Therapy for Addiction: Struggling with a habit?

Struggling with a habit, control, or addiction?

When life feels overwhelming, it is common to look for a way to take the edge off. But sometimes the thing you use to cope turns into an addiction that becomes the main problem. If that feels familiar, addiction therapy offers a way to look beneath the surface.

You might be here because a habit is beginning to feel like a trap, or because you are desperately worried that someone you care about has an addiction or habit.

If you are asking yourself these questions, you have already started to take back control.

If you would like to speak to a therapist about Addictions and addictive behaviour, you can explore the therapists below.

Professional Standards

All psychotherapists and counsellors on the City Therapy Rooms website are independent, self-employed specialists who manage their own appointments. Every practitioner must provide verified evidence of:

Professional Registration: Active membership with a leading UK regulatory body, including the BACP, BPS, BPC, UKCP, HCPC, BABCP, SEAUK, COSRT, NCS, BAAT.
Clinical Credentials: Fully verified professional qualifications and comprehensive indemnity insurance.
Supervision: Be in ongoing clinical supervision. Their supervisors have confirmed the accuracy of the content of their profiles on this website.

“Am I addicted, or is this normal?”

It is easy to justify a habit when it looks like what everyone else is doing. Maybe you work hard all week and use a drink, recreational drugs, a bit of porn or online shopping to unwind.

But if you are secretly wondering where the line is between a harmless habit and an addiction, you might notice thoughts like these:

“I tell myself I will stop after one, but I rarely do.”

“I am spending money I don’t really have on gambling or gaming.”

“I feel restless, anxious, or irritable if I can’t do it.”

“The relief lasts for an hour, but the guilt lasts for days.”

“I find myself hiding wrappers, clearing my browser history, or lying about where the money went.”

You don’t need to hit rock bottom to ask for help with an addiction. If a habit is costing you your peace of mind, your relationships, or your financial security, it is worth looking at.

“What are the different types of addiction therapy can help with?”

People often seek addiction therapy in London for a wide range of behaviours, including:

alcohol addiction
drug addiction
gambling addiction
sex or pornography addiction
shopping addiction
work addiction
internet or gaming addiction
compulsive exercise
unhealthy relationships with food

Some of these behaviours may appear socially acceptable or even encouraged in modern life. Still, when they begin to feel compulsive or difficult to control, therapy for addictions can help you understand what is happening beneath the surface.

“How do I know when it’s time to seek help for an addiction?”

You don’t have to wait for a crisis to speak to a professional. Many people seek therapy for addiction when they realise they are no longer choosing to do something; they are doing it just to get through the day. If you are constantly thinking about the next drink, the next bet, the next purchase, or the next distraction, a therapist can help you look at what is driving that urge without judging you.

“What sort of therapy helps with gambling, drink, drugs or compulsive habits?”

There isn’t a single formula because every person’s situation is different. When you look for a therapist for addiction, you will find practitioners who offer different approaches.

Some addiction therapists focus on the practical ‘here and now’, helping you spot the immediate triggers, break the daily cycle, and build practical strategies to handle cravings.
Others help you look a bit deeper, exploring the stress, loneliness, or past pain that made the habit feel necessary in the first place.

The goal of addiction therapy isn’t just to stop a behaviour. It is about helping you build a life where you don’t feel the constant need to escape.

For the person supporting someone with an addiction

“I think my partner is gambling online / secretly drinking/using drugs to cope and I don’t know what to do.”

Living with the suspicion that a partner, family member, or close friend is losing control is incredibly lonely. You might feel like you are walking on eggshells, constantly checking their mood, or trying to manage a situation that feels entirely out of control.

People who love someone dealing with an addiction often find themselves thinking:

“How do I bring this up without causing a massive row or making them hide it more?”

“Am I going mad, or are they lying to me about where the money or time is going?”

“How can I support them when they won’t even admit there is a problem?”

“I feel completely drained by trying to keep the peace and protect them.”

If you are carrying this burden, addiction therapy can be for you. You don’t have to wait for them to recognise they need help before you can seek support for yourself.

Speaking with a therapist who understands addiction gives you a confidential space to untangle your own feelings. It can help you figure out how to set healthy boundaries, protect your own wellbeing, and process the anger or anxiety you might be feeling. Crucially, it can help you find the right words to approach the person you care about, clearly and calmly, so you can offer support without losing yourself in the process.

How Addiction Counselling Can Help

Seeking addiction counselling can feel like a big step, particularly if you feel embarrassed or unsure about talking openly about your behaviour.

Therapy offers a confidential and non-judgemental space where you can explore what is happening in your life.

Working with a trained therapist for addictions can help you:

understand the emotional triggers behind addictive behaviour
recognise patterns that keep the cycle going
develop healthier ways of coping with stress and emotions
reduce feelings of shame or self-criticism
rebuild trust in yourself and your relationships
create practical strategies for change

For many people, addiction therapy is not only about stopping a behaviour but about understanding the emotional needs that the behaviour has been trying to meet.

Finding the Right Therapist for Addictions

Research consistently shows that one of the most important factors in successful therapy is the relationship you build with your therapist.

When looking for addiction counselling in London, it can help to:

read therapist profiles carefully
consider their experience working with addictions
contact a few therapists to ask questions
arrange an initial consultation to see how comfortable you feel

The first session is an opportunity for both you and the therapist to decide whether working together feels like the right fit.

Addiction Therapy at City Therapy Rooms

At City Therapy Rooms in London you can browse the profiles of therapists who offer addiction counselling and therapy for addictions.

If you would like to speak to a therapist about Addictions and addictive behaviour, you can explore the therapists below.

Each therapist profile explains:

their approach to addiction therapy
the types of addictions they work with
their availability for sessions

You are welcome to contact several therapists before deciding who you would like to work with.

Questions People Ask Before Getting in Touch

I’m not sure I’m bad enough to need therapy — I’m functioning, I just can’t seem to stop.

This is one of the most common things therapists hear. Addiction doesn’t require you to have lost your job, your relationship, or your health before it counts. If a behaviour is costing you peace of mind, taking up more mental space than you’d like, or quietly affecting the way you feel about yourself, that is enough. You don’t need to hit a crisis point to deserve support.

I’ve tried to stop before and it hasn’t worked. What would therapy do that willpower hasn’t?

Willpower works on the behaviour but not on what’s driving it. Most people who struggle to stop aren’t lacking discipline — they’re using the behaviour to manage something underneath: stress, loneliness, anxiety, or pain that hasn’t had anywhere else to go. Therapy works at that level. When you understand what need the addiction is trying to meet, you can start finding healthier ways to meet it, and that’s where lasting change becomes possible.

I’m worried about what a therapist will think of me when I tell them what I’ve been doing.

Therapists who work with addiction have heard it all — not as a cliche, but as a genuine fact. They are trained specifically not to judge, and most will tell you that shame is one of the central engines of addictive behaviour. The therapy room at City Therapy Rooms is one of the few places where you can say the thing you haven’t been able to say anywhere else, without it changing how you are seen.

What if I’m not ready to stop — can I still come to therapy?

Yes. You don’t need to have stopped, or even be certain you want to, before starting therapy. Many people begin sessions while they are still very much in the middle of the behaviour. The work isn’t about forcing change before you’re ready — it’s about understanding what’s happening and why, which is often what makes readiness possible in the first place.

What happens if I relapse while I’m in therapy?

A relapse isn’t a failure and it isn’t the end of the work. It’s information. A good therapist will help you look at what happened, what triggered it, and what it tells you about where the real pressure points are. Many people find that a relapse during therapy is actually one of the most useful moments in the process, because it happens in a context where it can be understood rather than just endured.

My partner thinks I have a problem but I’m not sure I agree. Should I come anyway?

It can be worth coming precisely because you’re unsure. Therapy isn’t about being told you have a problem — it’s a space to look honestly at your relationship with a behaviour and decide for yourself what you think. If someone who knows you well is worried, that’s worth taking seriously enough to explore, even if you haven’t reached the same conclusion yet.

I’m worried that if I talk about this, it will get back to my employer or my GP.

What you discuss at City Therapy Rooms stays between you and your therapist. Your sessions are confidential and there is no automatic reporting to employers, GPs, or anyone else. The only exception would be if there were serious concerns about your safety or someone else’s — and even then, your therapist would discuss this with you before taking any action.

Some helpful information about addiction and addictive behaviour

NHS Choices
A useful guide to all things ‘addiction’ related. Lots of helpful links for further information. NHS Choices on Addiction

Drinkaware
Drinkaware is an independent charity working to reduce alcohol misuse and harm in the UK. They have a very useful resources page on links to other help and advice on alcohol abuse and alcoholism support. Drinkaware

Talk to Frank
A useful resource for everything ‘drug addiction’ related. A non nonsense website that speaks openly. Talk to Frank

StepChange
Helpful advice around issues over debt and addictions