Addiction Therapists in Hawaiian Gardens, CA.

Addiction has many external forms (i.e. substance, alcohol, sex, gambling, shoplifting, etc.) and in looking at recovery for addiction, one needs to be able to: acknowledge the addiction, be open to a more balanced way of living, be honest with themselves, and be willing to make the appropriate choices to counter-act one's addictive behaviors. In recovery from addiction, it becomes the little things that build and grow into the big ones.

Addictions can come in many forms. Some struggle with alcohol and drug addictions, while others struggle with gambling. Still others may struggle with internet pornogrpahy or video games. The common reasons for getting hooked are either boredom, the desire to seek pleasure or simply to just have have fun. The hardest reason to admit an addiction is that it is a way to cope with life's difficult problems. Whatever your reason, if any of these addictions are affecting your work or relationships, it's probably time to seek professional help. Caring and quality professionals are non-judgemental, teach you to cope with difficult emotions, and find alternative outlets for spending your time.

While most treatment approaches to addiction include 12 step programs, rehabs, and now sober living houses, Grey Matters International, Inc. provides a wildly successful alternative to traditional models of addiction treatment----that keeps the brain in mind. That is, talking to the conscious brain while the primal brain is deciding things even before you are consciously aware? Well, that is the problem to solve in addiction. We have the solution utilizing a new cutting edge neuroscience-centered brain rebalancing system. Contact kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or call 877-606-6161.

I was the Clinical Director of a drug treatment centerI offer many different approaches and tools for leaving your substance behind, and I tailor my approach to your individual circumstances. But overall I view addiction as a form of coping (a coping strategy), and we would work to replace your current coping strategy with other, more life-affirming ones. We wouldn't just look at staying sober (triggers, relapse prevention, scheduling--whatever you wanted in these areas), but we would figure out where all of this came from. Then, we would work together to find ways to help you to live a richer, fuller, and substance-free life.

Scientists have researched for years to isolate and locate a physiological marker that would identify someone’s predilection for addictive behavior. However, even if they were successful, any addict could tell you that addiction is much more than a physical problem. No matter the addiction, multiple factors contribute to the descent into this common form of mental illness. Physiological factors do play a role in addictions, as well as do family, cultural, environmental, and psychological considerations. So, which is it for you? If you are a typical addict, all of them apply to a certain extent. Relapses into addiction after typical rehab treatments, usually occur when all factors haven’t been ....

I view addiction as the compulsive overuse of a self-prescribed stress management tool. The addiction may be to a person, activity, or substance. But regardless of how addiction manifests itself, the goal is to understand what the client gets out of it, and find healthier, sustainable ways to manage their stress. But regardless, but in addiction counseling is to assess the compulsive behavior, so I can understand where it comes from and what keeps .

I believe in a harm reduction model for addiction. I spent years in a clinic dealing with 50 clients, who were addicted to alcohol, opiates, cocaine, crack, and various prescription medications. Clients and I collaborated in finding the motivation to change. Every addict has entertained the thought of quiting. What we do in session is engage you in "change talk" expand on it, and reinforce it. Once the motivation for change is there, learning more positive reactions to triggers can begin. We will deal with self-esteem issues and possible traumas that may have led to self-medication. 12-Step programs are effective in relapse provention. Remember, you are not alone.

Addictions are a complicated area of work. Often the specific addiction is a symptom for much deeper discontent and shame. Along with the physical body addiction, many times the psycho-emotional issues have been present for a long time. Gaining insight and understanding to these usually very early aspects of oneself can be a useful life long tool in recovery and maintaining that recovery.

Most addictions whether they are gambling, pornography, internet, alcohol, drugs, or shopping are all rooted in the desire toward pleasure seeking and all result in an outcome which is unable to sustain that pleasurable experience. Often people seek treatment when the behaviors result in destructive outcomes. When a spouse or family member of an addicted person or the addicted person themselves, admits the behaviors are resulting in negative outcomes and the person is unsuccessful in stopping the behavior we define this as an addiction. We provide insight as to what is the root cause and teach them better coping skills.

Struggles with addiction and substance abuse can often be accompanied by guilt and shame, and this guilt and shame are typically triggers for continued use/relapse. Use of a strengths-based approach to treating substance abuse can tap an individual's own strengths to gain insight and to increase coping skills. Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy can also prove useful to address unmet needs, feeling "stuck" and challenging irrational thoughts that lead to continued use.

Often the quickest and easiest way to stuff away negative thoughts and emotions or to just shut down and go numb is to self-medicate. Whether your substance of choice is drugs, alcohol, food, prescriptions, porn, or video games, you have fallen into the habit of dealing with life by turning to your substance. Breaking this cycle takes work and dedication but it is possible! Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Seeking Safety will help you identify your triggers, create a plan to cope with those triggers in a healthy way, and begin to create a support network. Addiction is one of the struggles where support is vital to one's recovery! You're not supposed to do it alone!

Is your addiction eating you alive? Perhaps you have received some bad news from a doctor or a loved one because of your addiction. No matter what you're experiencing, we're here to help you. You're not alone! We create a custom made system that fits your life to bring the greatest results through discovering your temperament. Call us now to see how we can help you.

If you are in a relationship and find that substance use, drinking, gambling, infidelity, pornography, or any other behavior is driving a wedge between you and your partner, we can help. When there is a breach in the relationship and the priority of the partner is dropped, we can help you to repair. Together we will explore how to engage your partner without threat. We will help you to build roads to reduce the influence of the intruding behavior that threatens trust and intimacy.