The 5 Main Characteristics Of Addictions Without Substances
Although the human mind is characterized by its flexibility and ability to adapt to the challenges imposed by the environment, this ease of adjusting its functioning in many different ways is a double-edged sword.
Among other things, it implies that there is also a wide variety of imbalances that can occur in people’s mental health. And there are even psychological and psychiatric disorders in which at first glance it is not easy to distinguish between the pathological and the simple choices that the person makes about how they want to behave and live their life.
The case of addictions in which there is no drug involved is an example of the latter, and in fact, it is a problem that usually raises alarm bells when it is already consolidated in the person’s behavior. In this article we will see what they are the characteristics of addictions without substances and how they are treated in therapy.
As the name suggests, addictions without substances They are disorders in which the person develops a dependency relationship, but not towards a drug , but towards a type of behavior patterns that you feel the need to repeat over and over again. In fact, beyond what the person feels dependent on, non-substance addictions are not very different from drug addictions, including some of the best-known ones such as alcoholism, opiate addiction, etc.
In practice, they tend to be severe problems that they lead those who suffer from them to lose control of their lives including managing your time and money, in large quantities, and in some cases also involving undergoing accelerated physical deterioration.
Let’s look in a little more detail at the characteristics of addictions without substances.
The 5 Most Important Characteristics of Non-Substance Addictions
These are the aspects that most characterize behavioral addictions.
1. The person loses the ability to postpone the addictive behavior
Little by little, the person stops being able to resist the need to perform the behavior on which they feel dependent For example, betting on slot machines.
2. The person develops tolerance
As with drug addiction, as time goes by, the person needs to become more and more involved in the addictive behavior to experience the same intensity of the feeling of being “satisfied.”
3. If a long time passes without consummating the addictive behavior, discomfort arises
Withdrawal syndrome makes the person feel very bad until they relapse although that option is going to cause more discomfort in the long term.
4. They predispose people to develop other addictions
Although on paper non-substance addictions do not involve the use of drugs, in practice, developing this type of disorder greatly increases the risk of developing parallel drug addictions
This is due to the pattern of poor management of emotions and modulation of impulses that the person adopts, and also to the type of recreational contexts in which they like to be (for example, in places where people usually gamble money there are lots of alcohol available and easy to access).
5. Addiction is well camouflaged among socially accepted behaviors
Unlike what happens with most drug addictions, in which substance consumption is seen as a sign of possible pathology, In addiction without substance, problematic behaviors go more unnoticed since there is no image of a person introducing a substance with psychoactive effects into their body.
The treatment of this type of addictions
in psychotherapy It is possible to help people develop better ways to manage their impulses and detect warning signs that indicate a high risk of relapse Additionally, people are provided with information on how to transform their environment to minimize the chances of relapse.
On the other hand, psychological therapy also provides support to patients in the process of discovering and applying incentive-filled activities that are outside of addiction to their own lives. In this way, it is easier to stop constantly thinking about those behaviors that were at the basis of the dependency.
On the other hand, although drug use is not involved in non-substance addiction, The need for psychiatric care is usually indicated, combining it with psychotherapeutic care ; From medicine it is possible to use drugs that help mitigate symptoms associated with anxiety and withdrawal syndrome, although always depending on each case and under the supervision of professionals.
Are you looking for psychotherapeutic treatment for addictions?
If you are interested in having psychotherapy services to overcome an addiction, contact our team of professionals.
In Cepsim Psychological Center We have psychologists trained in psychotherapeutic care for all kinds of mental health problems, including intervention in cases of substance dependence or addictions without drug use. In addition, we offer the possibility of carrying out the sessions in person at our centers throughout Madrid, or through the online therapy format by video call.
