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.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that usually starts within the three months of a traumatic incident. It has been reported that in rare cases, PTSD symptoms may only occur after a number of years.

Three groups of symptoms are present in people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Increased anxiety / emotional arousal includes anger or irritability, overwhelming shame or guilt, sleeplessness and self-destructive behaviour. The second group of symptoms, known as intrusive memories, causes flashbacks to the traumatic event and upsetting dreams. The third group of symptoms that a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder patient may experience, includes emotional numbing or avoidance. This group of symptoms includes memory problems, poor concentration, feeling emotionally numb, a sense of hopelessness, and an avoidance of activities that the person used to find enjoyable.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms may be present for a while, disappear and then return again. General stress may increase the symptoms, as can reminders of the traumatic incident.

Therapists who address  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder generally use one, or a combination of trauma therapies to treat it. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is commonly used and can help a person to change their reactions to traumatic memories.

Exposure therapy can help a person reduce the amount of fear related to the feelings and thoughts associated with past traumatic events. Cognitive therapy helps a person to change the way he or she thinks about the event and the aftermath of a traumatic incident. It will help a person to identify thoughts that cause fear and anger, and learn ways to replace those thoughts with less stressful and more empowering thoughts.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and related issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Premarital counselling is the one aspect that most couples overlook during their wedding preparations. The wedding often takes precedence over the marriage, and couples fail to plan for their developing marriages. Premarital counselling can be a very helpful investment in a happy, loving married life.

People who come from different family backgrounds, experiences and mindsets deal with issues differently. Our different temperaments, values and personalities, as well as emotional baggage can play a major role in how we treat our partners and potential relationship issues. Premarital counselling provides a toolkit to help manage potentially harmful issues that stem from our differences. A good marriage requires not only trust and commitment, but partners should also be willing to assess their own processes, rather than laying the blame on their partner.

The purpose of premarital counselling is to prepare couples for the changing dynamics of married life. While a partner's quirks may be cute and adorable during the courting days, it may become irritating as time goes by. Premarital counselling provides an ideal opportunity for a couple to explore their relationship dynamics and to explore areas of potential conflict or issues. It will help them to develop the essential communication skills they will need to negotiate conflict.

Premarital counselling will help a couple to resolve their differences in a way that empowers the individuals while strengthening their emotional connection. Therapists use a number of strategies to help develop healthy and strong relationships by laying a firm foundation for a solid relationship. Premarital counselling helps to build a thriving marriage on the foundation of two healthy, conscious partners.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers premarital counselling and couple's issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.