Addiction is a serious mental health problem that warrants counseling. Addiction affects the lives of billions of people across the globe in every culture and society on earth. Once its grip is around someone, it can be a fight for their life to separate them from their addiction. Counseling is a common remedy for addiction. There are a number of treatment options for addicted people, ranging from rehab to sober living houses to counseling to support groups. Different options suit different levels of severity in addictions. Addiction therapy can either be coupled with other treatment options or it can be the sole treatment for an addict, depending on the circumstance. Regardless, it is always highly recommended.
The first type of addiction is called a process addiction. This type of addiction involves a person essentially being addicted to an activity that is carried out in a very specific way. Process addictions include things like sex, gambling, shopping or being on the internet. Counseling for a process addiction involves rummaging around in the person’s past to discover the underlying cause of their process addiction, then working the person towards ways of resisting relapse and avoiding triggers so that they can overcome their process addiction.
The second type of addiction is called a substance addiction. This is the type most commonly thought of at the mention of addiction. Alcohol and drugs are the most commonly cited addictions because they pose a more immediate threat to the person under their influence. A substance addiction can also include an addiction to food, but again, this poses less of a threat to an addict than alcohol or drugs. When a person becomes physically dependent on the substance they are addicted to, meaning they would go through unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if they could not have it, they are officially addicted to it and require counseling. Again, counseling is a necessary measure in rewiring someone’s thinking and helping them into healthier thought and behavior patterns. Mental health professionals highly recommend counseling to anyone struggling with addiction.