{"id":114320,"date":"2019-07-11T11:00:08","date_gmt":"2019-07-11T10:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=114320"},"modified":"2023-03-12T20:07:51","modified_gmt":"2023-03-12T20:07:51","slug":"alcohol-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/alcohol-use.htm","title":{"rendered":"Struggle With Drug and Alcohol Use? A New Way of Looking at Addiction"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"drug<\/a>

By: Sergei F<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Tired of trying the same old ways of looking at your drug<\/a> and alcohol use?<\/strong> Weary of taking one step forward and two steps back when it comes to your addiction<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Are you even questioning the disease model?Or do you find yourself sometimes hiding behind it?<\/em><\/p>\n

Another way of looking at drug and alcohol use?<\/h3>\n

Perhaps you need a new perspective<\/a>, a new way of looking at your drug or alcohol use.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What if you don\u2019t have an \u2018illness\u2019? What if you are in a dance<\/a>, or a game with your endless desire to use, and sometimes you\u2019re winning, and sometimes you feel like you\u2019re losing<\/a>?\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Addiction as a dance<\/h3>\n

An alternative view is to see this dance as the relationship between you and your <\/em><\/strong>drug of choice.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Relationships<\/a>, as we know, come in many forms. Some are healthy. Some are very much unhealthy relationships<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Take a marriage<\/a> for example. Two people<\/strong> fall in love<\/a>, decide to spend their lives together and make vows to each other in front of witnesses. To love each other, honour and respect each other, forsaking all others for as long as they both live.<\/p>\n

Huge promises<\/strong> that cover many years ahead, that may hold many challenges<\/a> and life changes<\/a>. Not to mention the individual growth and maturity of each person.<\/p>\n

\"drug<\/a>

By: Pedro Ribeiro Sim\u00f5es<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

As the years pass, the love changes. <\/strong>The things that were once endearing may now be irritating, desire may diminish<\/a>, the ageing process<\/a> may take each person in a different direction.<\/p>\n

Yet both parties may be reluctant to <\/strong>let go of the relationship<\/a>, feeling more comfortable with what is familiar. Fearing the unknown and creating numerous reasons to remain as they are, even though neither is happy.<\/p>\n

How does this relate to<\/strong> drug and alcohol use?<\/p>\n

If you put your substance of choice in the place of the husband<\/a> or wife in the above scenario, would these feelings and fears<\/a> sound familiar?<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Too much has happened<\/h3>\n

Imagine this marriage now becomes undermining, destructive even<\/strong>, where most exchanges are negative<\/a> and critical<\/a>. Finally, one or both decide that separation and divorce<\/a> is the only way forward.<\/p>\n

The separation is difficult, full of sadness<\/a>. Sometimes <\/strong>the couple fight<\/a> over belongings, only to collapse into tears<\/a> and then wonder if they have made the right decision.<\/p>\n

They remember the good times and wonder how it could have come to this. Sometimes they embrace, they make love one more time, then feel guilty<\/a>, confused, regret<\/a> and
\nwish it could be any other way.<\/p>\n

Could they have done it differently, could they have been more aware<\/strong> of the other in order to avoid the ultimate divorce? Alas, they know too much has happened, things have gone too far, and they will never have another honeymoon!<\/p>\n

Does this sound like your relationship with drugs or alcohol?<\/h3>\n