ABSTRACT
Recovery from addiction involves learning to recognise and control impulses, learning to regulate our emotions in more healthy ways, and letting ourselves think about those unmet emotional needs. Medical approaches to addiction have made significant advances in reducing the harm associated with opiate and alcohol addictions, but psychological and social approaches are also required to enhance recovery and support people to make long-lasting changes. Psychological research has led to motivational approaches which help to guide people towards making decisions that resonate with their core values; cognitive and behavioural approaches that recognise that how we interpret situations influences our feelings and behaviour; and emotion-focused approaches to help us feel more comfortable with noticing and managing our feelings. The better we know ourselves and our needs, the more chances we have to move away from self-destructive patterns.
