Understanding the Psychology of Addiction

A question that people often ask is what causes addiction. If there was one particular cause, perhaps, addiction would be easier to treat. We could find the cause, address it, and beat the addiction. While there are many factors involved in the development of an addiction, there is no one cause. However, to treat addiction successfully, you should understand the psychology of addiction.

Understanding the Psychology of Addiction

Addiction is usually related to strong emotions and sometimes connected to events that happened in your past. Identifying those emotional triggers is crucial if you want to learn to overcome your addiction. The emotions attached to addiction may come from an event that made you feel powerless. This then leads to feelings of rage or sadness and a desire to quench it and regain control. That control can then be achieved by using drugs and alcohol. The decision to use the drug becomes a substitute for the need to express the rage or sadness caused by the feeling of hopelessness.

If you want to recover, understanding the psychology of addiction is essential since you need to understand the events that lead you to decide to continue using substances that might harm you physically and emotionally. Once you know this and identify situations that trigger it, then you can use the right tools to deal with these situations healthily. Treatment focuses on addiction therapy programs to teach you those tools.

Types of Therapy Available to Treat Addiction?

To treat addiction, high-quality treatment centers offer a range of therapy programs combining medical, experiential and holistic therapy. Addiction is treated by working on the mind, the spirit and the body so that you can lead a sober, healthy life, ready to deal with emotional situations that would otherwise trigger the need to use drugs or alcohol. The therapy and treatment services available to you might include:

• Individual counseling services
• Group therapy
• Art and music therapy
• Outdoor therapeutic activities
• Anger management classes
• Mindfulness based treatment

How the Recovery Process Works

Once you understand the psychology of addiction, you are ready to begin the next step in your trauma and addiction recovery process. This means entering a good detox program with medical professionals supervising the withdrawal process to help you deal with the discomfort and other issues it brings. After this, a therapist will develop a treatment plan. The treatment plan will consist of the different therapy services available and continue even after you have finished the program, through extended outpatient support.

Addiction is scary, but you do not have to fight it alone. To find help understanding the psychology of addiction and support through the recovery process, contact Beaches Recovery, a high-quality treatment center in Jacksonville, FL. The number is 866.605.0532.