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.

Professional burnout is becoming more common in people who have to carve careers in this competitive economy. While there are more and better opportunities for people to advance their careers, there are also more issues that add to stress in the workplace.

Typically, professional burnout is caused by issues such as endless tasks, under-employment, inadequate pay, difficult clients, bureaucracy, conflicting roles, and perfectionism. Some of the more difficult causes include deficits in emotional and social skills and conflicts between workplace and personal values.

A person who is dealing with professional burnout will usually feel extreme physical and emotional exhaustion, as the result of prolonged stressed. Cynicism and low levels of career satisfaction, or even indifference are common symptoms of professional burnout. People with professional burnout will struggle to concentrate and have poor problem solving abilities.

Professional burnout can cause a range of health problems as a result of chronic stress, and symptoms may include insomnia, headaches, and frequent colds. People often self-medicate and start using substances such as sleeping pills, alcohol, mood elevators or cigarettes, which pose more serious health risks.

A therapists who offers professional burnout will be able to help the person to identify issues that could lead to burnout. He or she will help identify stressors and find solutions, or even help you define the best career for you by using standardized tests that measure strengths and weaknesses.

Some careers predispose people to professional burnout, such as police officers, customer care consultants, lawyers, nurses, social workers and teachers. Emotional involvement in high stress environments make professional burnout prevalent in these professions.  

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers professional burnout counselling and other career-related issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.