A process addiction relates to behaviors that a person feels out of control to stop. Some refer to these as behavioral addictions. Recently, scientists have connected many aspects of these problems to similar brain responses that occur with substance use disorders. Consequently, treatment for a process addiction can follow that of other forms of addiction for significant results. If you are suffering from a process addiction, get help today by calling Bayview Recovery at 855.478.3650.

What Is a Process Addiction?

Process addictions relate to behaviors that can harm a person’s lifestyle. Just as with drug addiction or alcohol use disorder, the sufferer cannot stop using the substance; similarly, in process addictions, the individual has trouble stopping or decreasing the behavior.

Examples of process addictions include gambling, excessive internet use, eating disorders, pornography addiction, or compulsive exercise.

However, not everyone becomes addicted to these behaviors. In fact, used in moderation, internet use, exercise, and gambling can be enjoyable hobbies. However, these behaviors pass into addictions when the following qualifications happen to you:

• Cannot stop the behavior
• Increase the time spent doing the activity
• Feel anxiety when not engaged in the activity
• Experiences problems with relationships or work from their behavior
• Problems have lasted for at least a month or repeatedly happen

Ask yourself how much the problem disrupts your life and how easily you can stop it. Suppose you find that your behavior causes severe issues with your lifestyle, work, or maintaining relationships, and you cannot cut back on your own. In that case, you have an addiction that requires professional addiction treatment.

Process Addiction vs. Substance Use Disorder

Both behavior addictions and substance use disorders impact how the brain reacts. But the differences between these are the physical ramifications of the problems. For instance, drug addiction will cause changes to the body from the drug used. However, behavior addictions do not have these physical changes in most cases. Problems such as compulsive exercise or eating disorders do have physical changes that accompany the addiction.

Whenever you engage in drug use or a behavior addiction, the brain sends signals of enjoyment and happiness. These pleasant feelings reinforce the action, making it harder to stop. In some people with behavior addictions, the activity serves as a coping mechanism for depression, stress, a lack of social support, or substance use. Professional recovery with psychotherapy program is even more vital to avoid returning to your process addiction or engaging in another similar behavior in the future. Psychotherapy can help you to address any underlying problems to ensure long-term recovery.

Addiction Treatment for Process Addictions

Because substance use disorders and process addictions have similar mental changes, the treatment methods for both closely resemble each other. But, process addictions won’t need to include detox or other physical recovery methods that alcohol or drug abuse sufferers need to have.

The treatment for process addictions focuses on the psychological side of recovery. Since the brain’s positive reaction to the behavior reinforces the addictive activity, addiction treatment will focus on rewiring the brain to make it easier to step away from these actions.

Treatment options that involve therapy to help the mind and to change behaviors may include any of the following:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Life skills training program
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Trauma therapy
• PTSD treatment

When you enter into a recovery center, your team will help you find the best treatment or therapy options. In fact, because everyone has varying psychological needs, you may need a different therapy type than someone else with the same behavior addiction. Customizing treatment options improves the chances of success.

Call Us at Bayview Recovery to Learn More

If you have a process addiction, your mind has undergone similar changes to those who experience substance uses. Therefore, you need treatment just as those who have addictions to drugs or alcohol do. Contact Bayview Recovery at 855.478.3650 to learn more about the treatment options we offer at our beautiful campus in Washington state.