Behaviours, not only substances, can be very addictive. These psychological disorders, known as “process addictions” can have devastating results.
An intense desire to engage in a particular behaviour is a hallmark of process addiction, also known as behavioural addiction. A person with a process addiction continues to engage in the behaviour despite knowing that doing so negatively affects their mental, social, or physical health.
Drugs and alcohol are not involved in process addictions. In contrast, the actions themselves serve as a reward or boost to the individual’s mood.
Those who suffer from process addiction, like those who engage in any other addictive behaviour, often feel powerless to stop engaging in the behaviour without help.
A closer look at process addictions
While substance abuse is the more common type of addiction, process addictions are quite similar in nature. People with process addictions, like those with substance addictions, lack the ability to self-regulate and hence cannot refrain from participating in harmful or destructive patterns of behaviour.
A person with a process addiction, like someone with a drug addiction, will become preoccupied with the action itself and would go to considerable efforts to avoid the unpleasant feelings that would occur from ceasing the habit and will typically need professional help at a South African rehab.
Behaviour continuation in the face of known negative consequences is characteristic of both substance and process addictions.
More common examples of process addictions include:
- Gambling addiction
- Sex and love addiction
- Internet addiction
Exercise addiction - Shopping addiction
- Work addiction
- Porn addiction
- Food addiction
- Video game addiction
There are many elements that might contribute to the onset of a process addiction, including genetics, culture, and the surrounding environment.
When people participate in the behaviours associated with process addictions, they feel euphoric, thanks to the activation of the brain’s reward circuits, which further encourages them to keep doing it.
Addiction can also be triggered by factors such as stress, unpleasant home life, or a history of abuse or neglect. Addiction can be a coping mechanism for dealing with emotional distress and stress, hence environmental factors are also relevant.
Addiction is already a complicated and difficult process, and co-occurring mental health issues can cause obsessive behaviours.
Individuals with a family history of addiction are at a greater risk of developing addiction themselves, demonstrating the powerful influence of genetics as a risk factor for compulsive behaviours.
Childhood trauma, abuse, and neglect, as well as a lack of parental supervision or an unstable home environment, also increase the likelihood of negative outcomes. Another potential risk factor is close proximity to someone with a process addiction.
Process addiction and substance abuse
Substance abuse and process addiction frequently develop together because they share common causes. Substance abuse is associated with a variety of process addictions, such as sexual activity, pornography, and gambling.
Substance use disorder and process addiction are distinct mental health issues, yet they have a common deficiency: ineffective coping mechanisms. Substance abuse and process addiction often coexist and mutually reinforce one another in people who cycle between the two.
How are process addictions treated?
Many people struggling with process addiction require professional help in order to recover at a South African rehab. If not addressed, process addictions can have far-reaching consequences in a person’s home, school, workplace, finances, and social life.
Behaviourally informed psychotherapy is a standard part of process addiction treatment. Effective behavioural addiction treatment includes methods like cognitive behavioural therapy, which aim to help patients learn to control negative beliefs and replace them with more healthy ones.
People in therapy learn to recognise and avoid relapse by identifying and eliminating potential risk factors, discussing the origins and effects of their addiction, and developing constructive strategies for dealing with cravings and urges.
Similarly to other disorders, such as substance abuse or mental health issues, process addiction requires simultaneous treatment if it is present. The treatment plan must take into account the interplay between the two disorders.
