Marijuana Addiction Edgbaston Birmingham Therapy

10/02/2025

Insomnia and Sleep Issues
Lying awake at night, staring at the ceiling, feeling wired but exhausted?
If that sounds familiar , there’s a good chance your cortisol levels are out of control.
And here’s the deal: high cortisol is more than just a bad night’s sleep—it’s a serious roadblock to your health, energy, and your ability to hit the flow state.
Cortisol is your body’s built-in alarm system.
It’s meant to help you handle stress, but when it sticks around too long—especially at night—it can wreak havoc on your sleep.
Studies show that elevated evening cortisol is one of the biggest culprits behind tossing and turning, disrupted sleep cycles, and that feeling of being “tired but wired”.
When your cortisol levels are too high in the evening, your body stays in a state of alertness, making it nearly impossible to relax and fall asleep.
And poor sleep doesn’t just affect your mood—it drags down your entire health, energy, and performance.
The Cost of High Cortisol:
1. Disrupted Sleep
High cortisol messes with your body’s natural circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. You wake up feeling drained, no matter how long you’ve been in bed.
2. Increased Stress and Anxiety
Cortisol is linked to heightened stress responses. If your cortisol stays high, your body is constantly in “fight-or-flight” mode, which leads to more stress, anxiety, and mental fog during the day.
3. Blocked Flow State
Cortisol doesn’t just affect your sleep—it blocks your ability to enter the flow state. The flow state is where you’re fully focused and performing at your best, but high cortisol keeps your brain stuck in overdrive, making it impossible to focus deeply or think creatively.
Now, imagine what happens when you cut evening cortisol by 25%.
You’re not just lowering your stress—you’re giving your body the green light to relax, sleep deeply, and wake up energized.
Lowering cortisol improves your sleep quality, reduces anxiety, and opens the door for you to finally access the flow state.
When cortisol comes down:
1. Deep, Restorative Sleep
Lower cortisol allows your body to enter its natural rest-and-recover mode, improving sleep quality and helping you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.
2. Reduced Anxiety, More Clarity
When your cortisol levels are balanced, you’ll notice less anxiety, better mental clarity, and an increased sense of calm. This sets you up for a more productive, focused day.
3. More Consistent Flow State
With cortisol in check, your mind and body can work together, making it easier to slip into the flow state—where creativity, focus, and high performance come effortlessly.
You don’t have to spend another night staring at the ceiling, trapped in a cycle of poor sleep and high stress.
Lowering your evening cortisol naturally is possible, and it’s the key to better sleep, more energy, and consistent access to the flow state.
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 to discuss your insomnia issue in more detail
Email - stuart .co.uk
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/.../hypnotherapy-for...
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Stuart Downing is a trusted hypnotherapist helping clients overcome their issues across the UK and worldwide. Read his reviews here.

25/01/2025

What is cannabis addiction and am I addicted?
Smoking cannabis is something people turn to for numerous reasons. Typically it is to distract them from life’s problems. In some instances, it’s a result of long term problems such as anxiety, depression and problems relating with close friends and family. The truth is that cannabis is able to only distract them from their problems for a short period of time but that time frame is usually enough to form a dependency. In this page, we’ll talk about how you can break the reliance using hypnotherapy for cannabis addiction..

Can hypnotherapy help with cannabis addiction?
As you are visiting this page, the chances are that you are familiar with cannabis and understand its effects, both positive and negative. Of course, it can give elevated feelings of relaxation, reduction in pain levels and enhanced sleep. But, more negatively, it can cause paranoia, anxiety attacks, dizziness, nausea, tension, hallucinations, psychosis, short term memory loss and lack of coordination. A number of people struggle to quit using cannabis, even if they are experiencing these negative effects, both mentally and physically. When this happens they may realise that they have a cannabis reliance.

Whether you eat, drink or smoke cannabis, there are some physical symptoms that come with it. These may include increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, permanently restricted fertility in both sexes, permanent problems with short term loss of memory, lack of dexterity, lack of balance, and the increased possibility of developing a mental illness. Teenagers who have smoked cannabis just five times have an increased risk of psychosis according to the NHS website

The issue with dependency is that while you may be worried about the risks or finding that the negative effects of cannabis are taking over your life, you really feel powerless to stop. What is usually misunderstood is that the dependency affects both the conscious and the subconscious mind and as such it often needs professional help to cause change. Hypnotherapy for cannabis addiction can help with the change. If you find that you are smoking cannabis frequently with little control, it may be time to find yourself some help before it causes you any more long-term injury.
Hypnosis could help remove emotional dependency, making it easier to regain control. Treatment may differ depending on your needs, so the place to start is to have an initial consultation to assess your situation. You will probably be able to gain control of your dependency and work towards total abstinence. The hypnotherapist will not remove the addiction; they simply enable you to change the beliefs about your cannabis use at the subconscious level. Hypnotherapy helps you find ways to satisfy the underlying needs in a different, healthier way, so despite the fact that it doesn’t remove the addiction, it helps to divert and channel it more effectively. Why not take the first step to change? Allow yourself to become a master of your destiny rather than a victim of addiction, and look into the power of hypnosis for cannabis addiction today by contacting Stuart

Zoom online appointments

Call Stuart for a free confidential consultation – 07825 599340
stuart@stuartdowning.co.uk
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-for-cannabis-addiction
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.co.uk/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-for-alcohol-addiction
https://harleystreetaddictionspecialist.co.uk

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Stuart Downing is an expert life coach offering life and business coaching in London, across the UK, internationally, and online coaching.

18/04/2022

Fast Addiction treatment with Neuroscience techniques
People who are prone to addiction often believe they cannot become addicted or stop their addiction any time they want. However, the reality of it is different and they feel despair when they cannot break the strong addiction cycle that negatively affects their life and their loved ones.
Whether you have a behavioural addiction, alcohol use disorder (AUD), or substance use disorder (SUD), the first step to addiction treatment is to recognize your addiction and decide to change. Next, you have to select the right treatment approach so that you can get the resources required to overcome the mental challenges.
How to overcome addiction?
In order to overcome addiction, you have to recognise that you have a problem that needs to be fixed. This is tough for most people who have become a victim of addiction and it takes time to process your thoughts internally to make a life-changing decision. This period is known as the ‘contemplation’ stage.
Common forms of addiction include:
● Drug addiction
● co***ne addiction
● cannabis addiction
● alcohol addiction
● gambling addiction
● food addiction - eating disorders
● anxiety
● P.T.S.D
● And more
It is recommended that you consult an addiction specialist to help you understand the harm reduction strategies that you have to follow. Setting ambitious goals such as trying to quit ‘cold turkey’ is an unrealistic approach and can cause more harm since you can end up relapsing. It is much better to consult an experienced addiction specialist and set a more realistic goal that you can follow.
How neuroscience techniques can help treat addiction fast
There are many different approaches to overcoming addiction such as using psychotherapy practices and medications for different forms of addiction. The different forms of psychotherapy that are used to treat addictive behaviour often includes the 12-step facilitation. Medication-based therapy includes detoxification for treating serious substance use disorders using suitable medications.
However, using neuroscience techniques, Hypnotherapy, NLP, E.M.D.R, and rapid intervention techniques can help you to get rid of your addiction in the shortest time possible
You need to be in the care of an experienced addiction specialist who can personalize a recovery program suitable for you. The program would allow you to recognize your cycle of addictive behaviour and allow you to cope with the triggers.
How to manage withdrawal symptoms and avoid relapse
Overcoming any form of addiction is challenging since you have to deal with withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable and sometimes life-threatening. Generally, acute withdrawal symptoms pass within a week or so. However, if you suffer from post-acute withdrawal syndrome(PAWS) the symptoms can continue for weeks, months, and even years if not managed properly..
On average, almost 40 per cent of people who are trying to overcome substance use addiction relapse at some point in their journey. This happens due to strong urges known as cravings which can cause you to engage in your favourite form of addictive behaviour. Cravings can creep up on you after weeks or months and can be difficult to manage without help.
Using a combination of integrative therapies and nuero science techniques, the addictive behaviour is controlled/ reduced and the route cause issues resolved
If you want to overcome your addiction fast and need support you can contact Harley Street Addiction Specialist, London.
Call Stuart - 020 3143 5263/07825 599340 for a free no obligation telephone consultation
Harley Street Addiction Specialist
1 Harley Street,
London, W1G 9QD
stuart@harleystreetaddictionspecialist.co.uk
https://www.harleystreetaddictionspecialist.co.uk

Treatments for a wide variety of Addictions, Substance and Drug Abuse, Quitting Smoking, Eating Disorders, Weight Loss, Panic Attacks, Anxiety and PTSD.

22/02/2022

A recent Client review from a satisfied client with therapy for her eating disorder .
If you or somebody you care for requires help with eating issues ,
contact Stuart- 07825 599340
Online appointments available .
stuart@hypnotherapy4freedom.com
www.hypnotherapy4freedom.com
https://www.stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews

I was struggling with an eating disorder which had been getting gradually worse since I was 11 years old. Stuart helped me to identify the causes of my abnormal eating and through hypnotherapy helped me to change my mindset and relationship with food, giving me coping mechanisms to deal with my emot...

01/02/2022

Recent client review regarding successful Hypnotherapy Stop Smoking in one session - £295 - Online - Saturday appointments available
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 if you are having issues around stopping smoking
Please see our independent client review page -
https://www.stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews
Email - stuart@hypnotherapy4freedom.com
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.com/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-to-stop-smoking-in-birmingham

I felt totally at ease, relaxed and under no pressure , it’s well worth talking to stuart as he can advise and guide you thru and process required, all in all perfect session and STILL smoke free and 16 weeks . Try it , it really works.

20/10/2021

Stop Smoking with Hypnotherapy - 1 session online via Zoom
New client review posted today
Book your session NOW and become Smoke free - £285
Call Stuart -07825 599340
stuart@hypnotherapy4freedom.com
www.hypnotherapy4freedom.com
https://www.stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews

Perfect session with Stuart felt totally relaxed and focussed on what was going on, been over a week now and feeling superb without the ni****ne going into my body hopefully a brighter and longer future to come Definitely recommend to others thinking of quitting smoking .

10/10/2021

09/05/2021

Client review posted today- on independently verified review site regarding my clients coaching experience.
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 for a no obligation call to discuss how coaching can be beneficial to you .
stuart@stuartdowning.co.uk
www.stuartdowning.co.uk
Online appointments available now
https://www.stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews

I cannot recommend Stuart enough. Stuarts professionalism and understanding of such a wide variety of life issues that effect mental health, relationships and personal development allowed me to work a process of recovery from rock bottom. Stuart is not just a Hypnotherapist his talking therapy is al...

28/04/2021

Client review posted today, successfully treating addiction .
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 to discuss your issue and how hypnotherapy and neuro- therapy techniques can enable you to break free .
See all client reviews - https://www.stuartdowning.co.uk/client-reviews
Online Zoom appointments available
stuart@stuartdowning.co.uk
www,hypnotherapy4freedom.com

Stuart is a masterful practitioner within his field. I contacted his hypnotherapy practice full of scepticism after realising I needed to seek alternative avenues to those I’d already explored. Stuart listened to my problems and then gave me insight into the mental triggers and impulses that influ...

26/03/2021

NEW... Client review .... Insomnia and anxiety - resolved rapidly with sleep therapy .
Call Stuart -07825 599340 for a free consultation to discuss how sleep therapy
can resolve your issues and return to peaceful sleep
Online Zoom appointments available NOW
stuart@hypnotherapy4freedom.com
https://hypnotherapy4freedom.com/hypnotherapy-services/hypnotherapy-for-sleep-disorders-insomnia

Thankyou for your commitment towards my anxiety and insomnia problems, I feel so relieved to have found Stuart , he helped me to learn about how to reduce panic attacks aswell as self development in training myself to cope with anxiety around sleeping, before I met him I really was struggling to cop...

21/03/2021

The new model science of addiction
Scientists now view addiction more as the symptom of, effectively, a rewiring of the brain and, specifically, of the brain’s reward system. Addiction, therefore, is not so much to the drug or behaviour, but instead to the reward that drug or behaviour can trigger inside the brain.
Fundamental to this is dopamine. Everyone will produce dopamine and will be familiar with the buzz it can provide, perhaps from the satisfaction of successfully completing a difficult task or the thrill of seeing a team you support win. The chemical is part of our evolutionary history, helping to reward the behaviours that ensured the survival not just of our individual ancestors, but also of our species.
Addiction, however, hijacks this system. With drugs, it might be chemically, affecting the way the brain processes dopamine to increase the intensity of the hit which, in turn, starts the re-wiring process. With other addictive behaviours it will just be the brain that re-wires itself to demand more of the behaviour and the associated dopamine.
Surprising evidence of this may come from treatments for Parkinson’s disease. The illness destroys the brain’s ability to produce dopamine, so patients will often be prescribed replacement therapy. However, in one study about 14% went on to develop addictions after starting the therapy.
How the brain changes with addiction
One model of addiction, developed by Professor Rita Goldstein, suggests addiction is a combination of two factors, salience attribution and inhibition impairment. Essentially, the addiction begins to dominate the addict’s thoughts, while also diminishing their ability to exercise self-control. A description that many familiar with addiction will recognize.
However, Goldstein has also studied the physical and cognitive impacts on the brain in an attempt to understand this further3. She noticed that with co***ne addicts, there was a deterioration in the volume of grey matter in the prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain controls things like decision-making and planning.
Goldstein found, interestingly, that while the addicts performed badly on routine cognitive tests, when the cognitive tests were related to drugs, their performance was above average. In other words, their brain had physically adapted to be better at feeding their addictions at the expense of other parts of their life.
The causes of addiction
The science of addiction still to understand the exact causes of addictive behaviour, especially why some people become addicts while other people are unaffected by the same stimuli. The difficulty is not just the limits of the science being used, there are also external factors that appear to have an impact, making it hard to establish precise causes and their effects.
Social cues may affect the way people approach potentially addictive behaviours. While factors like age might also play a role, especially with drugs, where their faster metabolisms might increase their risk of developing an addiction. Past events like trauma might increase the impact, while a family history of addiction might create a genetic predisposition, or a social factor, or a mix of both.
However, research has firmly moved the understanding of addiction from the old-fashioned view of it as a moral failure and, increasingly, to a disease to which, like any other illness, some people appear to be more susceptible than others.
The cure to addiction lies in the brain itself. The brain is a remarkable organ and scientists continue to discover it can change and adapt. Interestingly, research has shown that the damage caused by addiction begins to reverse itself quickly once the cycle of addiction is broken, providing hope of a speedy recovery from addiction .
Call Stuart - 07825 599340 to discuss how neuroplasticity can rewire your addictive issues
stuart@harleystreetaddictionspecialist.co.uk
www.harleystreetaddictionspecialist.co.uk

STUART DOWNING DMH, DHyp, CPNLP, EMDR, Dip, MNACP Specialist in addictions, anxiety, trauma and PTSD 1 Harley Street London W1G 9QD email: stuart@harleystreetaddictionspecialist.co.uk Phone: 020 3143 5263 Mobile: 07825 599340 Treatment for Addiction No matter how hopeless you might feel, there is fi...