Addiction & Compulsive Behaviours

When something that once helped starts to feel harder to control.

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Sometimes coping turns into something more.

What may have started as a way to manage stress, numb out, or get through difficult moments can gradually become a pattern that feels harder to step away from — even when you know it’s not helping in the long run.

You might notice:

  • Feeling stuck in patterns you can’t seem to stop

  • Using substances or behaviours to cope, escape, or shut things down

  • Repeating something despite negative consequences

  • A loss of control or difficulty cutting back

  • Cycles of relief, followed by guilt, frustration, or shame

  • Hiding or minimizing certain behaviours

  • Feeling like something is starting to take up more space in your life

  • Inability to focus on other things

This can show up in different ways, including:

  • Alcohol or substance use

  • Gambling

  • Porn or compulsive sexual behaviour

  • Social media, technology use, or AI use

  • Excessive exercise or consumption of food

  • Work, productivity, or achievement-based patterns

Often, the behaviour itself is not the full picture.

It’s connected to how you’re coping, what you’re avoiding, and what’s happening underneath — even if that’s not immediately clear.

Therapy offers a space to understand these patterns more directly.

This might involve:

  • identifying what triggers the behaviour

  • understanding the cycle of urge → action → relief → consequence

  • building alternative ways of coping that actually hold

  • working through underlying stress, emotions, or experiences

  • making practical changes that reduce the pull of the behaviour over time

How can we help?

At Carbon Psychology, this work is about understanding what’s actually driving the behaviour — what’s triggering it, what it’s helping you avoid, and why it keeps repeating despite the consequences.

That often means looking directly at the patterns: when the urge shows up, what you do with it, and what happens after. From there, the focus shifts to building more control in those moments, interrupting the cycle, and developing ways of coping that don’t rely on the behaviour.

Therapists with a Special Interest In Addiction & Compulsive Behaviours

Jacqueline Gowans

Canadian Certified Counsellor

Jacqueline works specifically with substance use disorders and has worked in inpatient and outpatient facilities, as well as medical facilities, supporting individuals through addiction and recovery.

Tim Maxwell

Canadian Certified Counsellor

Tim approaches sessions with a warm, straightforward, and non-judgmental style. He takes an action-oriented approach to change. His focus is supporting individuals with behavioural addiction, such as porn use, gambling, social media, AI, gaming, and exercise.

Michael Grisonich

Registered Provisional Psychologist

Michael is direct and grounded. He has a special interest in supporting people with OCD, social anxiety, panic, and phobias. He is trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for the treatment of compulsive behaviours.

Start with a Consultation

We offer a complimentary consultation to help you determine whether therapy feels like a right next step.

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FAQ

  • How do I know if something is becoming an addiction?

    If a behaviour feels hard to control, is happening more often than you intend, or is starting to negatively impact your life, it may be moving into addictive or compulsive territory.

  • Do I have to completely stop for therapy to help?

    Not necessarily. Therapy can help you understand your patterns and build more control, whether your goal is reducing, changing, or stopping the behaviour altogether.

  • Why do I keep going back to something I know isn’t helping?

    Many addictive behaviours provide short-term relief from stress, anxiety, or difficult emotions. Over time, this creates a cycle where the behaviour is reinforced, even when it causes problems.

  • Is addiction only about substances like alcohol or drugs?

    No. Addiction can also involve behaviours like gambling, pornography, social media, or work. The common thread is a pattern that feels difficult to control and continues despite consequences.

  • Can therapy help with urges and cravings?

    Yes. Therapy can help you understand what drives urges, how to respond to them differently, and how to reduce the intensity and frequency over time.

  • When should I seek help for addiction or compulsive behaviour?

    If you feel stuck, out of control, or like something is taking up more space in your life than you want it to, it’s a good time to seek support — even if things don’t feel “severe.”