ACACIA THERAPY CONDITIONS TREATED
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HABITS & DRUGS (including nicotine)

Habits and drugs range from, for example, nail biting through smoking to hard drugs like heroin.

In general, the approach needed is based on the social learning model i.e. addiction is a response, a way of coping with yourself and the world; rather than the model which suggests addiction is a primary disease which people have inbred or catch somehow.

A common thread throughout the range is to make available to clients
· Skills and experience they have developed in beating a habit in the past
· The hopes and wishes clients have for a habit free future
· At a very intense level
· At the times when temptation is strongest
This is achieved through an anchoring or association technique.

For most smokers who want to give up and can't smoking is a habit and the anchoring or association technique is usually successful.

For the minority of smokers trying to give up and for whom the above technique does not work a regression technique is used, taking clients back in time to establish the incident where an association or link with some part of the incident and smoking was developed - work then centres on breaking the association usually using cognative techniques.

For treatment of those who are addicted to hard drugs, the original situation which caused the client to turn to drugs may in addition require to be thoroughly examined and resolved.