I have been asked to start a blog to record my journey as a Hypnotherapist, and it only seems honourable that I start my first blog paying tribute to an extraordinary actor who sadly passed away this morning. His 1990s sitcom that I grew up with, filled me with hours of entertainment with his sarcastic wit and flawless acting talent, and was my go-to program to get a moment of escapism from this fast-paced world. RIP Matthew Perry, you were a huge talent, and you will be sorely missed. As many of you will be aware, Matthew’s life was plagued with addiction struggles and he went on a mission to help anyone with alcohol and opiate addiction. He spent much of his life caring for others, from setting up a sober living facility known as Perry House at his former Malibu residence, to paring up with addiction specialist Earl Hightower. Perry also received a Champion of Recovery award from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. A truly benevolent and altruistic character and one of my heroes. 

Addiction is a word that is associated with a lot of judgment and stigma. When the word ‘Addiction’ is spoken,  many people start thinking about drug and alcohol dependency. The truth is addiction can be related to any of life’s pleasures from food addictions, shopping addictions, and gambling to sexual pleasures/fetishes; not just narcotics, nicotine, or alcohol.

Addictions develop in us when the pleasure circuits in the brain get overwhelmed. Our reward system in the brain reinforces the behaviour patterns that we need to survive. When the brain does this, a chemical known as dopamine is produced, giving us a feeling of fulfilment and satisfaction. Addiction happens when an excessive amount of dopamine hits the brain’s reward path ten times more than usual. The brain then remembers this surge and associates it with the addictive substance or non-substance. 

At one time or another, we may all suffer from some form of addiction, and many will have control; for others, maintaining control can be a challenge. An addiction is a problem when it starts harming an aspect of your life. If you recognise that an addiction is harming you and you are ready to overcome and quit your addiction, then you have already begun the quitting process. To ensure you are on the road to success, there are some things that you will need to consider:

Communication and Support – Tell those who you feel safe to tell that you have begun the process of overcoming an addiction, this will ensure they can support you and understand any mood swings you may have. For those who you do not wish to tell, then do not grace them with your presence for a time if they are likely to be a trigger to relapse. 

Prepare to Quit – What might cause you to relapse? How can you eliminate any triggers from the environment to people? Avoiding bars or restaurants; consider your social patterns to drive you to succeed.

Distractions – Keeping yourself busy can help cravings and the temptation to relapse. If you know when you are likely to suffer from cravings, then plan a walk or some form of exercise. 

How can Hypnotherapy help with addiction? Good question! Hypnotherapy puts someone into a relaxing trance-like state, bringing their subconscious mind forward and making the brain more passive and open to suggestion and behaviour change, simply by creating a unique perspective. Hypnotherapy is now widely recognised to help those with addictions and destructive behaviours within the medical arena. It is important to note that although hypnotherapy can assist in overcoming addiction, the patient still must follow through with it and will still require an element of willpower and strength to overcome the addiction. Hypnotherapy simply assists by making this easier. Whilst not suitable for all, Hypnotherapy will only work on those who are open to change and not be combative to treatment. 

I have been asked to start a blog to record my journey as a Hypnotherapist, and it only seems honourable that I start my first blog paying tribute to an extraordinary actor who sadly passed away this morning. His 1990s sitcom that I grew up with, filled me with hours of entertainment with his sarcastic wit and flawless acting talent, and was my go-to program to get a moment of escapism from this fast-paced world. RIP Matthew Perry, you were a huge talent, and you will be sorely missed. As many of you will be aware, Matthew’s life was plagued with addiction struggles and he went on a mission to help anyone with alcohol and opiate addiction. He spent much of his life caring for others, from setting up a sober living facility known as Perry House at his former Malibu residence, to paring up with addiction specialist Earl Hightower. Perry also received a Champion of Recovery award from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. A truly benevolent and altruistic character and one of my heroes. 

Addiction is a word that is associated with a lot of judgment and stigma. When the word ‘Addiction’ is spoken,  many people start thinking about drug and alcohol dependency. The truth is addiction can be related to any of life’s pleasures from food addictions, shopping addictions, and gambling to sexual pleasures/fetishes; not just narcotics, nicotine, or alcohol.

Addictions develop in us when the pleasure circuits in the brain get overwhelmed. Our reward system in the brain reinforces the behaviour patterns that we need to survive. When the brain does this, a chemical known as dopamine is produced, giving us a feeling of fulfilment and satisfaction. Addiction happens when an excessive amount of dopamine hits the brain’s reward path ten times more than usual. The brain then remembers this surge and associates it with the addictive substance or non-substance. 

At one time or another, we may all suffer from some form of addiction, and many will have control; for others, maintaining control can be a challenge. An addiction is a problem when it starts harming an aspect of your life. If you recognise that an addiction is harming you and you are ready to overcome and quit your addiction, then you have already begun the quitting process. To ensure you are on the road to success, there are some things that you will need to consider:

Communication and Support – Tell those who you feel safe to tell that you have begun the process of overcoming an addiction, this will ensure they can support you and understand any mood swings you may have. For those who you do not wish to tell, then do not grace them with your presence for a time if they are likely to be a trigger to relapse. 

Prepare to Quit – What might cause you to relapse? How can you eliminate any triggers from the environment to people? Avoiding bars or restaurants; consider your social patterns to drive you to succeed.

Distractions – Keeping yourself busy can help cravings and the temptation to relapse. If you know when you are likely to suffer from cravings, then plan a walk or some form of exercise. 

How can Hypnotherapy help with addiction? Good question! Hypnotherapy puts someone into a relaxing trance-like state, bringing their subconscious mind forward and making the brain more passive and open to suggestion and behaviour change, simply by creating a unique perspective. Hypnotherapy is now widely recognised to help those with addictions and destructive behaviours within the medical arena. It is important to note that although hypnotherapy can assist in overcoming addiction, the patient still must follow through with it and will still require an element of willpower and strength to overcome the addiction. Hypnotherapy simply assists by making this easier. Whilst not suitable for all, Hypnotherapy will only work on those who are open to change and not be combative to treatment.