Addiction Treatment

Addiction is a mental health condition whereby someone has an unhealthy dependence on a substance and/or activity. Types of addiction include alcohol, food, exercise, internet and gambling addictions.

There is no one cause for addiction, however many addictions are connected to anxiety and/or depression mental health conditions. In order to treat an addiction, determining if someone has related mental health conditions is an important factor to developing a treatment plan and aiding in recovery.

Addictions are treated predominantly through either mediation or therapy or a combination of the two. The most affective therapy is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which focuses on challenging and changing unhelpful behaviour and improves emotional regulation as well as developing personal coping strategies. Some patients also benefit from a group environment where they can share their experiences and learn from others.

Addictive behaviours depend on the type of addiction.

Signs of alcohol addiction include:

• A lack of interest in activities that were previously enjoyed
• Appearing to be intoxicated more frequently
• Needing to drink more to achieve the same effect
• Appearing tired, unwell or irritable
• An inability to refuse alcohol
• Anxiety, depression or other mental health problems
• Becoming secretive or dishonest

Signs of a food addiction include:

• Eating more than planned of certain foods when starting to eat
• Continuing to eat certain foods although no longer hungry
• Eating to the point of feeling unwell
• Worrying about not eating certain types of food or worrying about cutting down on certain food types
• Going out of your way to get certain foods when they are not available
• Eating sensibly in front of others and making up for it when alone
• Eating linked to emotions
• Eating foods in large amounts or so frequently that eating takes place instead of working, spending time with family or enjoying hobbies
• Due to the fear of over eating, social situations are avoided knowing certain foods will be available
• Daily functioning is effected by food and eating

Signs of an exercise addiction include:

• Continuing to exercise despite physical injury or psychological issues
• Spending less time participating in other activities
• Thoughts are dominated by exercise and include thinking about and planning exercise
• Deviating from your intended exercise routine and increasing the intensity
• The need to exercise more and at a higher rate of intensity to achieve the same ‘high’
• Feeling irritable if unable to exercise for a period of time

Signs of a gambling addiction include:

• Feeling the need to be secretive about gambling
• Having trouble controlling gambling habits
• Gambling when you cannot afford to
• Friends and family express concerns about your gambling
• Relationships can also be affected; this can be the way the person interacts at work or with family and friends, or they might miss work altogether

Signs of internet addiction include:

• Feelings of guilt
• Anxiety or depression
• Dishonesty
• Euphoric feelings when in front of a computer
• Inability to keep to schedules
• No sense of time
• Isolation
• Defensiveness
• Avoiding work
• Agitation when internet time cannot be accessed

There are a wide variety of addictions. Common addictions include alcoholism, food addiction, gambling addiction, internet addiction and exercise addiction.