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Addictions

Two motivators to change behaviour: Hope for the good and fear of the bad

In this article, I discuss how you can use hope for positive consequences and fear of negative consequences as motivators to help you change unwanted behaviour patterns. In my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist, clients sometimes have the goal of changing unwanted behaviour patterns such as procrastination, losing one’s temper and excessive substance use. One of the best ways to help clients achieve behaviour change in these instances is to help them focus on motivators for the types of change they are seeking. Two types of motivators serve this purpose...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:18-07:00By |Categories: Addictions, Anger|
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Viewing addictions as habits: An improvement over viewing them as diseases

In my last article, I discussed a commonly held view of addictions as diseases. I indicated that while this view has some advantages such as removing shame and consequently making it more likely a person will come for treatment, it also has substantial disadvantages. These include interfering with the person taking the necessary steps to address their addiction if they come to therapy, instilling a passive ‘fix me’ mindset which is counterproductive to making progress, as well as establishing negative expectations for progress. At the end of my last article, I said that I would propose an alternative way to view addictions which is more conducive to making progress than the view of addictions as diseases. I will discuss this alternative view in the following sections.

2022-02-08T15:18:18-07:00By |Categories: Addictions|
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Viewing addictions as diseases: The pros and cons

In this article, I discuss the commonly held view of addictions as diseases along with the pros and cons of this view including its effects on progress in treatment. A commonly held view of addictions is that they are diseases. The view holds that if you are unlucky enough to be afflicted with such a disease, it will be with you for your life because it cannot be cured. Furthermore, because your addiction is a disease, you are unable to exert control over it. Acknowledging this lack of control or powerlessness is the basis of 12-step programs which are used to help people with addictions for issues such as...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:18-07:00By |Categories: Addictions|
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Habits for addressing substance use and other addictions

In this article, I discuss habits to help you or someone you know address issues with substance use and other addictions. In my continuing series on habits, I now turn to habits to help people address addictions including substance use (alcohol and drugs) along with gambling, shopping and sex, among others. If you are struggling with an addiction, you may feel at times that you have no control over your urges. In fact, there are many habits you can cultivate which will help you gain confidence in your ability to manage your urges to engage in addictive behaviours. In the following sections, I will discuss these habits which are rooted in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:19-07:00By |Categories: Addictions|
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Delay and distract: A tool to help you act reflectively rather than reflexively

In this article, I discuss a technique to manage urges to engage in unhelpful behaviours in a variety of situations. In my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist, many clients seek help with issues in which they ‘act out’ quickly and reflexively in response to urges, leading to negative consequences. The list includes people acting out with verbal or physical aggression in response to anger, acting out with eating issues including binge-eating and purging, as well as acting out through the use of alcohol, drugs and gambling...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:20-07:00By |Categories: Addictions, Anger, Eating Disorders|
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How to change your negative core beliefs

In this article, I discuss how to change thought patterns called negative core beliefs which often play a role in many psychological issues. In my last article, I discussed how to identify negative core beliefs--long-standing negative views people may have about themselves, other people in their lives or the world. These negative views usually originate from people’s difficult experiences and predispose them to think negatively about themselves, other people or the world in the present. They also play a major role in causing and maintaining various psychological issues including depression, the anxiety disorders, substance use disorders and eating disorders. In the following sections, I will discuss how to change negative core beliefs once they have been identified so that their negative influence on current thinking and mood can be reduced...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:21-07:00By |Categories: Addictions, Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, Self-Esteem, Trauma|
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How to identify your negative core beliefs

In this article, I discuss how to identify thought patterns called negative core beliefs which often play a role in many psychological issues. In my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist, much of my focus in helping clients is on identifying and changing negative thought patterns which contribute to their emotional distress. This ‘cognitive restructuring’ work typically entails examining clients’ negative thoughts in response to particular situations and events in their everyday lives. However, on some occasions I help my clients address negative thinking patterns which are rooted in their pasts...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:21-07:00By |Categories: Addictions, Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, Trauma|
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Want to stop engaging in negative behaviours? Increase your awareness of the advantages of alternative positive behaviours

In this article, I discuss the importance of making yourself aware of the advantages of positive behaviours as a way of changing negative behaviours and some ideas on how to accomplish this goal. In my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist, I often have clients who have the goal of stopping a behaviour which has negative effects on themselves and people in their lives. Alcohol or drug use, gambling, procrastination as well as eating issues such as bulimia and binge-eating are a few examples. Most clients struggle with being tempted to engage in these behaviours because of their perceived benefits. In contrast, they report that when they engage in these behaviours they are not thinking of the disadvantages...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:25-07:00By |Categories: Addictions, Eating Disorders|
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Reduce self-injury behaviours by addressing what lies beneath them

In this article, I discuss ways to reduce non-suicidal self-injury behaviours by targeting the factors leading to the behaviours. It may seem puzzling to an observer that someone would regularly choose to harm themselves through behaviours such as cutting, burning or head-banging. In reality, self-injury behaviours often represent ways of coping with various life issues much as many people use drinking, drugs, gambling, sex and various eating disorder behaviours for this purpose...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:26-07:00By |Categories: Addictions, Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, Self-Esteem, Stress, Trauma|
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Practice tolerating uncertainty to improve your moods

In this article, I discuss how moving away from the tendency toward reducing uncertainty can help you feel better in response to negative situations. In my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist, I have been influenced by the statements of many prominent people in my field. One such occasion was when I attended a talk given to the public by depression expert Dr. Michael Yapko. Dr. Yapko said that being able to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity is one of the most important skills a person can practice to overcome depression...[more]

2022-02-08T15:18:26-07:00By |Categories: Addictions, Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, Self-Esteem, Trauma|
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