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Understanding Process Addiction

Recreation and gaming, exercise and shopping, work and sex – ostensibly, each of these activities is healthy and required for a peaceful existence. However, even the most effective activities can turn extremely detrimental if overdone.

Yes, even the most effective activities can transition into addiction and have the same adverse effects on the mind and body as alcohol or drug addiction.

Studies suggest that process addiction occurs due to the feel-good chemicals released by the brain’s reward centre upon performing the addictive activity.

For such individuals, the addictive behaviour typically intrudes into their everyday existence, preventing them from fulfilling other significant tasks and responsibilities.

Types of Process Addiction

While process addiction is a vast arena involving multiple disorders, some common types of process addiction are as follows:

  1. Work Addiction:
  • Work addiction involves an obsession with one’s job, to the extent of neglecting all other significant aspects of life.
  • The individual may resort to working as a means of avoidance or a fear of failing to accomplish one’s work goals.
  • Causing havoc to one’s work-life balance, it prevents individuals from establishing and maintaining personal relationships.
  1. Sex Addiction
  • Sex addiction refers to uncontrollable, intense, and repetitive sexual urges that cause one to engage in repetitive sexual activities.
  • Such repetitive sexual behaviours include excessive viewing of pornography, being involved with multiple sexual partners, use of online sex chat systems, etc.
  • Individuals grappling with sex addiction are typically unable to establish deeply emotional relationships and may even engage in destructive behaviours to satisfy their sexual urges.
  1. Gaming Addiction
  • Gaming addiction occurs when an individual is obsessed with online games and typically spends unusually long hours – or even days – playing on digital gaming platforms.
  • The addicted person may not be able to move away from the screen even for short spells of time, thus neglecting vital aspects like self-care, interactions with others around, increased irritability when unable to play the game, etc.
  1. Exercise Addiction
  • Exercise addiction refers to a compulsive need to engage in physical activities to the point of physical breakdown.
  • Typically, exercise addiction emerges from an underlying eating disorder or negative self-image.
  • A person with exercise addiction is extremely concerned about his/her physical fitness, thus continuing with the activity despite suffering negative consequences.

Treating Process Addiction: The Way Ahead With Safe House

At Safe House, we understand the wide spectrum of process addiction, together with the symptoms and characteristics of each. Here are some treatment programmes and services we provide to help individuals dealing with process addiction:

  1. Comprehensive Treatment Plan and Therapies: Our mental health professionals are skilled to observe individual requirements and prepare exclusive treatment plans catering to each one. They also make use of different types of therapies, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), group therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), art therapy, etc.
  2. Detox Under Close Supervision: Just like alcohol addiction or addiction to other stimulants, process addiction also requires detox from the addictive behaviour. Our psychiatrists and psychologists closely monitor patients during this phase, helping them overcome withdrawal symptoms and motivating them to continue on the rehabilitation journey.
  3. Nutrition Counselling: A healthy body ensures a healthy mind. We formulate extensive diet plans catering to every patient and incorporating dietary restrictions. We provide over 150 types of cuisines, including Indian, continental, and oriental food to pick from!
  4. Yoga, Meditation, and Reflection: Alternative interventions like yoga and meditation help relax the body and mind. Such an internal healing process enables patients to befriend themselves and become more conscious of their actions. Self-reflection facilitates deep introspection and helps patients understand the inextricable link between their thoughts and behaviours.