Addictions

How do you identify the signs of addiction? When should you seek help? What helps overcome addiction? When is hospitalization recommended?

Addiction is a broad topic, and throughout my life I have come across people suffering from a severe addiction that has taken over their lives. Before I became a psychologist, I encountered addiction mostly in loved ones or on the street. The more I specialized in addiction, the more I realized how serious it was and how difficult it made daily life for the addicted person. As a psychologist, I treated addicts in prisons, in a psychological clinic in Germany during my training, and in psychiatric rehabilitation in Israel. I also diagnosed addicts for the Israeli National Insurance. Based on my ten years’ experience, I would like to share some pointers on how to know if it is time to seek help or refer a loved one for help and where to seek it.

How to identify substance addiction in yourself or a loved one

Is there a particular substance that takes over your life, and is all your behavior aimed at obtaining this substance?
Do you feel you need to increase the dose?
Do you have difficulty sleeping when you are unable to use this substance?
Do you experience lack of focus, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts about this substance?
Is there a decline in daily routines, for example, difficulty getting up in the morning, difficulty holding down a job, difficulty studying, difficulty in social relationships other than shared use, trouble with the law?

If you answered “yes” to at least three of these questions, it is highly recommended to seek help.

Where to go for help

With any substance other than cannabis and cigarettes, hospitalization is necessary to get physically clean from that substance. Substances such as heroin, alcohol, prescription drugs (benzodiazepines, oxycontin, synthetic morphine) are very harmful to the body and mind, and it is extremely dangerous to quit using them without the supervision of a medical expert. In such cases, it is advised first to be hospitalized for one month to get physically clean and then obtain a recommendation for follow-up care. You can find the addresses of treatment centers on the website of the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Welfare.

How to identify an addiction to a particular behavior, such as gambling, porn, sex, social networks, computer games, and TV series?

Do you obsessively repeat the same behavior?
Is this behavior taking over your life?
Do you feel the world has narrowed and find it difficult to concentrate, sleep, and talk about anything else?
Have you lost money, friends, work, or education because of this behavior?
Do you tend to make excuses such as "I'm not addicted," "I'm in control of the situation," "Everybody else is doing it," or "It's just a phase"?

If you answered “yes” to at least three of these questions, I recommend you seek professional help. In the case of an addiction to a particular behavior, hospitalization is not necessary unless there is a combined addiction to both the behavior and a substance, as sometimes happens. In such cases, it is advised to consider hospitalization.

Addiction to cannabis

Do you smoke cannabis every day?

Does your whole world revolve around smoking?

Does it affect your daily routines (sleep, work, education, social connections)?

Are you tired of being in this situation?

Do you want to find out how to live without physical and mental dependence?

Do you want to free up quality time to pursue your dreams?

Do you want to enjoy a life full of energy, good sleep, sexuality without getting high, and social interactions that are not centered on smoking?

I offer a unique psychotherapy where you work with me to develop a personalized plan of treatment. The treatment consists of four stages:

Individual psychological and physical diagnosis
Creating a personalized plan based on the psychological and physical diagnosis
A weekly 50-minute session, including breathing exercises and guided imagery according to the principles of yoga
Exercises to do between sessions

The changes you will experience during therapy:

Reduce your dose until you stop
Gain self-efficacy
Be able to actively work for change
Feel a sense of relief
Gain self-confidence
Be more assertive
Have more energy to pursue your dreams
Learn breathing and meditation exercises you can use in daily life
Acquire coping skills that will serve you even after therapy ends

Call 053-2809660 today to make an appointment.

Addiction to social networks

Has your phone become your whole world?

Does your world revolve around who liked whose posts?

Do you spend 24 hours a day thinking about what happens on social networks?

Are you tired of living a life defined by likes?

Do you want to make time for life outside of social networks?

Do you want to stop waiting for likes and comments?

Do you want to live without dependence on screens in a world that exists without a charger?

I offer a unique psychotherapy where you work with me to develop a personalized plan of treatment. The treatment consists of four stages:

Individual psychological and physical diagnosis
Creating a personalized plan based on the psychological and physical diagnosis
A weekly 50-minute session, including breathing exercises and guided imagery according to the principles of yoga
Exercises to do between sessions

The changes you will experience during therapy:

Become less dependent on likes and comments
Have quality time to pursue your dreams
Gain self-efficacy
Be able to actively work for change
Feel a sense of relief
Gain self-confidence
Be more assertive
Learn breathing and meditation exercises you can use in daily life
Acquire coping skills that will serve you even after therapy ends

Call 053-2809660 today to make an appointment.