The word “addiction” usually evokes images related to drug or alcohol abuse, but process addictions (also known as behavioral addictions) can be just as destructive. If you find yourself relying on harmful behavior patterns in order to feel normal, it is easy to develop a process addiction. Feeling an intense desire to repeatedly engage in an activity at the expense of your own physical, mental, financial, and relationship needs can cause a process addiction to develop gradually. The most common types of process addictions are sex and gambling. Most people can do these things in moderation, but certain factors make this nearly impossible for a person with a process addiction. If you are struggling with addiction, seek help from a residential rehab treatment like Crestview Recovery.
Process Addictions
Most people have activities that take up their free time. When a person develops an addiction to a particular behavior, they become reliant on this activity in order to feel functional. This is ironic because process addictions are the opposite of functional. Understanding what you are facing is very important, but it may not always be easy to do. A process addiction is a type of behavior you find yourself engaging in often even though you recognize that there are negative consequences to doing so. That’s not always so easy to see or to be willing to admit. Here are some common symptoms to look for in this type of addiction.
- Do you think about engaging in the activity often, even every day? Even if you don’t do it every day, do you think about it?
- When you feel stress or anxiety, do you want to engage in the activity?
- Have other people told you that you’re obsessed with that activity?
- Have you stopped doing other things because this behavior is so important?
- Are you seeing the negative consequences growing, such as financial or relationship problems, but don’t feel you can just stop?
In all of these cases, you may have a process addiction. Engaging in activities over and over again is a way of not dealing with the underlying problems you have.
Why Do You Feel This Way?
“How do I have a process addiction and don’t realize it?” Most people with these conditions do realize it, but they do not want to admit it to themselves. Doing so would be to admit that you are hiding something else. This could be a past trauma. It may be some type of abuse you’ve been through. People who have a food addiction eat because it makes them feel comfortable and full. People who have a shopping addiction are often trying to replace something that’s missing inside.
In many ways, this is a type of mental health disorder. It can feel overwhelming to admit that, but we can help you at our rehab facilities.
How Can You Get Help?
Reach out to our team. Let us offer you guidance and support. We offer a range of treatment options that can help, such as:
- Individual therapy sessions
- Group therapy sessions
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- Mental health disorder care
- Holistic treatment plans
When you recognize what is happening, you can turn the page and get the help you need.
Contact Crestview Recovery
If you are asking a question like this, “Do I have a process addiction?” chances are good you are already facing the truth. When you find yourself coming to this realization, you may be unsure what your next step is. No matter what it is, we can help you at Crestview Recovery. As a dedicated, trusted company with years of experience, we can guide you towards healing. Call 866.262.0531 to learn more about the treatment we offer.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
