Addiction Part 1 - Specialist Addiction Therapist Mark Dempster

In this next period, we will be recording a mini-series on
addiction starting with this first episode with Specialist
Addiction Therapist Mark Dempster. In 2013, the Centre for Social
Justice determined that the level of addiction in the UK made it
the “addiction capital of Europe.” This includes the use of legal
substances, mainly ⁠alcohol⁠, and the use of Class A drugs,
which include ⁠heroin⁠, ⁠cocaine⁠, ⁠meth⁠,
and ⁠hallucinogens⁠. £36
billion is spent by the nation every year on
treatment relating to drug and alcohol abuse. At the time of
filing their report, titled 'No Quick Fix', the UK had the
highest rate of addiction to ⁠opioids⁠ and the highest
lifetime use of amphetamines, cocaine,
and ⁠ecstasy⁠ across Europe. Many view addiction as
something that only affects the users themselves but, in reality,
casualties from substance abuse are taxing entire communities and
society as a whole. Addiction in the UK affects everyone from
loved ones to clinicians and the everyday public.





In the conversation, we examine the five stages of addiction,
common cognitive pitfalls, habit Vs. addiction, and Mark's
organic story through his lived experience with addiction. We
also look at the 12-step process of Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
Mark is a specialist addiction therapist and a recovery coach
within a Harley Street Counselling Practice. He has witnessed
chemical and behavioural addictions both personally and within
his circle of family and friends.





Learning the practice of psychotherapy for addiction helped Mark
reach out to all types of addicts, from programmes working with
prisoners, helping at homeless shelters, and to wealthy bankers
from Canary Wharf.  According to Mark, the addict’s
circumstances varied but their addictions had a lot in common. In
the conversation, we also cover:


Defining Addiction & UK stats  - The health
burden & impact on the individual and extended families 

Origins – how people become addicted (habit Vs
addiction) 

Dual diagnosis 

The 5 stages of addiction 

The NA & AA 12-step model (origins and application)

Common cognitive pitfalls 

Breaking the cycle – different types of therapy (CBT, DBT,
ACT, +/- PET for PTSD) 

Anecdotal experiences and cases from Mark’s
perspectives 



You can find out more about Mark here:


https://markdempstercounselling.com/about/


You can find out more about Narcotics Anonymous here:


https://ukna.org


You can find out more about Alcoholics Anonymous here:


https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk