When a person repeatedly engages in a behaviour despite the harm caused by it, it is called “behavioral addiction” or “process addiction.” These are non-substance addictions, but many alcoholics or drug addicts have a strong tendency to develop them.
Behavioral Addiction could include:
- (Place a Bet on Yourself: Recovering from Gambling Addiction)
- Internet addiction
- Gaming addiction
- Eating disorders (overeating, bulimia and anorexia nervosa)
- Shopping addiction
- Kleptomania (impulsive stealing)
- Sex/ Porn addiction
Behavioural addictions have common traits:
- Preoccupation with the behaviour
- Inability to control the behaviour
- Increased tolerance to the behaviour – so the person indulges in more behaviour more often to achieve the desired gratification
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms (such as irritability, restlessness, depression or anxiety symptoms) if the behaviour is stopped.
Hope Trust offers a combination of psychiatric assessments for accurate diagnosis, (https://www.nhsinform.scot/tests-and-treatments/counselling-and-therapies/what-is-psychological-therapy/) such as CBT, motivational enhancement, the 12 Steps, and mindfulness for process addiction treatment on an outpatient or online basis.
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