Benzodiazepine Addiction
Addiction and recovery
Benzodiazepine Addiction
Making sense of dependence, risks, and treatment options
Understand what has changed and find support for the concerns behind your use.
✓ Registered Clinicians
✓ Virtual Across Ontario
✓ No-pressure Consultation
Understanding the distinction
Dependence and addiction are different
Benzodiazepine addiction involves difficulty controlling use and continuing despite harm. Physical dependence means your body has adapted to the medication and withdrawal can occur if it is reduced or stopped. Dependence alone does not mean you have an addiction.
Benzodiazepines are prescription sedatives used for conditions including anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. Examples include lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Rivotril), diazepam (Valium), and alprazolam (Xanax). CAMH explains benzodiazepines and their effects.
You may have started with a prescription that helped you through a difficult period. Now you might worry about being without it, feel that the pattern is harder to manage, or want to understand whether the medication is still helping. Those concerns deserve a conversation without assumptions about why you take it.
If you take benzodiazepines regularly, do not stop suddenly or reduce them on your own. Withdrawal can be dangerous. Talk with your prescriber about a safe plan. The FDA explains the risks of physical dependence and abrupt withdrawal.
At Wayfinder, individual therapy can support the emotional and behavioural side of change alongside medical care. Medication decisions belong with your prescribing clinician.
When to seek support
Signs your relationship with benzodiazepines needs attention
Taking prescribed medication is not, by itself, a sign of addiction. It is worth discussing changes in how you use it, how much choice you feel you have, and what is happening around it.
- Taking more than intended or outside the agreed prescription.
- Feeling driven to use despite problems with memory, work, or relationships.
- Spending increasing time seeking medication or hiding how much you take.
- Repeatedly trying to change your use without the support you need.
Needing a different dose or feeling unwell after a missed dose calls for medical advice, but neither establishes addiction on its own. An assessment considers dependence, the condition being treated, and the wider pattern together.
Care that addresses the whole picture
How therapy can support change
Medication review and psychological support have different roles. A prescriber assesses the benefits, risks, and any need for a gradual reduction. Therapy can help with the concerns that make change difficult, including anxiety, habits, and uncertainty about coping.
Understand the pattern
Explore what the medication helps with and what has become difficult. Separate worries about withdrawal from urges, habits, and loss of control.
Build practical coping skills
Develop ways to respond to anxiety, stress, and uncomfortable feelings. Work on routines that support daily life alongside your medical plan.
Address the underlying concerns
Make room for the sleep, anxiety, or life pressures connected to your use. Set therapy goals that reflect what you want to change.
Keep care coordinated
Discuss what belongs with your therapist and what needs medical attention. With your consent, collaboration can help keep the plan connected.
Current benzodiazepine tapering guidance supports individualized medical planning and psychological support where appropriate. Wayfinder does not prescribe medication or provide medical detoxification. If your needs go beyond outpatient therapy, we can help you explore additional treatment resources.
Putting the ideas into practice
Give medical planning and therapy clear roles
Bring a shared picture of the concern
Prepare a straightforward account of what worries you: reliance on medication, changes in how you take it, anxiety about reducing it, or difficulties with sleep and daily life. Bring medication questions to your prescriber and discuss the emotional and behavioural concerns with your therapist.
You do not need to decide on your own whether dependence or addiction is the right description before asking for help. Explain the pattern and let the assessment clarify what kind of support is appropriate.
Practise coping around ordinary pressures
Identify situations where the fear of not coping becomes strongest. That might be preparing for sleep, anticipating a stressful appointment, or facing uncertainty. Therapy can give you space to examine the thoughts and routines surrounding those moments.
Choose a manageable skill or routine to practise and review what happened. The purpose is to expand your options alongside medical care, not to prove that you should be able to manage without support.
Keep changes within the medical plan
Do not use a therapy exercise or a good week as a reason to alter medication on your own. Questions about dose changes, withdrawal, and new symptoms belong with a qualified medical professional. With your consent, coordination can help clarify who is responsible for each part of the plan and how concerns will be communicated.
What this can look like
A person wants to discuss their benzodiazepine use but worries they will not cope with anxiety if anything changes. They bring medication questions to their prescriber while using therapy to understand the situations that feel unmanageable and practise additional coping skills. The therapist and prescriber can coordinate with consent. The example is about connected support, not a suggestion to reduce or stop medication independently.
Planning safely
Withdrawal needs medical guidance
Withdrawal can be more than feeling anxious without medication. Depending on your situation, it may involve disturbed sleep, tremor, or other symptoms; severe withdrawal can include seizures. Do not use someone else’s schedule to decide how quickly to reduce.
A clinician needs to consider the medication, how long you have taken it, other medicines or substances, and your health history. If a reduction is appropriate, the pace should be tailored and reviewed. There is no single timeline that fits everyone.
Combining benzodiazepines with alcohol, opioids, or other sedating substances can increase the risk of dangerous sedation and breathing problems. Tell your healthcare provider about everything you take, including pills obtained outside a pharmacy.
Call 911 for a seizure, slowed or difficult breathing, or if someone cannot be awakened. Severe confusion also needs urgent medical assessment. A consultation with a therapist is not a substitute for emergency care.
Sessions & fees
Planning your support
Free 20-minute consultation
Talk about your concerns, ask how therapy works, and explore whether Wayfinder fits your needs. There is no commitment to continue.
Request a free consultation$175 per session
Individual therapy appointments are 50 minutes. We provide receipts; insurance reimbursement depends on your plan and your clinician’s professional designation.
Explore individual therapyClinic availability
The Wayfinder Clinic is accepting new clients for virtual therapy across Ontario. Appointment times and clinician availability vary; contact us to find a suitable fit.
Does physical dependence mean I am addicted?
No. Physical dependence can develop during prescribed use. Addiction involves a wider pattern, including impaired control and continued use despite harm. A healthcare professional can help distinguish the two.
Can I stop benzodiazepines on my own?
Do not abruptly stop or rapidly reduce regular benzodiazepine use without medical advice. Withdrawal can be serious, including seizures. Contact your prescriber for an individualized plan.
How long does a benzodiazepine taper take?
There is no universal schedule. The medication, duration of use, symptoms, and your health all matter. Your prescriber should tailor and review the plan rather than relying on a fixed deadline.
What if I take them exactly as prescribed?
You can still ask about benefits, risks, or physical dependence. Taking medication as prescribed does not mean you have an addiction. A medication review can help you and your clinician consider what is appropriate now.
What can a therapist help with during a medical taper?
Therapy can support coping with anxiety, routines, difficult feelings, and concerns about change. It complements medical care; your therapist does not replace the clinician managing your medication.
Can Wayfinder prescribe or supervise withdrawal?
No. Wayfinder provides psychotherapy, not prescribing or medical detoxification. We can discuss therapy fit and help you explore other services when medical or more intensive care is needed.
How to start
Make the call
Request a free 20-minute consultation.
Make the connection
Match with the therapist that fits best.
Make the change
Build practical skills and work toward lasting change.
Take the first step
Find support for what comes next.
You can bring your questions about dependence, habits, or coping. Start with a conversation about where therapy fits in your care.
20 minutes · Confidential · No pressure
Cocaine Addiction
Addiction and recovery
Cocaine Addiction
Understanding the cycle and finding support
Make sense of cravings, the crash, and the choices that can help you move forward.
✓ Registered Clinicians
✓ Virtual Across Ontario
✓ No-pressure Consultation
Understanding the cycle
What is cocaine addiction?
Cocaine addiction involves difficulty controlling cocaine use despite its effects on your health, relationships, finances, or daily life. Clinicians assess this pattern as a stimulant use disorder involving cocaine.
You might start a night with a limit in mind, then find yourself using again long after you planned to stop. The next day brings exhaustion, anxiety, or regret. By the following weekend, the reasons not to use can feel further away.
That pattern can be hard to talk about, especially when you are still managing work or keeping it hidden. You do not have to use every day, lose everything, or arrive with a diagnosis to ask for support.
Cocaine is a stimulant. Its brief effects can be followed by a strong urge to take more, making it difficult to end a session once it starts. CAMH explains cocaine, cravings, and the crash.
At Wayfinder, addiction therapy offers a place to understand the pattern and build a plan that addresses what keeps it going.
Looking beyond frequency
Signs cocaine use may be becoming a problem
The amount you use is only part of the picture. It also matters how much control you have, what happens around using, and how much time it takes to recover.
- Setting limits, then using more or staying out longer than intended.
- Spending more time, money, or attention on getting and using cocaine.
- Continuing despite conflict, missed commitments, or health concerns.
- Returning to use after promising yourself that the last time was different.
Cravings may become tied to particular people, places, paydays, or drinking. Hiding spending or rearranging plans can gradually make life smaller. These are useful details to bring to an assessment, rather than reasons to judge yourself.
Practical work, clear goals
How cocaine addiction treatment can help
Treatment can combine psychological support, medical assessment, and community resources. Cognitive behavioural therapy helps people recognize and change patterns around using. Some programs also offer contingency management, which uses structured incentives to reinforce treatment goals. The NHS outlines these treatment approaches.
Map the cycle
Identify what happens before, during, and after using. Look at the role of alcohol, social pressure, stress, and the crash that follows.
Respond to cravings
Practise ways to pause, leave a difficult situation, and reach for support. Prepare for the moments when good intentions are harder to follow.
Change the conditions
Work on routines, access, and boundaries that make a difference. Build alternatives for the times and relationships most connected to using.
Keep support connected
Review setbacks without losing sight of the goal. Adjust the plan and consider additional treatment when your needs call for more support.
At Wayfinder, therapy focuses on understanding your situation and developing practical responses. If you need medical care, withdrawal support, or a more intensive program, we can help you explore treatment and community resources. We do not provide emergency care or medical detoxification.
Putting the ideas into practice
Prepare for the situations where using becomes likely
Map the lead-up, not only the moment of use
A useful account begins before cocaine appears. Consider the invitation, the mood, the people present, and the decisions that made using easier. What did you expect the night to provide, and at what point did your intentions change?
This is not an exercise in assigning blame. It identifies places where a different arrangement may be possible, such as changing a plan, leaving earlier, or contacting someone before the situation becomes harder to interrupt.
Make support concrete
A plan to reach out is more usable when you know whom to contact and what to say. Discuss a short, direct message you could send when you are considering using or when a night has gone differently from what you intended.
Think about practical barriers too. Transport, money, access, and expectations within a friendship group can all belong in the therapy conversation. Choose arrangements that you can realistically follow and revisit them when circumstances change.
Review the aftermath without losing the thread
After a setback, bring the sequence back into the work: what happened, what the plan did not account for, and what support was missing. Include effects on relationships and responsibilities, not only whether use occurred. Medical or urgent safety concerns need the appropriate service; therapy can then help you review the pattern and reconnect with ongoing care.
What this can look like
Someone intends to avoid cocaine but repeatedly uses after meeting a particular group for drinks. The work looks at the whole sequence, including the invitation and the point when leaving becomes difficult. They consider a different social plan, arrange their own way home, and identify someone they can contact before using. A setback becomes something to examine and respond to, rather than a reason to disappear from support.
The crash and your safety
What happens after cocaine wears off?
The crash can bring tiredness, low mood, disrupted sleep, and strong cravings. After repeated use, those feelings may be harder to manage. A plan for stopping needs to account for your mood and safety as well as the urge to use again.
Tell a healthcare professional about other substances you use, particularly alcohol. Mixing cocaine with alcohol adds to the strain on the heart. The contents and strength of an unregulated drug supply can also be unpredictable. Health Canada explains cocaine’s health and overdose risks.
Call 911 for chest pain, a seizure, difficulty breathing, collapse, or suspected overdose. Do not wait for a therapy appointment. Severe paranoia or hallucinations also need urgent medical assessment.
If the crash includes thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 in Canada for immediate support. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. You deserve help through that moment, even if you are unsure about longer-term treatment.
Sessions & fees
Planning your support
Free 20-minute consultation
Talk about your concerns, ask how therapy works, and explore whether Wayfinder fits your needs. There is no commitment to continue.
Request a free consultation$175 per session
Individual therapy appointments are 50 minutes. We provide receipts; insurance reimbursement depends on your plan and your clinician’s professional designation.
Explore individual therapyClinic availability
The Wayfinder Clinic is accepting new clients for virtual therapy across Ontario. Appointment times and clinician availability vary; contact us to find a suitable fit.
Can I have a cocaine problem if I only use on weekends?
Yes. Daily use is not required. Difficulty keeping limits, repeated binges, cravings, and consequences can matter even when there are days or weeks between episodes. A clinician considers the overall pattern.
What is the difference between cocaine and crack?
Crack is a form of cocaine that can be smoked. Both can lead to addiction and serious health risks. The way someone uses cocaine does not determine whether they deserve support.
Why do I feel so low after using?
The crash after cocaine can include low mood, fatigue, changes in sleep, and cravings. Persistent or severe symptoms deserve medical attention. If you have thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 in Canada; call 911 if there is immediate danger.
Does cocaine addiction treatment require residential rehab?
Not always. Some people receive outpatient support while living at home; others need a more structured setting. Medical and mental health needs, safety, previous treatment, and available support help guide that decision.
Is it risky to mix cocaine and alcohol?
Yes. Using them together increases health risks, including serious heart problems. Tell your healthcare provider about both substances so your care addresses the full picture. Chest pain, collapse, or difficulty breathing needs emergency help.
Can therapy help if I have tried stopping before?
Yes. Previous attempts can show which situations, cravings, or gaps in support need more attention. Therapy can help you revise the plan and consider additional care. It cannot guarantee an outcome, but you do not have to figure out the next attempt alone.
How to start
Make the call
Request a free 20-minute consultation.
Make the connection
Match with the therapist that fits best.
Make the change
Build practical skills and work toward lasting change.
Take the first step
You can change what comes next.
If cocaine is taking more than you want to give it, start with a conversation. We can help you think through the pattern and a practical way forward.
20 minutes · Confidential · No pressure
Cannabis Addiction
Addiction and recovery
Cannabis Addiction
When using starts getting in the way
Understand the pattern, make room for change, and find support that fits.
✓ Registered Clinicians
✓ Virtual Across Ontario
✓ No-pressure Consultation
Understanding the pattern
What is cannabis addiction?
Cannabis addiction, often discussed clinically as cannabis use disorder, involves difficulty controlling cannabis use even when it is causing problems in your life.
Not everyone who uses cannabis develops an addiction. But being legal, familiar, or part of your routine does not make it harmless. You might still get through work or school while feeling that evenings, sleep, or downtime have become organized around getting high.
Perhaps you started using to relax. Now you keep putting off a break, use more than you meant to, or feel uncomfortable without it. Those are reasons to look more closely, even if other people tell you that cannabis is not a real problem.
A clinician considers the pattern, its impact, and how much control you have. A diagnosis is not based only on how often you use, and you do not need one before asking for help. Health Canada explains cannabis dependence and addiction.
At Wayfinder, addiction therapy gives you space to understand what cannabis is doing for you and what you want to change.
When the routine becomes restrictive
Signs cannabis may be getting in the way
The concern may be less about one difficult night and more about a pattern that keeps narrowing your choices. Experiences worth discussing include:
- Using more often, or for longer, than you intended.
- Planning to cut back, then returning to the same routine.
- Continuing despite conflict, missed responsibilities, or concerns about your health.
- Giving up activities or making plans around when you can use.
Strong urges, needing more for the same effect, and withdrawal symptoms when you stop can also be part of the picture. These signs call for a conversation, not a judgment about your character.
Tell your clinician which products you use, their THC strength if you know it, how you use them, and whether alcohol or other substances are involved. That context helps make the assessment more useful.
Change that fits your life
How therapy can help with cannabis use
Therapy can help you connect your reasons for using with practical ways to change. Cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational approaches are among the treatments used for cannabis use disorder. The work is collaborative: understanding the pattern matters alongside deciding what to do next.
Understand the role it plays
Explore the moments you reach for cannabis and what you hope it will change. Look at what the routine gives you and what it costs.
Build other ways to cope
Practise responding to urges, stress, and uncomfortable feelings. Develop options for evenings, social situations, and time on your own.
Plan for difficult moments
Make a realistic plan for triggers and changes in sleep or mood. Discuss the support you may need when the usual routine is interrupted.
Review what is changing
Track the effects on daily life and adjust the plan together. A setback can show where more support or a different approach is needed.
You can begin with uncertainty. A useful conversation can include both the reasons you want to change and the reasons you are reluctant to. Therapy should help clarify those tensions without pretending they are simple.
Putting the ideas into practice
Look beyond the habit to the life around it
Identify the job cannabis is doing
Consider a typical day when you use cannabis. Is it connected to getting through boredom, settling after work, joining friends, or trying to sleep? More than one reason can be present, and the reason may change across the week.
Bring that pattern into the conversation. A plan for evenings spent alone may look different from a plan for a social group where cannabis is always available. The aim is to understand the situation well enough to choose a realistic change.
Plan what will fill the space
Changing a familiar routine leaves time and feelings that still need somewhere to go. Discuss what you could do at the moment you usually use, who could support the change, and what makes the alternative difficult to follow.
Treat the plan as something to review. If an activity does not meet the need cannabis was meeting, that is useful information for the next session, rather than a reason to abandon the work.
Notice changes in functioning
Alongside changes in use, pay attention to the parts of life that brought you to therapy: mornings, concentration, spending, relationships, or keeping plans. Describe both improvements and difficulties. This gives you and your therapist a clearer basis for deciding what to keep, what to adjust, and whether other concerns need assessment.
What this can look like
A person uses cannabis every evening to switch off, then finds that mornings and unfinished tasks are becoming difficult. Rather than starting with a demand to overhaul their life, therapy explores the evening routine and what makes it hard to settle. They choose one change to try, consider how to handle the urge to return to the usual routine, and review the effects on sleep and daily responsibilities.
Making a change
What to expect when you cut back
After frequent, prolonged use, reducing or stopping cannabis can bring withdrawal symptoms. You may feel irritable or anxious, have less appetite, sleep poorly, or experience vivid dreams. Symptoms often become most noticeable in the first few days; some, especially sleep changes, can last longer.
Those changes can make it tempting to return to the old routine. Plan for support rather than treating the first difficult night as proof that you cannot manage without cannabis. A clinician can help you work through cravings and discuss when medical assessment would be useful.
If you use cannabis for a medical condition, talk with your prescriber about changes and how that condition will be managed. Also mention any other substances or medicines you use; their risks and withdrawal needs may be different.
Seek urgent medical help for severe confusion, hallucinations, or symptoms that make you feel unsafe. You can read more about withdrawal in CAMH’s cannabis overview.
Sessions & fees
Planning your support
Free 20-minute consultation
Talk about your concerns, ask how therapy works, and explore whether Wayfinder fits your needs. There is no commitment to continue.
Request a free consultation$175 per session
Individual therapy appointments are 50 minutes. We provide receipts; insurance reimbursement depends on your plan and your clinician’s professional designation.
Explore individual therapyClinic availability
The Wayfinder Clinic is accepting new clients for virtual therapy across Ontario. Appointment times and clinician availability vary; contact us to find a suitable fit.
Can cannabis really be addictive?
Yes. Not everyone who uses cannabis becomes addicted, but cannabis use disorder is a recognized condition. Difficulty controlling use, continuing despite harm, cravings, tolerance, and withdrawal are relevant to an assessment.
Does daily use mean I have cannabis use disorder?
Daily or near-daily use increases risk, but frequency alone does not establish a diagnosis. A clinician also considers control over use, consequences, and other symptoms. You can ask for support even if you are unsure whether a diagnosis applies.
Can edibles or vaping cause dependence too?
Yes. Cannabis use disorder is not limited to smoking. Products containing THC, including edibles, vapes, and concentrates, can be involved. Switching how you use does not automatically resolve a loss-of-control pattern.
What if I use cannabis to sleep or manage anxiety?
Tell your clinician what it helps with and what it makes harder. A plan can address the underlying concern as well as cannabis use. Sleep and mood may change when you cut back, so it helps to plan support. If cannabis is prescribed, involve your prescriber.
Do I have to decide to quit before starting therapy?
No. You can begin by exploring your concerns and what you want from support. A clinician can discuss reducing harm or stopping, along with health needs and the risks of continued use. You do not have to settle every question before the first conversation.
Can parents come if their teen will not?
Yes. Parents can seek support for their own concerns, communication, and boundaries. That work does not require a promise that your teen will attend. A consultation can help clarify whether parent-focused or family support is a fit.
How to start
Make the call
Request a free 20-minute consultation.
Make the connection
Match with the therapist that fits best.
Make the change
Build practical skills and work toward lasting change.
Take the first step
Make room for something different.
If cannabis is taking up more of your life than you want it to, start with a conversation. Tell us what is happening and explore a practical next step.
20 minutes · Confidential · No pressure
Alcohol Addiction
Addiction and recovery
Alcohol Addiction
Understanding your drinking and finding a way forward
Make sense of the pattern, explore your options, and find support that fits.
✓ Registered Clinicians
✓ Virtual Across Ontario
✓ No-pressure Consultation
Understanding the pattern
What is alcohol addiction?
Alcohol addiction is commonly described clinically as alcohol use disorder (AUD): a pattern of drinking that becomes difficult to control and continues despite harm to health, relationships, or daily life.
It can look different from the picture you have in mind. You might be keeping up at work while spending more time recovering from drinking. You might only drink on weekends, but repeatedly go further than you intended. Or alcohol may have become the main way you switch off.
The question is not whether your drinking looks worse than someone else’s. It is what drinking is doing in your life, how much choice you feel you have, and whether the pattern is moving you away from what matters.
Alcohol use disorder can range from mild to severe. A clinician looks at the pattern over time, rather than diagnosing from a single night or a drinks total. You do not need a diagnosis to ask for help. CAMH explains alcohol, dependence, and treatment.
At Wayfinder, addiction therapy offers space to understand the pattern and work toward practical change.
When drinking starts to cost you
Signs your relationship with alcohol may need attention
There is no single look to a drinking problem. These experiences are worth discussing with a qualified clinician:
- Drinking more, or for longer, than you meant to.
- Making plans to cut back, then finding the same pattern returns.
- Continuing despite arguments, missed responsibilities, or health concerns.
- Organizing more of your day around drinking, recovering, or managing urges.
Needing more alcohol for the same effect, or feeling shaky, sweaty, nauseated, or anxious when you reduce it, can also be important. Tell a healthcare professional about these symptoms.
You can still need support without drinking every day. Equally, drinking above health guidance does not by itself establish alcohol use disorder. A proper assessment considers your control, consequences, health, and circumstances.
Before stopping or cutting down: if you may be physically dependent, read the withdrawal guidance below and speak with a healthcare professional first.
Support that goes beyond willpower
How therapy can help with alcohol use
Therapy can help you understand your reasons for drinking and build skills for change. Approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational work can be part of treatment. The plan should fit the person, rather than asking everyone to follow the same route.
Understand what alcohol does for you
Look at when drinking happens, what comes before it, and what you hope it will change. That gives the work a practical starting point.
Build other ways to respond
Practise handling urges, difficult feelings, and high-risk situations. Plan what you can do when the familiar response is to drink.
Choose a workable goal
Discuss reducing harm or working toward abstinence, alongside any medical needs. Your plan should reflect your circumstances and safety.
Review and reconnect
Notice what helps, where the plan breaks down, and what support is missing. A setback is a reason to review the plan and reconnect with care.
Alcohol treatment can include therapy, medical care, medication, peer support, or a combination. A prescriber can assess whether medication is appropriate; Wayfinder’s psychotherapy appointments are not medication or detox services. Explore evidence-based treatment options.
Putting the ideas into practice
Build a plan around the moments you actually face
Start with a specific drinking situation
Rather than trying to explain every part of your drinking at once, bring one recent situation to therapy. Where were you, what had happened that day, and when did drinking become the next step? Include what alcohol seemed to offer, such as relief, company, or a way to stop thinking.
That detail helps turn a broad goal into a practical question. If evenings alone are difficult, the plan may need to address both the drinking routine and the loneliness that surrounds it. Simply removing the drink does not explain what will take its place.
Make the goal observable
Discuss what you want to notice in daily life: keeping commitments, spending differently, being present with family, or feeling more able to choose your response. Review those changes alongside your drinking pattern.
A goal also needs a response for difficult days. Decide what you will bring back to therapy if the plan is not working, rather than waiting until you can report a successful week.
Connect the different parts of care
Bring questions about withdrawal, medication, or physical symptoms to a medical professional. Therapy can address routines and coping while medical care addresses needs outside psychotherapy. With your permission, discuss how those supports can communicate so that you are not left trying to reconcile different plans alone.
What this can look like
Someone decides not to drink on weeknights but finds that arriving home alone is the hardest part of the day. In therapy, they explore what that first drink offers and plan a different way to get through that hour, including a meal, an activity, and someone to contact. The next conversation reviews what was workable and what still needs attention. If withdrawal is a concern, medical assessment comes before changing alcohol use.
A medical step may come first
Alcohol withdrawal needs a safe plan
If your body has become dependent on alcohol, abruptly stopping or sharply reducing it can be dangerous. Arrange medical advice before making that change, especially if you have had withdrawal symptoms, seizures, or severe confusion in the past.
A physician, nurse practitioner, or withdrawal-management service can assess the level of support you need. Some people require supervised medical care. A therapy session cannot replace that assessment or manage a medical emergency.
Call 911 for a seizure, severe confusion, difficulty breathing, or difficulty waking someone. These can be signs of an emergency. Do not wait for a consultation appointment.
For help finding addiction and withdrawal-management services in Ontario, contact ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600. Its information and referral service is free and available 24/7.
Sessions & fees
Planning your support
Free 20-minute consultation
Talk about your concerns, ask how therapy works, and explore whether Wayfinder fits your needs. There is no commitment to continue.
Request a free consultation$175 per session
Individual therapy appointments are 50 minutes. We provide receipts; insurance reimbursement depends on your plan and your clinician’s professional designation.
Explore individual therapyClinic availability
The Wayfinder Clinic is accepting new clients for virtual therapy across Ontario. Appointment times and clinician availability vary; contact us to find a suitable fit.
Do I have to drink every day to have an alcohol problem?
No. The pattern, its consequences, and how much control you have matter, not just how often you drink. Periods without alcohol do not rule out a problem. A clinician can help assess what is happening.
How much drinking is too much?
Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health describes increasing health risk as alcohol use rises. Two standard drinks or fewer per week is its lowest drinking-risk range, not a guarantee of safety and not a diagnostic threshold. Concerns about control or consequences deserve attention even without a high weekly total.
Can I work on cutting back instead of stopping completely?
You can bring that goal to a conversation with a clinician. Some people work on reducing harm; others choose abstinence. Medical history, dependence, past attempts, and your circumstances influence what is appropriate. If withdrawal is possible, seek medical advice before reducing alcohol.
Do I need residential treatment?
Not everyone does. The right level of care depends on withdrawal risk, health, daily functioning, safety, and available support. Some people receive outpatient care; others need more intensive treatment. An assessment can help clarify your options.
Can medication help with alcohol addiction?
Medication can be part of treatment for alcohol use disorder. A qualified prescriber can discuss suitable options, benefits, risks, and interactions. Psychotherapy and prescribing are different services; Wayfinder does not provide medical withdrawal management.
What if I have tried to change before?
Bring that history with you. It can help identify what was missing, what worked for a time, and what needs to be different. You can return to support after a setback without having every answer in place.
How to start
Make the call
Request a free 20-minute consultation.
Make the connection
Match with the therapist that fits best.
Make the change
Build practical skills and work toward lasting change.
Take the first step
You can start with an honest conversation.
If drinking is taking up more space than you want it to, tell us what is happening. A free consultation can help you explore support and decide on a next step.
20 minutes · Confidential · No pressure