What is addiction?

Addiction is characterised by a loss of control: you use more, or for longer, than intended; you would like to cut down or stop but cannot; you continue despite the negative consequences. It is often accompanied by intense cravings and by the growing place the substance or behaviour takes in your life, at the expense of other activities and relationships.

It can involve:

  • substances: alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine and other drugs, medication (sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication, painkillers);
  • behaviours: gambling and betting, sports betting, video games, social media and screens, shopping, sex, eating.

Between occasional use and dependence, there is a whole spectrum. You do not have to be “addicted” to seek help: it is enough to feel that a habit is starting to raise questions.

Why addiction takes hold

Addiction is neither a vice nor a lack of willpower. It results from a meeting between a substance or behaviour, a person and a context. Substances and some behaviours act directly on the brain’s reward system, which explains the strength of cravings. But addiction also takes hold because it serves a function: unwinding after a hard day, getting to sleep, easing anxiety, coping with sadness or loneliness, forgetting a trauma, feeling more at ease with others. The isolation and pressure of life abroad, or a social life built around drinking, can also play a part.

That is why stopping is not always enough: if the function the substance served is not taken into account, the gap is felt elsewhere, and the risk of relapse increases.

Warning signs

  • you use more often or in larger amounts than before;
  • you have already tried to cut down or stop, without lasting success;
  • you often think about using, or organise your time around it;
  • those close to you are worried, or you hide how much you use;
  • your work, relationships, health or finances are suffering;
  • you feel unwell, irritable or anxious when you are not using.

How I can help

I work in addiction medicine and psychiatry at the Centre Hospitalier de Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d’Or, and I also support people affected by addiction in my private practice in Lyon 6th. My support is non-judgemental and adapted to your situation and goals.

Taking stock and setting a goal

It is common to feel torn between the wish to change and attachment to what the substance or behaviour brings. This ambivalence is normal and deserves to be explored rather than fought. We take stock of your use, its effects and what matters to you, then agree on a goal together: cutting down, more controlled use, or stopping.

Changing in practice

Tools drawn from cognitive behavioural approaches help you spot risky situations, cope with cravings, find other ways of meeting the needs that using used to meet, and prevent relapse. A relapse is not a failure: it is a common stage, from which you can learn.

Understanding and rebuilding

We also explore what, in your history, emotions and relationships, contributed to the addiction. The systemic approach makes it possible to involve those close to you when that helps: partner, family. Finally, the aim is to reinvest in activities, relationships and projects that give life meaning without the substance (find out more about my approach).

Coordinated care when needed

Stopping alcohol or certain medications abruptly, such as sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, can be dangerous for someone who is dependent and must be supervised by a doctor. Depending on your situation, I refer you to your GP, an addiction specialist or, in France, a specialised addiction centre (CSAPA), where consultations are free, and I can work in liaison with them.

Sessions last about 50 minutes, at the Brotteaux practice, 134 rue de Sèze in Lyon 6th, or by video, in English, French or Portuguese. Fees are listed on the home page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to aim for abstinence?

Not necessarily. Depending on the substance, the situation and your wishes, the goal may be to stop completely or to cut down. It is agreed together and can change over the course of therapy. In some situations, however, stopping is medically recommended.

My teenager spends hours on screens: is it an addiction?

Not necessarily. What should alert you is a loss of control and its impact: sleep, school, relationships, giving up other activities. A consultation can help take stock, with the teenager and their family (see adolescence).

I am worried about someone close to me who refuses help.

That is a very difficult situation. You can seek help for yourself, to be supported and to think about how to raise the subject with your loved one. In France, remote support services such as Alcool Info Service and Drogues Info Service also answer family and friends.

Useful resources