This has been dubbed the age of addiction by many in the psychological community. Indeed when we think about our friends and neighbors and our community we can see that addiction in its many forms is rampant. When we really listen to those around us, we hear evidence of many types of addiction, including
- Alcoholism
- Overeating
- Exercise addiction
- Gambling
- Street drugs
- Prescription drugs
- Addiction to a person or relationship (codependency)
- Cigarette smoking
Of course, anyone can "personalize" an addiction or obsession! However, "an addiction is a compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance." It is also "the condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something" according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language .
In our experience at Beyond the Horizons Consulting, it is not just a substance which can create a physiological high in a person's endocrine system. It can easily be an activity such as gambling, shopping, playing video games, and so on.
Or the need to take care of or to please another person. When we feel the need at a young age to please a parent or caretaker in order to survive emotionally, this addiction becomes embedded in our nervous system and ultimately results in the loss of our Self -- the unique person we are! This addiction is normally termed codependency.
If we take alcoholism as an example of an addiction which is difficult
to treat, we often find both (1) a predisposition to alcoholism seen in
members of the same family or genetic group and (2) an emotional
component involving trauma or social anxiety.
At Beyond the Horizons Consulting, we look at both components and offer a variety of coping skills. We can identify the precipitating events to an addictive episode, which is usually a trauma of some sort, and work to reframe the person's thinking/feeling complex. We can help deal with the trauma by using either EMDR or Brain Spotting. We can also direct the person either to a rehabilitation facility and follow up with supportive and meaningful sessions later, OR we can aid in examining and debriefing each of the 12 steps in the recovery process.
At Beyond the Horizons, we can also help family members establish
boundaries, come out of denial, and learn to love with detachment.
Give us a call today at 505-670-8555 to find out how we can help you! 
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