Addictive Behaviour Therapy in Glen Iris Melbourne: Compassionate Support for Breaking Harmful Patterns

Understanding and addressing addictive behaviours through evidence-based psychological approaches

Understanding Addictive Behaviours

Addictive behaviours exist on a spectrum—from problematic patterns that interfere with your life to full addiction that dominates daily functioning. Whether the behaviour involves substances (alcohol, drugs, prescription medication), activities (gambling, gaming, pornography, shopping), or processes (work, exercise, relationships), the underlying mechanism is similar: the behaviour provides temporary relief, escape, or reward whilst creating longer-term consequences.

Addiction isn't a moral failing or lack of willpower—it's a complex pattern involving brain chemistry, learned associations, emotional regulation, and often unmet psychological needs. The behaviour that once seemed to solve a problem (managing stress, numbing pain, creating excitement) eventually becomes the problem itself.

Recovery requires understanding what the addictive behaviour provides for you, developing healthier ways to meet those needs, and building a life worth living that doesn't revolve around the addiction.

When Addictive Behaviours Require Professional Support

Signs That Professional Help May Be Needed:

Loss of Control Finding it increasingly difficult to limit or stop the behaviour despite genuine intentions to do so, or experiencing the behaviour escalating beyond what you planned.

Continued Use Despite Consequences Persisting with the behaviour even as it damages relationships, work performance, physical health, finances, or legal standing.

Increasing Tolerance Needing more of the substance or more intense engagement with the behaviour to achieve the same effect.

Withdrawal and Cravings Experiencing physical or psychological discomfort when unable to engage in the behaviour, or persistent urges that dominate your thinking.

Neglecting Other Activities Reducing or abandoning previously important activities, hobbies, or relationships in favour of the addictive behaviour.

Using to Cope Relying on the behaviour as your primary strategy for managing stress, difficult emotions, or uncomfortable situations.

Exploring Patterns and Triggers

Understanding your addiction requires examining the patterns surrounding it:

Identifying Triggers Recognising specific situations, emotions, people, or environments that increase urges or lead to engaging in the behaviour. Triggers might be external (certain places, times of day, social situations) or internal (emotions like anxiety, loneliness, boredom, anger).

Understanding Function Exploring what the addictive behaviour provides—escape from pain, relief from anxiety, social connection, excitement, numbing of emotions, sense of control, or temporary self-esteem.

Recognising the Cycle Mapping the complete addiction cycle: trigger → craving → behaviour → temporary relief → guilt/shame → trigger. Understanding this cycle helps interrupt it.

Early Warning Signs Learning to recognise the thoughts, feelings, and situations that precede relapse, allowing for earlier intervention.

Harm Reduction and Managing Urges

Recovery isn't always linear, and harm reduction recognises that reducing harm is valuable even if complete abstinence isn't immediately achievable:

Harm Reduction Strategies Implementing approaches that reduce the negative consequences of the behaviour whilst working towards larger change—safer use practices, limiting contexts, or reducing frequency.

Urge Surfing Learning that cravings are temporary and follow a predictable pattern—they build, peak, and naturally subside without acting on them. Developing skills to tolerate urges without giving in to them.

Delay and Distract When urges arise, implementing strategies to delay acting on them (even for 10-15 minutes) whilst engaging in alternative activities.

Managing High-Risk Situations Developing specific plans for situations where urges are likely to be intense, including environmental changes, support contacts, and coping strategies.

Building Adaptive Coping Strategies

Sustainable recovery requires replacing the addictive behaviour with healthier ways of meeting your needs:

Emotional Regulation Skills Developing capacity to recognise, tolerate, and process difficult emotions without resorting to addictive behaviours—using mindfulness, self-soothing, or healthy emotional expression.

Stress Management Creating a toolkit of healthy stress-reduction strategies—exercise, relaxation techniques, time management, problem-solving, or seeking support.

Addressing Underlying Issues Working through trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, or other concerns that the addictive behaviour may have been masking or medicating.

Building Meaningful Activities Reconnecting with values and activities that provide genuine fulfilment, purpose, or pleasure—creating a life where the addiction becomes less appealing.

Social Connection Developing healthy relationships and support systems that don't revolve around the addictive behaviour.

Relapse Prevention and Sustaining Progress

Relapse is common in addiction recovery, but it's not inevitable and doesn't mean failure:

Identifying High-Risk Situations Recognising people, places, emotions, or circumstances that increase relapse risk and developing specific plans for navigating them.

Building a Relapse Prevention Plan Creating a detailed, written plan including warning signs, emergency contacts, coping strategies, and steps to take if you do use.

Learning from Setbacks If relapse occurs, examining what led to it without shame or self-criticism, extracting lessons, and recommitting to recovery.

Maintenance Strategies Developing ongoing practices that support long-term recovery—support groups, therapy, healthy routines, meaningful activities, and regular self-reflection.

Therapeutic Approaches for Addictive Behaviours

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Identifying and changing thought patterns that support addictive behaviour, developing coping skills, and addressing triggers systematically.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Building willingness to experience cravings and difficult emotions without acting on them, whilst committing to values-based actions.

Motivational Interviewing Exploring ambivalence about change, strengthening internal motivation, and resolving mixed feelings about recovery.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Particularly useful for emotion-driven addictive behaviours, providing skills in distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Trauma-Informed Approaches Addressing underlying trauma that may fuel addictive patterns, ensuring treatment doesn't retraumatise.

The Role of Compassion in Recovery

Shame and self-criticism often drive addictive behaviours—recovery requires developing self-compassion:

• Understanding, Not Judgement: Viewing the addiction as a pattern developed for understandable reasons, rather than a personal defect.
• Normalising Struggle: Recognising that recovery is challenging and that setbacks are a common part of the process.
• Self-Forgiveness: Working through guilt about past actions while taking accountability and making amends where appropriate.

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Finding Addiction Support in Glen Iris

When seeking help for addictive behaviours, consider:

• A psychologist with experience in addiction treatment
• Evidence-based approaches rather than shame-based models
• Understanding of harm reduction alongside abstinence-based approaches
• Trauma-informed care if trauma is part of your history
• Cultural sensitivity and non-judgemental approach

Take the First Step

If addictive behaviours are affecting your life, relationships, health, or wellbeing, reaching out for support is an act of strength. Recovery is possible, and you don't need to navigate this alone.

Located in Glen Iris, Melbourne | Medicare Rebates Available | Telehealth Options

Contact Annamariya H Psychology today to discuss compassionate, evidence-based support for addressing addictive behaviours.

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