Total Lifestyle Change and Stopping Long Term Heavy Cocaine and Alcohol Use in Intensive Focused Treatment Program

​

​

​

This case illustrates the trap many men get stuck in, the party life of their twenties carrying on for far too long. The current cocaine epidemic is driven by this endless repetition of early lifestyle behaviour. This creates a deeply destructive trap which erodes trust in relationships, puts stress on jobs and wipes out cash.  

​

This can be resolved relatively easily with the correct approach, which is to treat the pattern of behaviour and focus on restructuring life to gain control. This is not a process of replacing one behaviour with another, nor an effort of simple denial.

It requires a thorough evaluation of the individual and a focus in treatment to rectify old patterns of learned behaviour and address relevant and ongoing life issues which are creating low mood, stress or conflict.  

​

In this way, the inner and outer world is changed. A positive inner world supports a positive outer world and this can be maintained through a change of values that are in line with the individuals goals.  

​

​

​

I was in a never-ending cycle of waiting for the weekend to come around to indulge in drugs and alcohol. Friday and Saturday is when I would go big, making Sundays a wash out, always hungover or trying to recover from the night before. Plans would be dropped, secretly slipping out to the pub with random people to sneak in a few pints, regardless of who it was.  

This mindless behaviour was putting more and more stress on my relationship. It was a horrible endless cycle that had been going on for years which I had just accepted as normal but genuinely could not stop. I felt stuck, was unhappy with myself, my life, work and my relationship was at a total breaking point. 

​

Since completing the treatment program with Edward, life is so much easier and stress free. So much has changed, both myself and my life are practically unrecognisable from when I started and got the help and guidance which I needed. My focus is no longer on the weekend or the next time I can go out and drink and take drugs.

Every area of my life has changed, and the urges to use drugs or drink are no longer there. It has been a process of tackling these issues head on, but it has worked. My energy has gone through the roof. I have taken up long distance running, boxing and squash, three things which I have always wanted to do, but drink and drugs just kept pushing everything onto the back burner. 

​

During the process I began to experience changes taking place; a feeling like I wanted to organise my life and gain control over it. I could see that previously my energy had been misdirected and had been causing havoc in my life. It became clear to me that I was repeating old patterns of behavior which I had no idea how to stop or control.  

​

The program with Edward worked for me because it was structured. The sessions were frequent and supportive, they gave me clarity and direction which I would then apply in the following week. I would focus on the two weeks ahead and kept moving that forward as we progressed. As my confidence built, I started to see that I would be able to beat this.

I had had my doubts before starting, I worried that the sessions would be critical and I would be judged for what I was doing, or if I messed up. It was a massive relief that it wasn't anything like this. In fact, I found the sessions to be calming and I was able to open up, key points were broken down and explained to me which made it all make sense and easy to apply. 

​

Every area of my life has changed, the urges to use drugs or drink are no longer there. It has been a process of tackling these issues head on, but it has worked. I have taken up long distance running, boxing and squash, three things which I have always wanted to do, but drink and drugs just kept pushing everything onto the back burner. 

​

My enthusiasm has gone through the roof, I now wake up early, feeling fresh and in a good headspace with loads of energy. I have also made massive changes in my career path. I completed a training course and am getting out of the unhappy place I was in with my work. This was a big issue and a major reason for my unhappiness. Doing this has opened up possibilities for travel and I’m now planning for my future. The course and direction of my life has changed, my energy is now working for me not against me and those around me are very happy for me.