We are creatures of habit. It's easy to get into using drugs and alcohol to cope with challenges of life, then ending up feeling stuck and unhappy. Fortunately, we can change. This book aims to help people caught in unhelpful avoidance behaviours, including drug and alcohol use, to make positive change.
While our minds make the choice to use substances, learning more about how our minds work can help us kick unhelpful habits. Our minds are designed for change. The more we understand them, the more we can use them to our greatest advantage.This knowledge can help steer our intention and efforts in the direction of life-enhancing change.
The book considers some of the misunderstandings and false beliefs which can keep us stuck; some of the basic principles of change; how our minds are easily steered in unhelpful directions, and the challenges we inevitably encounter when trying to change our minds. It discusses planning for change, and how to access external support services whilst also building inner resources that help cope with challenging times.
The author's interest in the topic of making conscious change is not just academic. It's rooted in the challenges and changes he's faced in the course of his life. He grew up in South Africa, and left to avoid conscription into the army. He obtained refugee status in the UK and lived there for 12 years before emigrating to Australia. For nearly three decades he's worked, as a nurse and counsellor, in the fields of alcohol and other drugs, and mental health. His studies include a social sciences degree, nursing training, an advanced diploma in Traditional Chinese medicine, and a post-graduate diploma in mental health nursing. It also includes numerous shorter courses, particularly in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and other mindfulness related areas.
This book is based on extensive work, study and lived experience related to substance use and mental health. It encourages readers to get to know themselves better, and to better understand the workings of our unique minds, which we so often take for granted. It rests on the belief that an important key to making long lasting change is understanding and expressing our unique aptitudes and potentials.
