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Alcohol and Drug Treatment

Alcohol and other drugs, including prescription or over-the-counter medicines. Habitual use of any mood-altering substance can lead to tolerance, dependence on such to ‘feel good’ and addiction: when using a substance to feel ‘normal’ becomes a real biological need for relief.

Addiction is 75% biological 25% psychological - Addiction Starts and Ends in the Brain

Each substance has its own ‘peculiarities’ of effects on the brain. All mostly work on the Reward Centre and each acquirement of structural and functional changewithin the brain brings certain negative patterns of thought, including depression, anxiety, and various physical symptoms.

Biochemical imbalances create negative effects on mood and behaviour

• through prolonged use of one or more toxic substances
• by physical or emotional stress
• by nutritional deficiencies
• by toxins in the environment
• or because of a genetic predisposition

Addiction usually starts with the Happy Hours / Party Effect / Time Out ‘chill or thrill’ and ‘reward’ at the end of a day. Many compulsive behaviours progress as unskilled strategies for coping with everyday stressors (distress, ‘bad’ events or eustress, ‘happy’ events), i.e. the Comfort Effect.

• self-medicating
• avoiding or attempt to fix or fade uncomfortable feelings
• to relieve emotional distress and tension

Understanding the exact nature of addiction gives hope for change

The majority of our clients have been through various traditional treatments where the emphasis is placed on the psychological aspect of addiction, only. They discovered, with us, the vital importance of knowledge to re-gain control of their life. Our educational talks help you understand the psychobiology of addiction.

• the biological component, with neuroceuticalsto re-balance your brain.
• address underlying psychological and psychosocial issues.

Massive Myths / Simple Solutions. Answers

• exactly “What’s wrong with me?” “Why can’t they just stop?”
• coping skills for everyday life
• understanding cravings and relapse prevention

The ‘Recovery’ process is frequently described as the restoration of body, mind, and spirit. As Science meets Recovery, we enter a new understanding of physiology of the human body, and brain chemistry. We can expend tremendous resources on the emotional and psychological components of recovery, but unless we take into account the biochemical basis of use and dependence, recovery may still be a daily struggle.

Recovery requires a desire to change: to learn new life-skills in order to create new experiences for a healthy mind and body. A life rooted in honesty, self-awareness, responsibility, emotional balance and harmony within our environment creates contentment of heart. Sustained recovery is more than just abstaining from our drug/behaviour of choice: it is transformation of the self.

Creating inner peace and joy/outer harmony, throughout life, does not have to be a struggle ... once you understand.

Knowledge + Action = successful long-term recovery

Note: We encourage those immediately affected to participate in workshops/conjoint meetings. Complementary ‘Addiction Starts and Ends in the Brain DVD’ available.  For further information see

www.thesecretdiseaseofaddiction.com