Is addiction a lack of willpower?

No. Addiction is a medical condition, and stopping usually takes more than willpower. Asking for help is a natural and effective step.

Do I have to have “hit rock bottom” to ask for help?

No. The idea that you have to lose everything before you deserve help is a harmful myth. The earlier the intervention comes, the more effective it is, and the moment you start asking yourself questions is already a good one.

Will I be judged if I come for a consultation?

No. Our role is to understand and to help. Many people put it off for years precisely out of fear of being judged or labelled. Everything you discuss remains confidential, and our approach starts from respect.

And what if I’m not sure I want to stop completely?

It is fine to come with doubts. Most people have them. You can start a conversation without having all the answers or a firm decision. We set the goals together, at your pace, starting from where you are now.

My substance use is linked to anxiety or depression. What should I do?

This happens very often. That is why the assessment also looks at the anxiety or depression, and treatment addresses them as well as the substance use.

How can I help someone close to me who drinks or uses too much?

Talk to them calmly, without blame, about what you have noticed and why you are worried. You can encourage them to ask for help, and you can make the booking if they agree. You can get support for yourself too, if the situation weighs on you.

Substance use and addiction

In an emergency: 112 · Romanian Green Anti-Suicide Line 0800 801 200 (free; Friday–Sunday, 19:00–07:00)

What addiction means

Addiction is a condition in which the use of a substance (alcohol, medicines, drugs) gradually slips out of control and continues despite the negative consequences. It is a health problem, unrelated to character or moral values.

Over time, repeated use alters the brain circuits linked to reward, motivation and self-control. This is why “willpower alone” is rarely enough, and why stopping is so hard to sustain on your own. Understanding addiction moves the conversation from guilt to treatment.

Addiction can be treated, and help can start at any point, without waiting to “hit rock bottom”.

Signs and symptoms

Addiction looks different from one person to another, but a few patterns recur. You may have noticed:

In your relationship with the substance

the need for ever larger amounts for the same effect
difficulty stopping or cutting down, even though you intended to
using takes up a lot of your time and energy
feeling unwell, restless or having other symptoms when you cut down or stop

In everyday life

use continues despite the problems it creates: at work, in relationships, with money, with your health
gradually giving up activities or relationships that used to matter
using the substance to cope with stress, anxiety, sadness or insomnia

Emotionally

guilt, shame, repeated attempts to hide or minimise your use
promises made to yourself that you cannot keep
the feeling of being trapped in a cycle with no way out in sight

It is rarely “just about the substance”

For a great many people, substance use is intertwined with another form of suffering. For a while, the substance brings relief from anxiety, depression, an unhealed trauma, insomnia or pain that is hard to bear. Over time, however, it adds a new problem on top of the old one, and the two feed each other.

That is why treatment has a better chance when it also addresses what lies behind the use.

When to see a specialist

A conversation is worthwhile if:

you feel you no longer have the control you thought you had over your use
people close to you have expressed concern
you find yourself thinking more and more often “maybe I should do something about this”

Many people manage to change their relationship with alcohol or other substances, and the road is easier with a specialist who understands you.

Important: certain forms of withdrawal (especially from alcohol and some medicines) can be medically dangerous, so do not try to manage them alone. If severe symptoms appear when you stop using, or in any emergency, call 112.

The first step

If you recognise yourself in what you’ve read, book a conversation with one of our specialists. Together, we’ll look at what’s going on and what your options are.

Services: Psychiatry · Psychotherapy · Counselling
See our team and pricing.

This information is for educational purposes and does not replace a specialist consultation.