What is addiction?
Addiction happens when someone becomes physically or psychologically dependent on a substance – or a particular activity – despite the negative consequences it has on their life. Some of the symptoms of addiction include excessive use, an inability to manage everyday life without a particular substance or activity, mood swings, irritability, lying, changes in performance and more.
What is substance use disorder?
Substance use disorder is when someone persistently uses a substance despite the damage it causes them. Over time, it can also lead to dependence. Dependence involves developing a tolerance for a substance and going through withdrawal symptoms without it.
Examples of substances that are often misused include:
- Alcohol
- Cannabis
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Methamphetamines
- Club drugs
- Ecstasy
- GHB
- Ketamine
- LSD
- PCP
- Nicotine
What is behavioural addiction?
Similar to substances, behaviours can also become addictive. Behaviours become addictive when used excessively to help a person cope with difficult thoughts and feelings. Examples of addictive behaviours include: compulsive shopping, gambling, pornography, internet, eating and more.
Types of treatment for addiction
In therapy, your psychologist will help you explore and understand the origins of your difficulties and develop healthier, more effective strategies for managing life’s ups and downs.
In some cases, we might also require you to have an assessment with our Consultant Psychiatrist to consider medication that can help you manage the physiological elements of your addiction.
Frequently asked questions
When should I get help for addiction?
You should get help as soon as you begin to notice that you are starting to feel dependent on a particular substance. This may be physical (e.g. getting withdrawal symptoms) or psychological (e.g. experiencing high levels of anxiety). If you are beginning to see that your addiction is having an impact on your daily life then this can also be an important signal that it is time to seek support.
Which treatments are most effective for addiction?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). If we believe it is helpful to look at the more underlying causes then we might also progress to Schema Therapy.
When would I need in-patient treatment for addiction?
In order to determine whether you need in-patient treatment for your addiction, we would recommend that you have a specialist assessment with one of our psychologists or psychiatrists. Generally speaking, you are more likely to need in-patient treatment if you are physically dependent on a substance as detoxing can be carried out more safely within an in-patient setting.
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