woman struggles with internet use at a process addiction treatment centerProcess addictions often go along with substance abuse and mental illness. These issues often feed each other so it’s important to treat them simultaneously. Process addictions are also known as behavioral addictions. They can be just as destructive as drug and alcohol addiction. However, professional help from a process addiction treatment center can help.
Examples of behavioral addictions include:

  • Shopping addiction
  • Gambling addiction / gambling disorders
  • Sex addiction / compulsive sexual activity
  • Video games / gaming addiction
  • Internet addiction

Get integrated treatment for process addictions and mental health conditions at The Ranch.

Process Addiction Treatment at The Ranch

We treat process addictions when they occur with substance abuse and other issues. Process addictions have many aspects in common with drug addiction. At The Ranch treatment centers, we recognize many addictions have the same roots. This is true whether they surface as substance abuse or compulsive behaviors. Examples of root causes include:

  • Trauma
  • Attachment disorders
  • Neglect
  • Overly attached parent

Process addictions are also made worse by any co-occurring mental health disorders. We’ll help you address all these challenges with a mental health treatment program so you can lead a healthy life.

What’s Process Addiction Treatment Like?

Inpatient process addiction treatment allows you to focus on recovery. You’ll live in home-like residences with peers sharing similar struggles. Behavioral addiction treatment plans may include: Individual therapy – An important part of process addiction treatment is one-on-one counseling. You’ll delve deeper into why you’re struggling with gambling addiction, sex addiction or other issues. Getting to the root causes of these unhealthy coping mechanisms can help you feel less of a pull to use them. Group therapy – Group therapy programs offer an opportunity for open sharing and honest feedback. You’ll explore underlying issues that contribute to substance abuse and process addictions. You’ll also discover the gift of vulnerability and learn healthy communication skills. Psychiatric care – Mental health conditions like eating disorders and bipolar disorder can feed process addictions. You’ll meet with our psychiatric team to treat these issues. Sometimes new medication or medication management is necessary to alleviate symptoms. If so, we’ll make sure you’re educated on potential side effects and monitor you in case changes are needed. Engaging therapies – Our treatment centers offer various traditional and alternative therapies. You may take part in activities like equine therapy, mindfulness, fitness and EMDR. Co-occurring disorders treatment – Process addictions like gambling addiction, sex addiction and video addiction rarely occur in a vacuum. Many people have at least one other mental health disorder. Our team treats all the issues at the same time. Aftercare –Ongoing support is important for relapse prevention. Our therapists work with you to create a thorough aftercare plan. This may include:

  • Setting up therapy and psychiatry appointments
  • Connecting you with support groups
  • Making sure you’re aware of alumni meetings and events

We’ll help you feel confident when you walk out our doors.

Types of Process Addictions

The following process addictions meet many of the criteria for addiction, as defined by the American Society for Addiction Medicine:

Shopping Addiction

People with shopping addiction feel unable to control their buying behaviors. They may feel a high or sense of relief during a compulsive shopping spree. This is often followed by shame and regret. Shopping addicts may make purchases well above their means. They’re often in financial trouble. Shame drives them to hide their shopping activities from loved ones. More than one family member may also have a behavioral addiction. Shopping addiction often goes along with eating disorders and drug and alcohol abuse.

Food Addiction

Only a small amount of research on food addiction is available. People with a food addiction feel unable to control their eating. They eat past the point of feeling full. Food addicts crave foods high in carbohydrates and sugar. They experience shame and guilt around their eating behaviors.

Gambling Addiction

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) recognizes gambling addiction.The clinical terms for gambling addiction are gambling disorder (DSM-5) or compulsive gambling. Gambling addiction is an inability to control gambling behaviors. Compulsive gamblers will:

  • Continue gambling despite severe debt, ruined relationships and problems at work
  • Lie about gambling
  • Gamble to relieve stress
  • Feel restless and irritable if they try to stop

Gambling addiction often goes hand in hand with alcohol and drug abuse.

Sex Addiction

Sex addiction is the inability to control compulsive sexual behaviors. People with sex addiction continue to take part in compulsive sexual behaviors though they gain little pleasure from them. These compulsive behaviors cause problems in their lives. Compulsive sexual behaviors may include:

  • Excessive porn viewing / porn addiction
  • Masturbation and other sexual acts
  • Serial infidelity

The World Health Organization recognizes sex addiction as a mental illness. Sex addiction treatment programs help people stop compulsive behaviors and develop healthy intimacy.

Signs of Process Addictions

The main sign of process addictions is continuing in spite of negative consequences. Symptoms vary depending if you have gambling addiction, internet addiction or another behavioral addiction. Process addiction symptoms may include:

  • Feeling unable to cut back or quit the behavior
  • Preoccupation with how and when you will engage in the behavior again
  • Needing to perform the behavior more often or at a greater intensity to get the desired effect
  • Experiencing anxiety, depression or other undesirable states in the absence of the behavior
  • Legal, financial or relationship trouble as a result of the compulsive behavior
  • Getting a high or sense of relief when engaging in the compulsive behavior
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms like irritability, agitation and depression in the absence of the behavior

Causes of Process Addictions

The same factors that contribute to drug abuse and alcohol addiction can also fuel process addictions. Some of these include:

  • Trauma – Difficult experiences in childhood may fuel process addictions. Trauma and unhealthy family relationships can cause a lifetime of struggle. People may try to numb this pain with drug abuse or compulsive behaviors. This allows them to “detach” from uncomfortable feelings, even if only for a while.
  • Co-occurring mental health disorders – Similar to drug and alcohol abuse, process addictions are often intensified by other mental illnesses. Like substance abuse, sometimes compulsive behaviors offer momentary relief from mental health symptoms.
  • Genetics – Preliminary research suggests a genetic component to process addictions.
  • Low distress tolerance – People without healthy coping skills are at greater risk for behavioral addictions. Addictions can become a survival tactic for easing stress.

Recover With Process Addiction Treatment

Our process addiction treatment center can help. Our experienced clinicians treat process addictions and substance abuse or mental health disorders. Reclaim your life. Call us today for a confidential conversation about how we can help: 1.844.876.7680