Addictions Counselling Calgary
If you’re ready to make a change in your life and start recovery, we’re here to help.
Discover a Brighter Future Through Addiction Counselling in Calgary
Did you know that in Canada, roughly 21% of people will meet the criteria for addiction in their lifetime? You probably know someone who battles an addiction. Or perhaps it’s something you struggle with.
Even so, it’s not often talked about. There’s so much stigma surrounding addiction; people feel the need to hide their problems in fear of being judged or outcast.
Here’s the truth: Anyone can develop an addiction. It can develop at any point in your life. It can happen the first time you have a drink; it can happen 10 years later. Even if you haven’t had a problem with a substance or behaviour in the past, you may develop one as time goes on.
At One Life, we’re here to assist you along your journey. We offer counselling services for both physical addictions (drugs, alcohol, smoking) and behavioural addictions (gambling, internet, social media, exercise, porn, etc).
Deciding to start addiction counselling isn’t easy. Through addiction counselling, you can improve your mental health, take back control, and rebuild relationships with your family members.
If you’re ready to make a change in your life and start recovery, we’re here to help. We’ll work with you to identify your goals and develop a plan towards health. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and we’ll help you there.
Addiction isn’t a personal failure—it’s a response to pain. You don’t have to hide here.
What Is Addictions Counselling?
Addictions have power over people. For many, it leads to behaving and taking actions that they never would have without being engaged in that addiction. The power of addiction can convince some people to believe that they don’t have a problem, even as their life is consumed by it.
Addictions steal happiness and health away from you. They damage the most important relationships in your life.
You can regain control of your life through addiction counselling and create a supportive environment around you to make the changes you need in your life.
Through addiction treatment, you’ll learn to recognize how substance use or behavioural addictions affect your life and your relationships. You’ll confront the issue and discover ways to grow from it.
At One Life, we use evidence-based treatments to help you work through your addiction. Together, we’ll identify triggers, set goals, and move toward solutions in your recovery towards health.
Are you dealing with a physical or substance addiction? Addictions counselling is just one part of the solution. We recommend counselling in addition to other treatment services, including medication and 12-step programs.
Alter your addictive behaviours and substance use through our supportive counselling services. Even if you feel like you’ve lost control, you can take it back through addictions counselling as one piece of your strategy in recovery.
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Counselling for individuals, couples, and families, supporting you through every life chapter.
How do I know if I'm addicted?
The most common signs of addiction are:
You continue to use even when it causes problems
You experience intense, repeated cravings.
You struggle to control how often or how much you use.
Your behaviours are impacting your relationships
You spend a lot of time thinking about, planning, or obtaining the substance.
If you’re concerned you may be developing an addiction, we can help.
At One Life, we offer counselling in a non-judgemental and compassionate environment to those who are actively engaged in (or ready to be in) treatment for addictions.
The help you need is just a phone call away.
How Does Addiction Counselling in Calgary Work?
Whether it’s your first time seeking treatment or you want to give it another shot after a relapse, give us a call. If you’re ready for change, we’re ready to help. With our counselling services, you can:
- Learn how to navigate triggering situations.
- Rebuild your sense of self and identity after an addiction
- Find healthier ways to cope with stress or mental health issues
- Understand how an addictive behaviour or substance affects your life
- Work through past trauma that may be affecting you
An addiction has far-reaching effects on a person’s life, including those they are closest to. At One Life, we also help those who live with or are in relationships with people who have addictions.
Whether that person is a friend, a parent, or a partner, we offer supportive counselling services to help you navigate a relationship with someone who has an addiction. You can learn how to support your loved one and still take care of yourself.
Through counselling, you can better understand the impacts of your loved one’s addiction. You’ll learn about compassion fatigue, how to set healthy boundaries, conflict resolution, co-dependency, and more.
Change rarely happens overnight. Learning to manage an addiction takes time, effort, and persistence. At One Life, we’re here to help with that.
When you call our office, our client care coordinator will match you with the right practitioner for your circumstances. From there, we’ll educate you about addiction and coping strategies so you can maintain a healthier lifestyle. Together, we’ll develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Make a Lasting Change in Your Life With Addictions Counselling in Calgary
It’s easy for someone with an addiction to experience shame, a sense of helplessness, and a loss of control. This spiral can lead to an inner narrative that is very negative.
But that negative story is not you. At One Life, we want to help you break free of critical narratives and align with the healthy version of yourself that you want to attain.
At One Life, we help you leave behind the old cycles and habits of your addiction that imprison you. We believe in treating every person with compassion, respect, and understanding.
Once you contact us, we’ll set up your appointment right away. We’re open 7 days a week—and yes, that includes day, evening, and weekend appointments. With no waitlists and a team of qualified and friendly counsellors, you can trust you’ll be in good hands.
Ready to make a change in your life? Addiction treatment is the first step. To set up your appointment, contact us today!
Frequently Asked Questions About Addictions Counselling in Calgary
What is addiction?
Addiction is described as a continuous and intense urge to engage in doing something or using something. This urge can happen immediately, such as when you first try alcohol or years down the road. The common thread is that it causes immediate and natural reward, even if it results in harm or negative consequences to the person or those around them.
Both brain chemistry and overall functioning are key areas impacted by addiction. When someone is suffering from an addiction, their brains understand the concept of reward based on the substance or behaviour. This can change how they are motivated, their memory, and their control over their decisions. Over time, more of the substance or behaviour is needed to achieve the same “level” of reward.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), addiction, often referred to as a substance use disorder or behavioural addiction, involves patterns of use or behaviour that disrupt daily life, relationships, and health.
What is an addiction?
An addiction is distinctly different from what you might consider a habit. The key difference is an addiction involves changes in brain circuitry that impair self-control and judgment, meaning individuals struggle to stop the addictive behaviour on their own.
This condition might include physical dependence alongside psychological aspects such as cravings, compulsive behaviour, and a loss of control. Despite knowing the risks, the power of addiction means choices and actions are driven by changes in brain reward pathways.
People suffering from addictions might rely on drugs, alcohol, or other behaviours that trigger the reward system in their brain, like gambling, internet gaming, shopping, and food addiction.
When does an activity or hobby become an addiction?
- Hobbies are activities or substances that someone enjoys doing but can easily be stopped at any time.
- Addictions are marked by a lack of control. If you continue doing something despite negative consequences (like damage to your relationships or poor performance at work), you may have an addiction.
If you have a hobby, you can pick it up or put it down when you need to. But if you feel strong cravings to do something that is beyond your control, you may be dealing with addiction issues.Many people who are engaged in an addiction will organize their lives around their engagement with that substance or behaviour. This is another telltale sign that a hobby has turned into an addiction.
What causes addiction?
Addictions are influenced by your environment and your genetics. But to understand how they develop, let’s look at the brain:
When you consume an addictive substance or engage in addictive behaviour (like sex or gambling), your brain releases a surge of dopamine. This neurotransmitter makes you feel intense pleasure. Other activities also cause dopamine release, but addictive ones create the most.
After that, your brain remembers how good you felt from that substance or activity. You start to crave it and make plans to do more of it, even at the expense of your health or responsibilities.
There are so many theories about why people develop addictions. The human brain is incredibly complex, and no two people are the same.
Some believe that there is a genetic basis for addiction. If you have a family member with an addiction, you may be more likely to develop one yourself. And if you grew up in a household or with a friend group where that behaviour or substance abuse was normal, you’re also at risk.
Other times, stress is the main factor that leads someone to develop an addiction. Many people use drugs, gambling, and alcohol to cope with stress.
A traumatic life event can lead to an addiction, such as losing a loved one, being in a toxic relationship, or suffering abuse.
Those with mental health concerns are twice as likely to develop an addiction.
Even if you’re at risk for developing addiction issues, your fate is not set in stone. We offer addiction counselling to help you regain control and develop healthy habits.
How long does it take to rewire the brain from addiction?
Without knowing the full scope of the addiction or the unique characteristics of the person themselves, it’s challenging to say. Rewiring the brain from addiction is a complex and individualized process. It’s influenced by the type of help the person receives, such as counselling, in addition to the brain’s ability to change and adapt in response to new experiences and learning.
When a person stops using a substance or engaging in addictive behaviour, the brain starts to reorganize and slowly recover its normal functioning. However, this process can take varying amounts of time. Factors like duration of use or behaviour and the presence of co-occurring disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression) can impact the time it will take to rewire the brain.
How can I stop an addiction?
Stopping an addiction starts with admitting you have a problem. Having this self-awareness means you recognize the impact the addiction is having on your life and opens the door to the opportunity to seek help.
While support from family is crucial, going through a professional rehab program or seeing an addiction specialist are some of the best ways to address the various aspects of addiction in a constructive way.
At One Life, we walk the path of recovery with you. With our guiding support, your therapist can help you form new cycles and take back control of your life.
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Ready to make a change in your life?
Addiction treatment is the first step. To set up your appointment, contact us today!
Rates and Insurance
Insurance & Fees
If using your insurance benefits is important, we can connect you with a therapist, individual counsellor or couples counsellor, whose services are covered by most insurance plans. Please confirm coverage with your provider before booking.
You can find more details about our rates and insurance coverage here.
Our standard fees follow the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta’s recommended schedule with one key difference: we offer 60-minute sessions instead of the typical 50-minutes giving you more time for support and reflection.
Contact One Life
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You don’t have to navigate this alone.
We can help connect you with psychologist or therapist who understands your experience and your needs.
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”
— Nelson Mandela
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