2. About…..
I began a career in De-Addiction and Mental Health in 1995
in India. Over the last 19 years, I’ve had a wonderful journey in
assisting addicts and their families to deal with the overpowering
influence of alcohol and drug addiction in their lives. I have been
working with individuals of all ages who are looking to explore,
inquire, and work towards resolving emotional distress which has
affected their daily lives in some capacity.
If you need your loved one to walk on the pathway to recovery,
not only do you need to be the one giving them a gentle push
towards it, you need to walk beside them! Anyone who is willing
to change can get well...

3. Contents include….
1. Identifying Addiction ....12
2. Uncovering the Layers ....30
3. Characteristics of An Addict’s Family
4. Putting your foot down
5. Personality Sketch of An Addict ....58
6.The Neil Paul Addiction Recovery Model ....160
7. Frequently Asked Questions by Families ....170
8. Doing It Right ....177
Concluding Remarks… ....180
Stories That Inspire… ....184
Neil Paul Counseling

4. Neil Paul Counseling
To order book visit:
http://www.diamondbook.in/the-pathway-to-addictionrecovery.html

6. “Doing what’s right isn’t the problem. It’s knowing what’s right.”
– Lyndon. B Johnson
One of the most basic and pertinent questions that I find myself addressing as an addiction
counselor is to do with the identification of addiction. Family members often wonder whether
excessive use of alcohol or drugs is addiction or is it simply a lifestyle choice or a habit.
Identifying the problem, I believe, is the first step towards solving one.
Lifestyle choices or even habits for that matter have an element of free will or choice. Drug
users start to need the drug just to feel normal. That is addiction, and it can quickly take over a
person’s life.
Factors, such as genetics, age of first use, environment and mental health may play a part in
someone becoming addicted. Factors that can increase the risk of addiction are:
• Family history of substance use and/or mental health
• Childhood experiences – abuse, neglect, trauma, grief
• Mental health diagnoses: depression, anxiety, borderline personality and eating disorders
• Pre-teen or teenage drug, alcohol and/or tobacco use
• External factors causing stress, fatigue, other pressures
• Resentments that haven’t been resolved
Identifying Addiction

7. Uncovering the Layers
There are many different kinds of addictions, from drugs to risky activities. Although these diverse
addictions vary in many ways, there are common roots that bind them together. There are several
theories that model addiction: genetic theories, exposure theories (both biological and
conditioning), behavioural and cognitive theories, etc. As a concerned family member, it is natural
for you to want to know the reason behind this debilitating illness. There is no single answer to
this question as there are different approaches and perspectives to addiction. We will discuss a few
here.
 The Moral Model
 Biological Theories
 Biochemical Model
 Behavioural Theory
 Personality Theory
 Cognitive Theory
 Social Theory
 Cultural Theory
 Family Systems Theory

8. Putting Your Foot Down
Addicts who refuse help can be very difficult to reach in the struggle to overcome addiction.
The struggle becomes even more difficult for the family members who are emotionally
weakened by the persistent stresses of living with an addict. In general, the person with the
most erratic behaviour controls the behaviour of those around them.
 Prepare Yourself
There are a few major points you need to cover to prepare yourself when confronting
someone with addiction.
 First, know why you’re confronting them. What is it about their behavior that is
causing problems?
 Second, explore the addiction. You need to know all the facts so you can have an
informed conversation with the addict.
 Tread Lightly
 Take a Stand
 Cut Off Funding
 Detach Emotionally
 Ask Them to Leave
 Refuse Legal Aid
 Find the Right Scare Tactic

9. Personality Sketch of An Addict
One of the biggest questions in addiction research is why some people become dependent
on alcohol and drugs, while others are able to use these in moderation. Certainly some of the
risk lies in the addictive potential of the substances themselves, but still the vast majority of
individuals who have used alcohol and drugs never become dependent on them. This then
leads to the question, is there really such a thing as an “addictive personality”, and what puts
someone at a greater risk for addiction?
1. Impulsivity
2. Sensation Seeking
3. Denial
4. Low Self Esteem
5. Poor Frustration Tolerance
6. Heightened Stress and Anxiety
7. Compulsivity
8. Proneness to Negativity
9. Attention Seeking Behavior

12. Recovery Model
Most addicts will absolutely not be able to stop without getting some professional help. I am
here to help. I am qualified to assess the level of addiction and provide the appropriate type
of help needed. Once the addict has been stabilized, it is imperative that the addict stays in
treatment to work through the psychological pain that brought him into the addiction cycle.
The only way to manage addiction is through healthy methods and behavior modification
with an addiction professional.
 Duration
The program requires roughly one month of frequent, periodic visits to my clinic. The
frequent visits are planned with the hope of accelerating the initial phase of change and
recovery. Long gaps between sessions often reduce the momentum of growth and change
that is usually acquired right in the beginning of therapeutic work. Each session is of 2
hours..
 Number of Sessions
In this one month, 12 sessions are conducted on a three times a week basis. These sessions
involve individual as well as family therapy sessions. The sessions are well planned and goals
clearly outlined at the outset

13.  Week 1
1. Session 1 – Detailed Case History & Psychological Assessments
2. Session 2 – Psycho-Education Session
3. Session 3 – Redefining Honesty
 Week 2
1. Session 4 & 5- Anger Management
2. Problem Solving
 Week 3
1. Session 7- Twelve Steps (This session is dedicated to the famous ‘12
steps’ of the Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A), a support group that has
been a strong pillar in addiction recovery since many decades.)
2. Session 8 & 9- Family Issues
 Week 4
1. Session 10-12- Relapse Prevention

17. Contact
neilpaul1960@gmail.com
0-9818-095-235