Addiction Counseling: It’s More than Substance Use
It can be easy to dismiss certain habits as “normal” or “not that bad”—scrolling late into the night, overspending, overeating, or pouring another drink. But when these behaviors begin to feel unmanageable, the shame and secrecy can be overwhelming. In this post, Lizzie Oekerman, LPC-Associate (supervised by Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST), explores how addiction counseling offers a safe, nonjudgmental space to understand the “why” beneath the behavior and find new freedom, balance, and connection.
Scrolling for hours on your phone? Telling yourself “just one more bite” but not being able to stop? Having a glass of wine, or two, or more, and waking up the next morning without remembering the night before? Feeling a rush as you swipe your credit card from store to store?
These everyday behaviors can quietly take over our lives. What starts small can grow into a cycle that feels hard to break. When people hear the word addiction, they often think only of alcohol or drugs. While those struggles are real and deserve care, other forms of addiction—like technology use, overeating, overworking, or compulsive spending—can also take a toll. Addiction counseling can help with all of these.
These everyday behaviors can quietly take over our lives. What starts small can grow into a cycle that feels hard to break. When people hear the word addiction, they often think only of alcohol or drugs. While those struggles are real and deserve care, other forms of addiction—like technology use, overeating, overworking, or compulsive spending—can also take a toll. Addiction counseling can help with all of these.
Looking Beyond Assumptions
A common assumption is that addiction counseling is only for people in crisis, or only for those facing substance abuse. But addiction is less about what you’re doing, and more about why—how it impacts your wellbeing, your relationships, and your sense of control.
Addiction can show up in many ways, including:
Addiction can show up in many ways, including:
- Endless scrolling on your phone, even when it keeps you from sleep or connection
- Spending money impulsively for a quick rush, but feeling shame later
- Eating to cope, whether through restriction, bingeing, or compulsive snacking
- Workaholism, where productivity becomes the measure of self-worth
Understanding the Stigma
One of the biggest barriers to seeking help is stigma. Many people avoid counseling because they fear being judged or labeled as an “addict.” But addiction is not a moral failure. It’s a response to pain, stress, or unmet needs. Everyone struggles in different ways. Admitting that a behavior has become unmanageable is not weakness—it’s an act of courage.
When It’s Time to Seek Help
You don’t have to wait until you hit “rock bottom” to ask for help. Some signs that it may be time to consider addiction counseling include:
Even if you’re just questioning whether something has become too much, that curiosity itself is a powerful first step.
- You’ve tried to cut back on your own, but the cycle keeps repeating
- The behavior interferes with your sleep, work, school, or relationships
- You feel guilt, shame, or secrecy surrounding the behavior
- What once brought relief or joy no longer does—and may even feel like a trap
Even if you’re just questioning whether something has become too much, that curiosity itself is a powerful first step.
What to Expect in Addiction Counseling
Addiction counseling isn’t about shame—it’s about support, understanding, and change. Together, we may focus on:
These building blocks help create a stronger sense of control, healthier relationships, greater confidence, and the freedom to live with intention instead of compulsion.
- Exploration: Identifying patterns, triggers, and what the behavior gives you in the moment
- Coping Tools: Building healthier ways to manage emotions, stress, and daily life
- Connection: Strengthening support through community, family, or trusted relationships
- Healing the Root: Gently addressing the deeper pain, trauma, or unmet needs fueling the cycle
These building blocks help create a stronger sense of control, healthier relationships, greater confidence, and the freedom to live with intention instead of compulsion.
Choosing Something Different
Addiction counseling isn’t just for substances, and it isn’t just for “other people.” It’s for anyone who feels stuck in patterns that no longer serve them. Seeking help isn’t defeat—it’s choosing freedom, balance, and connection.
You don’t have to wait for rock bottom to reach out. Sometimes the bravest step is simply saying, “I want something different.”
If you’re ready to take that step, I would be honored to walk with you. I offer addiction counseling for teens and adults at our North Austin and Georgetown locations. Together, we can find new ways forward—ones that give you space to breathe, heal, and live fully.
You don’t have to wait for rock bottom to reach out. Sometimes the bravest step is simply saying, “I want something different.”
If you’re ready to take that step, I would be honored to walk with you. I offer addiction counseling for teens and adults at our North Austin and Georgetown locations. Together, we can find new ways forward—ones that give you space to breathe, heal, and live fully.
Lizzie works with older children (age 10 and up), teens, adults, and couples as they navigate anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief, addiction, and life transitions. She incorporates creativity and expressive arts into her work and is especially passionate about supporting clients through identity development, relational struggles, and seasons of change. If you would like to meet with Lizzie or another ALCS counselor, please contact our office.
Posted in Blogs by Lizzie