Discover Your Cause of Addiction.
Learn how the four core causes of addiction—chemical imbalance, unresolved past events, current life pressures, and limiting beliefs—may be affecting you, and how the Passages team helps you identify and heal them at the root.
The Four Causes of Addiction.
There are only four causes of all addiction. It may seem as if there are hundreds — but there are only four. You may have quit many times, only to relapse. What draws you back again and again are the unresolved mental and emotional conditions produced by one or more of the four causes below.
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1
A Chemical Imbalance
When brain chemistry is out of balance, substances can feel like the only way to feel “normal” again.
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2
Events of the Past You Have Not Reconciled
Unresolved trauma, loss, or painful experiences that were never fully processed or healed.
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3
Current Conditions You Can’t Cope With
Stressful or overwhelming life situations that feel unmanageable without turning to substances.
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4
Things You Believe That Aren’t True
Deeply held negative beliefs about yourself, others, or life that keep you stuck in a cycle of use.
Our therapists have gathered the most common examples of these four causes over more than twenty years, working with thousands of clients. As you review the examples, you’ll be able to check off the ones that apply to you.
Once you send your responses to us, we’ll tell you what we can do to help you put an end to your addiction. Because of the pain, shame, sadness, and hurt you experienced when it was still fresh, you may have pushed the primary cause out of your awareness.
Not to worry — what we do best is help you find and heal it. We’ll respond promptly and share what we’ve done for the thousands of people who have come to Passages for help with conditions similar to yours.
We didn’t prove what we do works — the thousands of people who trusted us enough to come to Passages for help have shown it.
We believe in you — totally. You’re not “an addict” or “an alcoholic.” Those are labels unknowledgeable people have stuck on you. You are a wonderful, valuable, deserving person who is suffering from an unrecognized cause.
Talk to Passages Malibu in Complete Confidence.
Since 2001, Passages Malibu has set the standard for holistic, Non-12 Step addiction treatment.
You deserve the best help available. Call Passages anytime or fill out the confidential form below to speak with an admissions specialist and explore your treatment options.
Confidential Contact Form
A member of our admissions team will reach out as soon as possible. If this is an emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency number.