Understanding addiction from an integrative approach

Understanding addiction can be looked at in many different ways. I might take this approach.

One of the ways I take is to look at ourselves as made up of parts, the parent, the adult and the child and explore negotiation. This can take time as the protective parent part has been busy running the show for years however the other less acknowledged has become resentful at not being heard. It may have been sabotaging the parent part with unhelpful choices and behaviour for a good while. In this process, it may have turned to another choice or substance to fill up this feeling.

To support change in thinking, I might explore the thoughts that accompany these thoughts using other methods such as mindfulness and CBT.  I might focus on understanding these parts and their function in more detail.  It may be that some of these are no longer useful and that some more adapted ones are now more relevant.

In time, by answering the needs of the unheard part, addictive behaviour can be supported.