Struggling with addiction or substance abuse/misuse is a common reason people reach out for therapy. Addiction is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and typically leads to an inability to control the use of a substance or behavior which always has consequences. When you are addicted, you may continue using the drug, device or behavior despite the harm it causes to your work, relationships and emotional and physical health.

What is addiction and substance abuse? Substance abuse disorder is a complex brain disease that causes you to compulsively seek out and use alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviors despite dangerous and harmful consequences. Substance abuse disorder and addiction causes distorted thoughts, behaviors, and body function. There is a genetic component

Substance abuse and addiction causes symptoms and behaviors including:

• Feeling a need or urge to use the substance or engage in the behavior regularly

• Needing more and more of the substance or behavior to feel the effects

• Time spent ensuring that you have a steady supply of the substance or spending money you don’t have on the substance or behavior

• Failing to meet your personal and professional obligations and responsibilities

• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms

• You feel a worsening of your cognition, with impaired decision-making and memory

• You may do things you would not normally do or later regret acquiring the substance