies are divided into a different types, therapists will often find models that work best for their clients, based on their own personal styles. Therapists also combine approaches for best results.

If you have trouble getting an appointment with a local therapist, or if you can't meet up with someone on a regular basis, consider Telephone Counselling.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Telephone Counselling, please browse our list of practitioners below.

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

Katie Burden

M.A., RCC
I believe that suffering can often carry with it important messages about who we are as people, what’s important to us, and what gives our life meaning. Therefore the goal of therapy in my opinion is never to... Read more

Lisa Robic

M.S.W., RSW
    • Online booking
Hello, I'm Lisa and I'm a Registered Social Work Therapist in Princeton, Tulameen, and the surrounding rural areas. My goal is to contribute to my local communities by providing flexible and low-barrier... Read more

Sanela Jakovljev

M.Couns., RCC
Are you tired of waking up to chronic pain each day, struggling to convey spoon theory to those who don't understand, or feeling dismissed by professionals who should be there to help? As a registered clinical... Read more

Judy Zhu

M.Ed., RCC
Are you struggling with depression, anxiety, addiction, or feeling stressed out? Are you also experiencing health issues such as digestion problems, poor sleep, pain and fatigue? I am a registered clinical... Read more

Geoff Williams

M.S.W., RCC
It takes courage to engage with therapy and self improvement. So please, let me commend you, and express that it is my privilege to work with you.   My name is Geoff Williams and I am of English, Scottish,... Read more