Therapy for Substance Addiction in Bergen County

Get the Support You Need from a Caring Therapist

Substance abuse is a devastating disease that impacts your health, emotional well-being, and your relationships. If you’re ready to kick your addiction and get your life back on track, I’m here to help. I’ve assisted many people recover from their addiction, avoid a relapse, and move on with their lives.

What Is Substance Addiction?

Substance addiction is a continued use of alcohol or other mood or mind-altering substances despite the negative impacts on your life. Individuals that may meet criteria for problematic substance use behavior are preoccupied with using these substances even though they make it extremely difficult to effectively function on a daily basis. What may have started out as occasional recreational use or medication to address the pain associated with an injury or surgery, may elevate into an dependency where you need to keep taking the substance to just get through the day. When you try to stop taking the substance on your own, you may experience withdrawal symptoms or intense cravings, making it difficult to succeed.

What Are the Signs of Addiction?

Some common substance addiction signs include:

  • A strong need to regularly use the substance
  • Needing to take more of the substance in order to get the same results
  • An urgency to ensure a readily available supply of the substance
  • Spending money on the substance even though you don’t have the funds to allocate towards it
  • Neglecting social and professional obligations and responsibilities
  • Giving up activities so you can use the substance
  • Wanting to stop taking the substance but can’t
  • Increased aggression or irritability
  • Memory loss
  • Poor decision making
  • Risk taking either because of being under the influence or out of desperation to get more substances
  • Mood swings
  • Feeling anxious or fearful

How Does Substance Abuse Develop?

There is no one, single factor that causes substance abuse. Genetics and learned behaviors can increase your chances for developing an addiction. Other risk factors include a history of mental health issues, abuse, trauma, neglect, peer pressure, and early use of substances.

When you take addictive substances like drugs and alcohol, your brain triggers the release of feel-good chemicals that can relieve pain, boost your mood, and decrease fears or inhibitions. As you keep taking the substance, your brain becomes dependent upon it and craves the stimulations it produces. When you take the substance more frequently, cravings and your tolerance increase, leading to using more substances more often. Without proper treatment, cravings worsen, as does the need for higher doses of the alcohol or drug.

How Can Therapy Help?

Epiphany counseling offers one-on-one therapy sessions that focus on recovery strategies and substance abuse education. I help you dive into the underlying issues that contribute to your addiction and teach you tools to help control your cravings and impulses. While detoxing is important to your recovery, it is not enough on its own. It’s so important to identify WHY you’ve turned to drugs or alcohol. By identifying the underlying issues and setting boundaries, you are better equipped to change your habits and learn the coping skills you need to avoid relapsing.

Substance use counseling will typically entail the use of educating individuals on relapse prevention strategies, methods for coping with thoughts, urges, and cravings to use, and implementing behavioral and cognitive strategies to avoid high-risk scenarios that can lead to relapse and shape one’s problematic attitudes and beliefs towards substance use behaviors.

Don’t worry, I walk you through the recovery process so you get a better understanding of yourself and the steps you need to a successful recovery. I also direct you towards community resources that can provide even further support.