Addictions - Including Substances, Death and Dying, Infidelity Focusing

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.

Death and dying are common issues faced by people who seek counselling. When a loved one passes away,  dormant feelings of rejection, separation and abandonment in a person's life history tend to resurface. Every client has a different reaction to death and dying, a topic that has been a taboo in many cultures.

Many people are ill-equipped to deal with death and dying, and the process of adjustment that naturally has to follow such an event. During the grieving process, a person tends to react emotionally, but their character usually doesn't change. They are bound to review their relationship with the deceased individual, and express the unfairness of the death. The grieving person might seek out other people to replace the deceased, while at the same time revising their current relationships and personal identity.

The mourning process consists of a number of stages, that most people experience. The stages usually occur consecutively, but it's natural to experience them in a different order, to experience more than one at a time, or to skip a stage altogether. Some people have reported regressing to a previous stage, and moving back and forth between stages.

Unresolved grief can lead to psychopathology. It takes a strong person to seek help and therapy can help you realize that mourning is a natural process that allows you to explore life after the loss of a loved one. It will help you to find new coping mechanisms and help you to move forward with a life that does not include him or her.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who works with clients who are grieving the loss of someone, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Infidelity affects many relationships every year, and unless a couple works through the situation, could spell the end of a relationship. In cases where couples decide to work through the issues of infidelity, there is often a lot of strain on the relationship and therapy can help to create a fresh start.

In recent decades, extramarital affairs have become very common and couples vow to love and be faithful till death do us part, keeping that promise is a rare occurrence. While this is a small consolation, it can help to remove some of the shame the victim of infidelity may feel. However, a partner's affair is not a sign of failure on the part of the victim.

Sometimes, the other partner may be completely surprised to learn of a partner's infidelity and it can leave that person feeling shocked, devastated, confused, betrayed, aggrieved, alone and jealous. The end of a relationship can be a huge adjustment, and many people seek therapy to help them heal, recover and move forward with their lives.

Choosing to continue with the relationship after an affair is a noble choice, provided the cheating partner intends to follow through and make some important changes. A therapist will gladly help the couple to work towards their goal by helping them to explore and express their emotions in a safe space. An important starting point in dealing with infidelity is to assess each partner's level of commitment to the relationship, and to verbalize it. Therapy will help the couple to develop strategies for repairing trust and to foresee potential pitfalls, and develop strategies to avoid any habits and temptations for future failure.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers couples counselling to address your or your partner's infidelity issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.