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Welcome to Addiction Recovery.ie This site promotes the  Harm Reduction and relapse prevention approach in working with individuals in addiction and also has tools and resources which you can access and download free of charge.

Harm reduction is a philosophy that approaches change compassionately.

It is based on the belief that each individual’s relationship with drugs and alcohol is different substance abuse develops from a unique interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors.It respects that people use drugs for a variety of reasons.

It addresses the complex relationship that people develop with drugs and alcohol. Drug and alcohol issues are addressed simultaneously with social and occupational concerns and psychological and emotional issues.

Engaging in an addictive behaviour typically provides immediate rewards that increase pleasure and/or decrease pain.  In other words, people engage in addictive behaviours to “feel good” (enhanced pleasure) or to “feel better” (self medication of pain) although both motives can exist at the same time.

The rewards of following addictive behaviours serve to maintain their excessive frequency, intensity, and duration, despite the delayed negative consequences, which can be quite severe and long lasting.