Conditions We Treat

Addiction to any substance brings with it serious risks to health, nutrition, lifestyle and well-being. Prolonged excessive use of drugs or alcohol diminishes the capacity to function in the day to day: to hold down a job and a secure income, maintain healthy relationships and retain good mental health.

Every addiction arises from a complex set of conditions and circumstances, any of which, or any combination of which can tip the balance from ‘heavy use’ to problem use, i.e. addiction. Mental health, emotional and psychological issues all impact how deeply someone falls into addictive behaviour: anxiety, grief and loss, stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, neuroses and psychoses, eating disorders and self-harming - all of these conditions can have a detrimental effect and lead to full blown addiction and substance misuse.

Alcoholism

Addiction to alcohol is one of the oldest and most prevalent dependencies in the world. There is a saying that for alcoholics “one glass is too many and one bottle is not enough”.
At Chandos we understand alcoholism and the many parallel conditions and factors that either cause it, or prolong it. We regularly treat people with a dual diagnosis (such as alcoholism and a mental health issue) or people who have experienced psychological trauma, depression, anxiety, stress or indeed other addictions such as food (eating disorders), gambling or drugs.

Drugs and Chemical Dependency

Addiction to drugs develops with prolonged use of recreational chemical substances or prescribed medication. There are different classes of drugs which relate to the levels of risk to self and others: Class A, B and C. Some drugs are considered gateway substances where often the user progresses to a more serious Class A addiction with all the dangers surrounding regular, compulsive use. Whatever the drug of choice, we understand the ways that drugs take hold of a person’s life and we can help clients take back control, heal the damage to their bodies, their loved ones and their lives.

Gaming and Gambling

The UK has seen a huge increase in the numbers of people addicted to gambling and gaming in recent years, people who are unable to control their gambling habit or use of computer games. Like any other addiction, gambling and gaming can gradually and systematically destroy a person’s life as they knew it: demolishing work, homes, relationships, finances and health. Despite Government enforced warnings such as “When the fun stops…Stop!” it can be really difficult to retain control as the addiction very subtly and steadfastly takes hold. At Chandos we can help clients sever the compulsive hold and liberate themselves to re-claim and re-build their life.

Co-dependency

Relationships in life are vital lifelines for health, happiness, learning and personal development. Sometimes relationships can become unhealthy and in the worst case scenarios unhealthy relationships can become fixed in a rut or a pattern emerges with different people. Co-dependency is how we describe people addicted to people, whether a live-in partner, colleague or friend, and where that relationship has become psychologically imbalanced. Co-dependency manifests in many ways, but most often involves compulsive behaviour, irrational thoughts and unhealthy opinions of self and others.
At Chandos we help people understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships and untangle those complicated enmeshed connections with people.

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