What Does Your Internal Family System Have to Do With Your Addiction? 



IFS contains multiple parts that work together to ensure your sense of self is leading your behaviors (bloomforwomen.com). 



As you face negative life experiences, the part of self known as exiles connect emotions and beliefs to those situations. Exiles are the most sensitive and vulnerable part of your inner self. As a result, they're also the most easily hurt. Whether it's a moment of embarrassment, fear, abuse, or neglect, it's your exiles who feel those painful emotions. Likewise, it's also your exiles who tie a belief to the situation (goodtherapy.org) 

Have you had moments that seem to trigger a memory, and instantly, you're feeling your deepest wounds again? Those moments come from your exiles. 



Examples of the beliefs of our exiles include: 

• I'm not good enough
• I ruin everything
• I'm unloveable
• I'm worthless
• Something is wrong with me
• I'm broken 



The other parts of your IFS (bloomforwomen.com) work to protect you from the intense emotions of your exiles. These protectors, known as managers and firefighters, know their job is to avoid situations that trigger your exiles. 



Your managers are proactive and may lead you to be a perfectionist or driven by guilt. On the contrary, firefighters are reactive. As a result, you may begin to develop obsessive, extreme, or risky behaviors. Examples include yelling, aggression, violence, and you guessed it, addiction. 



By understanding your IFS, you can identify the root of the problem that led to your addiction in the first place. 



Why Do Our Exiles Lead to Addiction?

As previously mentioned, your exiles carry feelings and beliefs that are tied to very painful moments. As a result, when your exiles are in charge, your ability to function goes away. So, your protectors help ensure you don't relive those negative feelings and emotions. 

When your firefighters get desperate, they'll go to extreme measures to protect you. Exiles invoke feelings of desperation and hopelessness. As a result, firefighters step in and turn to behaviors that produce quick results. In the case of addiction, your firefighter found something that helps you avoid, albeit false or temporary, feeling awful. Pornography addiction creates a false sense of euphoria or escape. Likewise, addiction to food, alcohol, or substances seems to numb your emotions temporarily. 

So, the key to recovering from your addiction is identifying your exiles. Through the healing process, you can rid the core beliefs tied to your exiles, and restore your core sense of self. 

Using IFS Treatment to Overcome Your Addiction

The Internal Family System approach is highly effective in treating addiction. As you begin to understand the vital role of each of your inner parts, you also gain clarity of the why behind your behaviors. It's important to note, each of your inner parts also has a positive, vital role that aligns with your core self. As you work towards healing, your parts begin to return to their authentic role. As a result, you can leave your addiction behind and start to enjoy life again without it. 



At Blair Counseling and Coaching, we can help you regain your life. You can learn how to turn away from your addiction and other destructive behaviors. Your core self is eager for you to feel calm, confident, and connected again. Let us help you take your first steps toward recovery.



Call us today.