Addictions and habits A to Z
Straight, practical guides to the habits and addictions people ask me about most. Each one has a free check that shows where you sit on the scale from everyday habit to addiction, explains what to look out for and where to get help, and says honestly where hypnotherapy can play a part.
Habits and cravings
These are the areas I work with directly, one to one. Hypnotherapy can help change how you respond when the urge hits, alongside your own effort.
Smoking and nicotine
- Smoking. Breaking the routine that keeps you lighting up
- Vaping. When the vape never leaves your hand
- Nicotine pouches and snus. A newer habit that can creep up quickly
Food and drink
- Sugar cravings. Taking back control from the afternoon biscuit tin
- Chocolate. When one square turns into the whole bar
- Snacking. Night-time and boredom grazing
- Overeating. Eating past full, or when you’re not hungry
- Emotional eating. Using food to deal with stress or low mood
- Caffeine and coffee. Wired, tired and relying on the next cup
- Energy drinks. The can that gets you through the afternoon
- Fizzy drinks and diet cola. A habit that is hard to swap out
Phones, screens and games
- Phone use. Checking your phone without meaning to
- Doom scrolling. TikTok, Reels, Shorts and scrolling at night
- Social media. Getting your attention back
- Video games. When play pushes out sleep, work and people
Work, money and lifestyle
- Shopping and spending. When buying becomes a way to change how you feel
- Procrastination. Putting things off until the last minute
- Workaholism. When you can’t switch off from work
- Exercise addiction. When training stops being a choice
- Sunbeds and tanning. The pull of a tan, and the skin cancer risk
Body-focused habits
- Nail biting. Stopping the habit your hands do on their own
- Cheek and lip biting. Chewing at the inside of your mouth
- Knuckle cracking. The urge to crack your knuckles or neck
- Teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Day and night, alongside your dentist
Love and relationships
- Getting over an ex. When the pull hasn’t eased months or years later
- Love addiction. Feeling hooked on a person or on falling in love
- Codependency. Losing yourself in someone else’s needs
When you need medical care first
These need proper medical or specialist support. Each guide tells you where to find free, confidential help in the UK, and how hypnotherapy can sit alongside that care.
Alcohol
- Alcohol. Signs of dependence, and why stopping suddenly can be dangerous
- Cutting down on drinking. Wine o’clock and drinking most days
- Binge drinking. Heavy nights and the risks that come with them
Gambling and trading
- Gambling. Chasing losses, debt and the 24 hour helpline
- Online gambling and slots. When the casino is in your pocket
- Sports betting. In-play bets, accumulators and free bet offers
- Trading and crypto. When trading starts to look like gambling
Drugs
- Cocaine. The risks, the comedowns and where to get help
- Cannabis. Smoking weed every day and finding it hard to stop
- Ketamine. Bladder harm and where to get help
- Nitrous oxide. Nerve damage and what to watch for
- Heroin and opioids. Overdose risks, naloxone and treatment
- Steroids. Anabolic steroids and body image
Prescription and pharmacy medicines
- Codeine and co-codamol. When painkillers become hard to manage
- Tramadol. Dependence and the risks of mixing
- Benzodiazepines. Diazepam, Xanax and street benzos
- Sleeping pills. Zopiclone, zolpidem and over-the-counter sleep aids
- Pregabalin and gabapentin. Dependence and the dangers of mixing
Sex, porn and body image
- Porn. When watching feels out of control
- Sex and porn. Compulsive sexual behaviour
- Cosmetic surgery. When no procedure ever feels like enough
- Skin picking. When picking causes wounds or distress
- Hair pulling. Trichotillomania and where to get support
Hypnotherapy is not a replacement for medical care. If you’re worried about your health, please speak to your GP. If you are feeling hopeless or thinking about ending your life, call Samaritans free on 116 123.