Dealing with Physical and Psychological Addictions

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Dealing with Physical and Psychological Addictions

There are many people today who suffer from the debilitating grip of physical addiction. This is something that can have a profound effect on a person and their quality of life. It can also have a damaging effect on their loved ones who have to watch them try and cope with their addiction.

Addiction to products such as alcohol and strong drugs are all too common these days, and once someone falls into that trap it can be very difficult to pull them out. However, there are ways by which these addictions can be dealt with if the individual is willing to look at any possible avenue to find help.

Some treatment methods that can be used

When it comes to dealing with strong drug addictions there are many different methods that can be used. It is important for the individual and their loved ones to choose the most appropriate one based on the type and severity of the addiction. And where one method fails, it is often recommended that an individual try another method. Some of the methods being used today are:

· Administration of medication: There are various medications that are used as part of addiction treatment programs so this is one approach that may be recommended. There are also many alternative medicines that are becoming more popular as well. Drugs like Ayahuasca, psilocybin, and Ibogaine offer treatment methods that may be beneficial for some, but this will be based on a case by cases basis. Treatment programs for addiction have to be tailored specifically to the needs of the individual, so the treatment that is right for one person may not be right for another.

· Medically managed withdrawal: Another solution that may be considered as part of the physical addiction treatment program is medically managed withdrawal. This type of treatment is often the first stage based on the severity of the addiction. The reason behind this is to try and combat the serious side effects that can stem from going cold turkey. Instead, withdrawal is gradual and is carefully managed and supervised by medical experts to reduce the risk to the individual. This type of solution is often carried out in specialist facilities in a bid to rehabilitate the individual as well as get them off the product that they are addicted to.

· Counseling: Another stage of the process is counseling, which is often part of the long-term treatment plan. This is something that can really help individuals when it comes to staying off the drugs that they were addicted to. The type and level of counseling required will be based on a number of factors but all sessions must be carried out by an expert in the field. Ongoing counseling can prove invaluable to many individuals who may otherwise be at increased risk of becoming addicted again.

There are other solutions that may be considered for those who are suffering from or recovering from an addiction, such as support groups. The medical professional that deals with the case will be able to advise what the different options are and this will be based on a full assessment of the individual and their addiction.

Physical and psychological addictions

One other thing that you need to remember is that addictions can take different forms. Some addictions are purely psychological and therefore have an impact on mental health. Some are physical, such as those mentioned above, and they therefore affect the physical health of a person and are often associated with strong withdrawal symptoms. Some fall into both categories of psychological and physical. It is important to remember that the type of addiction will determine the best course and type of treatment.

Physical addiction

When it comes to physical addiction, this is normally caused by substances such as class A drugs and alcohol. This type of physical addiction means that if the person stops taking the substance they are addicted to for whatever reason, it is highly likely that they will experience physical withdrawal symptoms, which can in themselves prove to be dangerous. This is why medically supervised withdrawal is often part of the treatment for physical dependencies, as otherwise the individual could be in danger due to the potential effects of the withdrawal.

It is not just hard drugs and alcohol that can cause physical addiction. Some people are addicted to things such as caffeine and if they don’t get enough caffeine each day they can actually experience physical withdrawal symptoms. Of course, this type of physical addiction is nowhere near as serious or dangerous as addiction to class A drugs and the withdrawal symptoms are also not as serious.

Psychological addiction

Psychological or mental addiction is different to physical dependency. With this type of addiction, the dependency is not a physical one that will result in physical withdrawals such as seizures. It is actually a mental dependency where the person has a strong mental desire for the substance in question but is not physically addicted to it. Psychological addictions can come with drugs such as marijuana and can even cover things such as porn addiction.

While substances such as marijuana may not be physically addictive, they can still create a psychological addiction due to the pleasurable feeling created when it is being taken. People then want to experience that feeling more and more, so in essence it still becomes an addiction even though it is not a physical dependency.

Treat varies for different addictions

As you can see, the nature of physical and psychological addictions is very different, with one resulting in potentially serious physical withdrawal symptoms and the other centered on strong mental addiction. However, both of these types of addiction do need to be treated in the right ways. For physical addiction, the treatment is far more involved because there are so many different aspects that have to be addressed in order to try and get the person off the substance they are addicted to without putting them in more danger. For psychological addictions, the focus is primarily on therapy and counseling, because this type of addiction does not have the same physical element and so steps, such as supervised withdrawal, are not always necessary.