In the societies in which we live today, constantly subjected to a torrent of novelties and constant stimuli, the need to have free time, moments to carry out leisure activities at our own pace, becomes especially important. Whether going out with friends, going on a hike in the mountains or playing sports, these pleasurable actions not only bring us well-being; They also allow us to disconnect from many of our responsibilities.
However, in some cases these pleasurable activities take up too much of our time, attention and resources, and this generates situations of dependency. We enter a loop of anticipation and satisfaction of needs, and the difficulty in breaking this circle hinders the course of our responsibilities with others or with ourselves. And the discomfort and frustration that this loss of control generates also takes its toll on us.
And although the word “addiction” is usually associated with drugs, in reality There are many other contexts capable of making us enter into addictive dynamics Therefore, it is important to have professional assistance and not assume that to overcome addiction everything is based on simply not using. It is based on returning to being yourself by re-embracing the way of living that truly defines us.
In any situation in which we notice that we are losing control of our lives due to a type of consumption or activity that causes us dependence, it is essential to consider the possibility of going to psychotherapy. Psychological assistance from mental health professionals can help us break this vicious circle in situations such as drug addiction, gambling, toxic relationships with people who dominate us, etc.
Facing this type of problem as soon as it is detected that control is being lost is essential to provide a solution as quickly as possible. Especially considering the reach that addictions can have
As shown in data from the Spanish Ministry of Health, approximately 20% of Spanish young people between 15 and 24 years old used cannabis at least once in 2018. On the other hand, in a report prepared from the ESTUDIES survey in 2014 In adolescents between 15 and 16 years old, in the 30 days prior to being asked, 65% had consumed alcohol, 37% had consumed alcohol excessively, and 28% had consumed cannabis. The use of these substances is increasing, and the age of onset is increasingly younger.
The evolution of substance addiction
At the beginning of using a drug, it is easy to continue using that substance: the feeling when doing so is usually pleasant. However, over time, as we get deeper into addiction, that pleasure is replaced by irritability, the need to go through that experience again even though it generates social isolation. Along the way, it is common for health to deteriorate, both physically and psychologically.
In the end, that ease of getting irritated with anything transforms into despair and total loss of autonomy. Therefore, it is very important to understand the nature of addiction, in order to combat it and prevent it from taking away our freedom.
The entire process by which the addiction is consolidated usually occurs while the person is aware of that harmful drift that is taking your way of living Therefore, on many occasions the person struggles to free themselves from this type of dependence, and this usually produces frustration and the feeling that any resistance is useless, which makes it easier for relapses to appear.
On the other hand, the periods in which we try to avoid consumption generate even more desire to repeat the experience of taking the drug, which predisposes us to go through the rebound effect: relapse occurs with greater and more intense consumption than usual. which would have been if he had not tried to quit that substance.
In turn, the evolution of addictions makes that each time it is required to take larger quantities on what causes us dependence: the amount that at first gave us pleasure, months later barely serves to satisfy part of the imperative need to consume.
Of course, being trapped in these experiences of dependency is painful for those who experience it firsthand, but it is also very painful for their loved ones. At the same time, False beliefs about addiction, such as the idea that quitting is a matter of willpower contribute to generating frustration and stigmatization, and in some cases criminalization of the victim.
What is psychotherapy with addiction experts for?
Having professional assistance provides many benefits and useful tools to fight addiction. For example, it gives patients a comfortable and safe space in which to think, express yourself and analyze the reasons for what you feel without being subject to prejudices and fear of what they will say.
On the other hand, Psychotherapy is one of the best frameworks in which to set realistic goals and sensible action plans that allow us to permanently and effectively distance ourselves from what causes us dependence.
On the other hand, the possibility of having a therapeutic perspective that goes beyond the symptoms seen from the prism of psychiatry is also very valuable. Psychotherapists work taking into account the global context of people’s lives, their life as something unitary: relationships with the patient’s family, their workplace, their hobbies, etc.
This helps to introduce changes in your daily life that facilitate the transition to a life away from addiction. Therapeutic support is adapted to the unique experiences of each patient and not only in the symptoms that appear in moments of crisis or during hospitalization.
On the other hand, these types of problems must be addressed from a multidisciplinary logic, in which there is not only one expert voice. In many cases you have to work with both specialized psychologists and psychiatrists. The support unit is not so much an isolated professional, but rather a team of professionals.
Conclusion
The moment an aspect of your daily life appears that takes control of your life, and determines when you can rest, when you can work, when you can go out and how you should talk to other people… it is a sign that your Autonomy is being damaged and your quality of life is becoming small. In short, your identity becomes blurred; you stop being you to become a version of yourself that cannot exist according to its own rules
However, addiction doesn’t have to be a personality trait that determines what you can or can’t do. Seek professional support to facilitate your return to a freer and healthier life.
Author: Alejandro Noriega de Jesús. Addiction specialist and Psychotherapist at Ara Psicología
