ABSTRACT
This chapter explains why so many people get trapped by addiction and struggle to stop, in spite of harmful consequences. The Six Phase Addiction Cycle helps us to understand why repeated efforts to stop so often fail and how some who think they’ve overcome the problem may simply be in remission rather than recovery. The phases include the dormant phase where unresolved issues such as trauma, attachment and emotional regulation reside; the trigger phase which includes both emotional and environmental triggers; the preparation phase which is dominated by cognitive distortions and seeking behaviours; the acting out phase which may be a single visit to a sex worker or a weekend ChemSex binge; the regret phase which may include despair, shame and self loathing or simply disappointment, depending on the consequences; and finally the restitution phase where promises are made never to do it again before returning to dormant and awaiting another trigger.
