Treating Addiction
What does addiction look like?
Addiction is a psychological or physiological dependence on people, places or things. Addiction comes in many forms and sometimes will be equated as healthy coping. Addiction is never healthy and is extremely debilitating. For example, excessive exercising will be overlooked as a healthy coping skill; however, the individual addicted to exercise has an unhealthy relationship with working out. They will schedule activities around exercising. If unable to work out, exercise addicts will be irritable and punishing themselves until they can compensate for the missed event. They also have two extremes when it comes to eating. Some exercise addicts will be controlling about food intake, always watching calorie content. Others will eat excessively and use excessive exercising to purge calories.
This example outlines what addiction is and how it works. An individual is using substances or behaviors to change his or her mood on a consistent basis. The addict’s focus will be on what is creating the sense of relief from uncomfortable feelings. Addiction has an impact on relationships, responsibilities, health and daily functioning.
How does addiction develop and get sustained?
Some addicts begin using socially and for enjoyment purposes. Others will develop substance abuse out of desperation to escape negative feelings from past experiences. Some addicts use drugs and alcohol to cope with present situations that are out of their control. No matter what the reason for substance abuse, eventually thought processes in active addiction will become overwhelmingly negative.
An addict has found that drugs, alcohol or other behaviors done in excess will change an uncomfortable mood or feeling. The addict’s choice of addiction is always successful in accomplishing the task of changing moods. Unfortunately, this only reinforces the addiction creating a powerful destructive pattern. For example, a drug addict will lie to parents for money. He or she knows that lying is bad however the compulsion to escape uncomfortable feelings and achieve a euphoric effect supersedes morality in that instance. After the drug addict obtains and uses drugs, guilt and shame set in about the interaction with parents, followed by the desire to get high again.
Addicts can be extremely self-defeating, self-punishing and self-loathing, although some behaviors may seem contrary. Addiction wants to isolate the addict with the goal of death. Underlying thoughts become key in treating addiction and helpful in changing unhealthy response patterns to uncomfortable emotions.
Treating Addiction
Different addictions may require different forms of treatment. For example, eating disorders may need to be treated at an eating disorder center, drug and alcohol addicts need substance abuse treatment, and gambling addicts need gambling addiction treatment.
The same three mechanisms of thoughts, feelings and behaviors are essential with treating addiction. All addictions consist of obsessions and compulsions, which the addict experiences and he/she will continue the behavior that is producing the desired effect.
In treatment, addiction thoughts may need to be challenged and sometimes confronted to break through unhealthy behavior patterns. For example, the addict may need to develop a healthier self-image through positive affirmations. Positive affirmations will begin to challenge negative thoughts which will eventually lead to a healthier self-image. Healthier thoughts about self-image will allow the addict to start looking at self-forgiveness. The ability to forgive one’s self will decrease self-loathing thoughts regarding behaviors while in active addiction. Self-forgiveness will then lead to less self-punishing thoughts which will decrease the risk of relapse. This is a process and it does take time. However, the first step in treating addiction is admitting that they have a problem.
