According to the National Library of Medicine, process addictions are a disease much like a typical drug addiction. This is prompting more research into what a process addiction is, how people are affected by it, and how to treat it. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected by process addictions every day and many of them do not even understand that there is treatment for it. Most process addictions are highly treatable.
A process addiction is similar to a drug addiction in that you are unable to stop the process even though the action is harmful to you, your health, your family, or your financial wellbeing. There are thousands of process addictions noted but there are several common ones that many people suffer from regardless of where in the world they are. These addictions are:
Sex – this is an addiction to the closeness and euphoric feeling of sex.
Pornography – the inability to stop using pornography as a sexual stimulant.
Internet – the inability to stop using the internet despite financial issues associated with it.
Gambling – the inability to stop gambling regardless of the financial losses.
Video games – some people cannot stop playing video games despite loss of relationships, financial issues, or income.
Shoplifting – stealing things from stores for the thrill also sometimes turns into an addiction.
Shopping addiction – the inability to stop buying things despite financial ruin and other issues.
Love addiction – different from sex addiction, it is possible to be addicted to the feeling of love and relationships.
These are common process addictions that people suffer from daily but often do not seek treatment for. Some of these process addictions cause addictions to drugs or alcohol as well.
What is the Treatment for Process Addiction?
Behavioral therapy is the primary treatment for a process addiction.
Most process addictions are treatable through counseling and intensive therapy. Much like psychological addictions, process additions need to be broken and restructured. It takes a lot of hard work to change a behavior. Some process addictions take months if not years to work through.
The treatment can be inpatient, outpatient, or both depending on the addiction and the addict’s preferences. Most of the time the treatment starts at a rehab center and continues until the behavior is under control.
How do Rehab Centers Help with Process Addiction?
Rehab centers help a process addiction by giving the addict a place to be away from the temptation of the addiction. It also helps the addict to be around others who suffer from the same or similar addictions. Most rehab centers also offer a variety of different programs depending on the addiction and the center.
These centers often have multiple counselors on staff who can help you with both the addiction and the cause of the addiction. The cause is as important as treating the addiction itself. Without treating the cause, the addiction may return.
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