Addiction includes both physical and psychological dependencies. Physical symptoms are typically the first signs that people notice. However, the psychological addiction is just as big of a concern. To understand why people should understand psychological addiction.
Psychological Addiction
Psychological addiction is a type of disorder that forms in the brain. Unlike physical dependence, sometimes it’s harder for people to link drug abuse to mental changes. For example, people who develop a mental and emotional dependence may become irritable. However, it’s often difficult to tell if that comes from drug abuse or from other environmental factors.
Studies show that addiction occurs in the mind because of a mental association with a reward. In the case of drugs, the brain associates taking that drug with a reward, so a psychological dependence develops.
It’s not just drugs on which people can develop dependency. They can develop it on sex, video games or overeating. In general, anything that makes people “feel good” can develop into mental or emotional dependence.
Signs and Symptoms of Psychological Addiction
Just like physical addiction, there are signs and symptoms of psychological addiction. Some of these include:
- Intense cravings for drugs
- Feelings of anxiety when not taking drugs
- Denial about having a drug addiction
- Mental obsession over drugs
- Unable to cope with life without drugs
Often, mental dependency also makes people feel restless when they can’t use their drugs of choice. It’s not uncommon for people to experience mood swings. Some mood swings include feeling happy and excited when taking the drug but depressed when not taking it.
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy is an effective way to deal with many issues that arise with addiction, including psychological addiction. People can participate in many different types of therapy such as group, cognitive behavioral, and individual.
In all cases, therapy helps people get to the root cause of their addiction. The goal is to break that dependency and get them to see that they can live normal lives. Group therapy shows them that others suffer from the same problems that they do. Individual therapy lets people work alone with a trained professional, giving them the attention that they deserve.
Don’t Let Physical and Psychological Dependence Keep You From Getting Help
Breaking both physical and mental dependency starts with detox. Visiting a detox center first helps you to build a strong foundation for the rest of your rehab experience. At Serenity House Detox & Recovery, we offer a number of detox services such as:
- Meth detox
- Alcohol detox
- Opioid detox
- Men- and women-specific detox
Take back control of your life, and fight back against your addiction. Don’t try to do it alone. Turn to us for help. We’ve got the program for you. Call 866-294-5306.
