Addiction does not just refer to a compulsion to have drugs, tobacco, or alcohol. It encompasses much more, leading to different types of addiction. Each of them displays different signs in the victim and requires a different treatment path.
So, if you want to stay well-informed about them, let’s get started!
1. Substance Addiction
Substance addiction refers to the compulsive consumption of drugs to the point that it harms or impairs your life. It includes addiction to the following:
- Alcohol
- Hallucinogens (PCP, LSD, etc.)
- Marijuana
- Hypnotics
- Prescription and non-prescription opioids
- Sedatives
- Prescription and non-prescription stimulants
- Tobacco
Addiction to the listed substances causes severe physical and psychological dependence on them. You can be addicted to more than one substance at a time. Some common signs of this addiction are:
- You feel an overwhelming desire to use preferred substances.
- You build a tolerance to the substances.
- When you stop using the substances, you experience withdrawal symptoms.
Treatment
Connect with a reliable Malibu substance abuse treatment center, where they offer a wide range of one-on-one treatments from renowned experts and world-class facilities. Look out for treatment, including the following:
- Detoxification:In this, you stop consuming substances and take alternatives to dim the withdrawal symptoms. This is offered as both inpatient and outpatient treatment.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): In CBT, an expert helps understand the impact of your emotions and thoughts on your actions. Then, it helps you unlearn negative habits and patterns.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): It helps regulate emotions and treat mental health disorders.
2. Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction is a mental health concern where you repeatedly gamble. Even if you face negative consequences, you can’t control yourself. It leads to financial instability, relationship issues, and emotional distress. Statistics show that 2.5 million US adults have severe, and 5-8 million of them have mild to moderate gambling problems!
In this, you feel rewarded after placing bets. You might be addicted to a single game or multiple games. Some signs of gambling addiction are:
- You always think of gambling.
- You feel compelled to place larger bets every time.
- You gamble to distract yourself from negative feelings
- You even steal to gamble more.
- You don’t care, even if you’re on the brink of bankruptcy.
Treatment
There is still no medicine for gambling addiction. You can instead seek rehab and get psychotherapy, including.
- CBT
- Motivational Interviewing: The therapy helps you analyze the gambling behavior and become self-aware.
- Family Therapy: It educates your family members to help build a supportive environment at home.
3. Food Addiction
Food addiction is a way of dealing with challenging emotions and stress. In this, you binge eat fatty, sugary, and salty food. This is because these ingredients help the brain relax and make you feel rewarded.
Some signs of food addiction are:
- You eat even when not hungry.
- You don’t change your habits even when you face negative consequences like weight gain, health issues, guilt, and shame.
- You avoid eating with others.
- If others control your diet, you steal food.
Treatment
You can either get admitted to a rehab or take outpatient treatment, including the following:
- Nutritional Counselling: A registered dietician helps change your eating habits and even shares tips on grocery shopping, meal planning, and preparation.
- Medicine: Antidepressants are prescribed if it’s driven by depression.
- CBT
- Regular Exercise: It’ll help reduce stress and eliminate the need for binge eating.
4. Internet Addiction
If you’re addicted to the internet, you mindlessly scroll social media platforms for hours. Signs of being addicted are:
- You feel a strong urge to stay online to feel satisfied and fulfilled.
- You neglect other work, school, relationships, and hobbies to surf the internet.
- You become moody if the internet is inaccessible.
Treatment
You can seek therapies, like CBT, from a renowned rehab. Or you monitor and limit your access to the internet and stay busy with alternative activities.
5. Video Game Addiction
In video game addiction, you obsessively game on any gadgets and neglect other areas of life. Some video game addiction signs are:
- All internet addiction signs.
- You lie to family members about or hide the duration of your gaming.
- You neglect personal hygiene for gaming.
Treatment
To treat video gaming addiction, you need CBT, family counseling, and treatment for underlying mental health concerns.
6. Shopping Addiction
Nowadays, the buzzword “retail therapy” is quite popular, where you give yourself an emotional uplift with shopping. However, for some, this behavior becomes too extreme and leads to shopping addiction.
In this, you have a compulsive pattern to buy new things. If you can’t go shopping, you have a major meltdown and feel severely distressed. The overwhelming urge to shop makes you max out your credit cards and even steal. Some signs of having a shopping addiction are:
- You feel this strange high when you’re shopping.
- You’re always browsing online stores and planning the next thing you want to buy.
- You want to go shopping whenever you feel low. It’s the answer to every negative feeling.
- You fight a lot about your shopping spree with loved ones, and your relationships are being affected.
- You’ve gotten into several debts for shopping.
- You feel ashamed of your choices but can’t stop yourself.
Treatment
Some treatment options for shopping addiction are
- CBT
- Medication
- Financial Counseling: A counselor shares tips for budget management, debt avoidance and clearing, and better financial planning.
- Stress management
- Support groups
7. Work Addiction
Also known as workaholism, it is an obsessive and unhealthy involvement with work. In this, you literally work till you drop. It’s not because you’re on a tight deadline or need to earn more to make ends meet.
You completely forget about any other areas of your life and stay cooped up in your workstation for long hours. Some signs of workaholism are:
- You work late at night and even during weekends, vacations, and paid time off.
- You neglect your family and personal life. It’s slowly ruining your relationships.
- Your only identity is your job title.
Treatment
Treatment options for work addiction are
- Therapy, including CBT and stress management
- Mindfulness
- Support groups for workaholics
Conclusion
Addiction treatment is not easy without the help of experts. So, if you or a loved one is experiencing any of these addictions, seek help from a reputable rehab immediately!