A Life Long Addiction spanning Fifity Years resolved in Eight Week Program
The following case example is shared to provide evidence that the process I have developed not only works across different types of addiction with equal effect, but also to illustrate that the length of time that an addiction has been in place is not relevant.
The reasons for this are to do with patterning and how the brain retains information and holds onto complex patterns as learned behaviour.
What my techniques do, is to utilise the brains own innate mechanisms to undo the patterning of conditioned and learned behaviour under the correct circumstances. This is something which the brain is designed to do, but is not generally applied to the idea of addiction which remains considered as a disease. ​​
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I am giving feedback on my addiction therapy following Edward Conn's treatment program.
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I am a 61 year old male and married with two children, my addiction has been present in my life for over fifty years.
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I have tried on numerous occasions without any professional help to give up with no success, the longest I have managed to give up was around three weeks.
Everything came to a head suddenly, my world was falling to pieces, I promised to stop but could not. So I searched for help.
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I discovered Edward Conn on the internet, he had what seemed to me a good record curing addiction more of a specialist in this field rather than a general Psychotherapist.
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He explained his methods of understanding, controlling and utilising my brain properly together with his therapy skills and counselling. The process would take approximately two months, it was eight sessions spread over a longer period of time as the process progressed. The program required a commitment and payment up front prior to starting. On asking Edward about this he discussed and clarified that this was stipulated to ensure 100% commitment to the process. He requires absolute focus and attention to get the optimum results. This was part of a framework and requirements discussed before we started. Edward explained how the framework has developed over years to work and requires to be done with no compromise. He has found making compromises only allows the ‘addictive nature’ to potentially sabotage the client goals.
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I found it hard to believe fifty years of addiction could be cured in a matter of months, but after an initial consultation I agreed, I was desperate. The sessions were weekly for six weeks then gradually increased the time between sessions, two, four, six then finally the last session two months after the previous one.
The process itself was fairly straight forward, I told him all about my addiction, how it completely controls me, the yearnings the behaviours I display etc. He pointed out certain themes, took interest in my general lack of decision making and noticed that I was coasting through life by not challenging myself.
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The process seemed to focus on two things: Understanding my brain, how it works, why it urges me to do certain things and with Edwards help and specific techniques gently change my mental functioning and learn how to understand how my mind is communicating. The other area was more general counselling, not just the impact of the addiction but my fears and relevant areas of my life, dream exploration was a part of the process, so this became a focus of discussion also....discussing the messages within my subconscious mind.
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Each week I would write down in a diary a record my thoughts and events, I usually had around five or six thoughts or issues that I thought were relevant. The urges, situations in the past, new views on subjects and the ways in which I was beginning to notice changes in my brain functioning and my behaviour etc. Edward used these points as a focus of the content for the session, ending with me having a clearer understanding of my condition and a direction to think about over the next week.
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I slowly and steadily gained an understanding of my brain, how it worked and why it urged me to do certain things. I then bit by bit, gained control of my thought process, became steadily clearer in my decision making and as a result more decisive in my life generally. This established and built week to week from the start.
I realise now that my mind had a warped, distorted and glossed over view of my problem. As we peeled away all the distortions the urges diminished and disappeared. I still get my brain asking me from time to time if I would like to go back to my old habits, the difference now is I see it for what it actually is, recognise this as the pattern and act accordingly.
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I have no intention of returning to my old ways. It is wrong and I have drawn a line under it. I have no intention of going back to my addiction.
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I feel totally revitalised with a great outlook on life and a clear plan for the future.
I can’t thank Edward enough for the transformation he has made to my life.