Psychology Support for Addiction in Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast QLD

By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

Addiction can affect many areas of life including health, relationships, work, finances, emotional wellbeing, and day-to-day functioning. People often describe feeling caught in a cycle where they continue engaging in a behaviour or using a substance despite experiencing unwanted consequences.

Many people seeking support for addiction are not lacking willpower. Addiction is increasingly understood as a complex interaction between learning processes, brain reward systems, emotional regulation, coping strategies, environmental influences, and individual vulnerabilities [1,2].

At Hennessy Clinical Psychology, psychology support is available for adolescents and adults experiencing difficulties with alcohol use, drug use, gambling, pornography use, gaming, internet use, compulsive behaviours, and other behavioural addictions.

Therapy focuses on understanding the factors maintaining the behaviour, strengthening self-regulation skills, addressing underlying emotional difficulties, and developing practical strategies that support meaningful and sustainable change.

What Is Addiction?

Addiction generally refers to a pattern of repeated engagement in a substance or behaviour despite ongoing negative consequences [1]. Over time, the behaviour may become increasingly automatic and difficult to control.

Many people experience:

• Strong urges or cravings
• Difficulty reducing or stopping the behaviour
• Repeated unsuccessful attempts to change
• Increasing time spent thinking about or engaging in the behaviour
• Feelings of guilt, shame, frustration, or hopelessness
• Conflict within relationships
• Reduced participation in important life activities

While addiction can involve alcohol and other drugs, behavioural addictions such as gambling disorder are also recognised as significant mental health concerns [3].

Common Issues Associated With Addiction

Addiction rarely occurs in isolation. Many people also experience:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression and low mood
• Stress and burnout
• Trauma-related difficulties
• Sleep problems
• Emotion regulation difficulties
• Relationship conflict
• Social isolation
• Shame and self-criticism

For some individuals, addictive behaviours develop as an attempt to manage painful emotions, distressing memories, loneliness, boredom, uncertainty, or chronic stress [2,4].

How Psychology Can Help

Psychological treatment does not simply focus on stopping a behaviour. Effective treatment aims to understand why the behaviour occurs and what factors continue to reinforce it.

Therapy may assist with:

• Understanding triggers and high-risk situations
• Managing cravings and urges
• Developing healthier coping strategies
• Reducing shame and self-criticism
• Building emotional regulation skills
• Improving problem-solving abilities
• Strengthening motivation for change
• Preventing relapse
• Rebuilding meaningful life activities and relationships

Depending on individual needs, therapy may incorporate Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing, mindfulness-based approaches, relapse prevention strategies, and emotion regulation skills training [5,6].

Addiction And Emotion Regulation

Research increasingly suggests that difficulties managing emotions can play an important role in many addictive behaviours [7]. Some people find themselves using substances or engaging in certain behaviours to temporarily escape distress, numb emotional pain, reduce anxiety, manage boredom, or cope with loneliness.

For this reason, treatment often involves helping individuals develop alternative ways of responding to difficult thoughts, feelings, and urges.

People interested in learning more about emotional regulation may find it helpful to visit our Emotion Regulation and Behaviour Change hub page.

When To Seek Support

It may be helpful to seek professional support when:

• You feel unable to control a behaviour or substance use
• The behaviour is affecting work, study, finances, or relationships
• You have repeatedly tried to stop without success
• You experience significant guilt, shame, or distress
• You feel increasingly isolated or withdrawn
• You are concerned about the impact on your future wellbeing

Seeking support early can help prevent difficulties from becoming more entrenched over time.

Psychology Support For Addiction In Varsity Lakes

Hennessy Clinical Psychology provides evidence-based psychological support for adolescents and adults experiencing addiction-related difficulties. Therapy is tailored to individual circumstances, goals, strengths, and challenges.

The aim is not simply to reduce problematic behaviours, but to help individuals build a life that feels meaningful, manageable, and aligned with their values.

Related Articles

Many people experiencing addiction also find the following resources helpful:

• Understanding Addiction
• What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
• What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
• Understanding Grief and Loss
• Emotion Regulation and Behaviour Change

Frequently Asked Questions

Can addiction occur without alcohol or drugs?

Yes. Behavioural addictions such as gambling can cause significant impairment and distress. Many researchers also study problematic gaming, internet use, and compulsive sexual behaviours.

Is addiction a lack of willpower?

No. Addiction is influenced by biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. Most people experiencing addiction are trying to cope with complex difficulties rather than simply lacking motivation.

Can psychology help with cravings?

Yes. Evidence-based psychological approaches can help individuals understand cravings, develop coping strategies, and respond more effectively to urges.

Do I need to be completely abstinent before seeing a psychologist?

No. Many people begin therapy while still struggling with their behaviour or substance use. Therapy can help people explore goals and work towards meaningful change at a realistic pace.

References

[1] American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Publishing.

[2] Volkow, N. D., Koob, G. F., & McLellan, A. T. (2016). Neurobiologic advances from the brain disease model of addiction. New England Journal of Medicine, 374(4), 363–371. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1511480

[3] Grant, J. E., Potenza, M. N., Weinstein, A., & Gorelick, D. A. (2010). Introduction to behavioural addictions. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 36(5), 233–241. https://doi.org/10.3109/00952990.2010.491884

[4] Khantzian, E. J. (1997). The self-medication hypothesis of substance use disorders. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 4(5), 231–244. https://doi.org/10.3109/10673229709030550

[5] Magill, M., & Ray, L. A. (2009). Cognitive-behavioural treatment with adult alcohol and illicit drug users. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 70(4), 516–527. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2009.70.516

[6] Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

[7] Sloan, E., Hall, K., Moulding, R., Bryce, S., Mildred, H., & Staiger, P. K. (2017). Emotion regulation as a transdiagnostic treatment construct across anxiety, depression, substance, eating and borderline personality disorders. Clinical Psychology Review, 57, 141–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2017.09.002