AllTreatment.com Recent Articles

Tanning Addiction

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:06:22 +0000

Tanning Addiction: What It Is
Tanning addiction, also popularly called ‘tanorexia’, is a rare disorder in which an individual compulsively spends time sunbathing or in a tanning bed. It contains features of a psychological addiction
disorder, where its appeal is based primarily on the pleasure one receives from ultraviolet (UV) rays, which release chemicals in the brain to produce an enjoyable sensation. This effect that UV rays have
on the brain is similar to those that drugs and alcohol can produce, where the consumer can get a high or a ‘buzz’. Additionally, addicts are typically not satisfied with the tone of their skin and are
constantly tanning to make it darker.

Why It Is Harmful
Addiction to tanning is actually a lot more serious than it might at first sound. Because the skin is the body’s largest and most exposed organ, a high intake of UV rays from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds can lead to serious side effects, including skin cancer. A 2010 study of tanning addiction found, however, that while many people are aware of the high risks involved with tanning, it is not enough to make them stop. As with any addiction, the brain’s attachment to a behavior can become a difficult force to battle.

Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

High anxiety if a tanning session is missed
Dissatisfaction with light skin
Delusional views of skin being lighter than it is
Competition with fellow tanners over who get get the darkest tan
Unnatural looking skin
Skin diseases, such as cancer

Withdrawal Symptoms

Shaking
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness

How to Overcome Tanning Addiction
If the compulsion of an addict is simply to get darker, there are many tanning alternatives available, including creams and lotions. While these methods do not address body image issues one may have, they are safe and healthy options, especially when compared to overexposure to the sun and tanning beds.

However, if the addiction is rooted in the feeling of tanning itself, treatment options are more complex and take longer to work. One popular method to overcome excessive tanning is talk therapy, which may help an individual verbally work out their problem. Another option may be to see a psychiatrist. If you or someone you love suffers from tanning addiction, please research and consider all options before making the choice that works best for the particular circumstances.

Internet Addiction

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:49:16 +0000

What is Internet Addiction?

Internet addiction is a compulsive need to be on the Internet frequently and for extended periods of time. Users often neglect family and friends and other things in life in order to be online. Additionally, addicts often become increasingly unaware of the distinction between reality and the online world.

Common ways in which Internet addicts use the Internet excessively include pornography use, gaming, social networking, blogging, email, or Internet shopping. It is the promotion of compulsions like these that has led the American Psychiatric Association to consider its inclusion into the newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Signs and Symptoms

Spending an increasing amount of time online
Daydreaming about being online during other activities
Failed attempts to control Internet behavior
Feeling guilty or ashamed as a result of Internet behavior
Neglecting friends, family, sleep and responsibility in order to stay online
A heightened euphoric feeling while online
Fluctuation in weight, aching of the back and head, carpal tunnel, and other physical ailments

Internet Addiction’s Legitimacy

There is some doubt as to whether Internet Addiction is a legitimate, unique addiction or disorder, or if it is simply part of a bigger problem. Supporters point to its addictive properties that induce dissociation, time distortion, and instant gratification and insist these factors lead to addiction and destroy lives. They contend that symptoms like these are unique to Internet use which distinguishes it as a real and serious addiction.

Those who oppose the notion of Internet addiction say the computer is simply a means of accessing the material of their true addiction. They would say, for instance, that one who spends a significant amount of time online looking at pornography does not simply have an Internet addiction, they would say it is instead likely that they have a sex addiction. In other words, opponents see excessive Internet use as a symptom of other addictions or disorders.

While these diverging sides makes it unclear as to whether or not this problem qualifies as a legitimate addiction, it can probably be better understood on a case by case basis with some cases being more serious and applicable to a specific addiction to the Internet than others.

Treatment and Recovery

Because Internet addiction is a relatively new concept, and in some cases not recognized as a true addiction, there are limited treatment options available. In China, some families have turned to unlicensed training camps to break their children’s perceived Internet addiction. The methods used, however, have been questionable. Recently, a residential treatment center for Internet addiction opened near Seattle, Washington, which offers a 45-day program to rid an addict of their strong Internet compulsions.

Perhaps a better method for most, however, is to consult a psychologist. One psychologist who specializes in Internet addiction is Dr. Kimberly Young of The Center for Internet Addiction. Her methods integrate a fairly traditional practice with the new concept of Internet addiction. Advise is also offered for parents who have children struggling with Internet addiction.

Whatever method for handling Internet addiction is chosen, though, must be right for the individual. This is a fact of all addictions, but with Internet addiction being a unique case, it is especially important to research all options before a choice is made.

Alcohol Interview with Sarah Allen Benton

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:56:37 +0000

Sarah Allen Benton is a Licenced Mental Health Counselor specializing in alcoholism. She is also an author, and writes the blog The High-Functioning Alcoholic through Psychology Today's website. Recently, she was kind of enough to take the time to answer our questions:

AllTreatment: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Sarah Allen Benton: I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor at McLean Hospital in The McLean Residence at The Brook transitional living program for substance abuse and dual diagnosis treatment in Waltham, Massachusetts. I am also the author of the book, “Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic”. I have been featured in the media including a NY Times article by Jane Brody, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, NPR and am a blogger for PsychologyToday.com. Most important, I have been in recovery from alcoholism for 8 years.

AT: How did you become interested in alcoholism?

SAB: I have always had interest in psychology and pursued my master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. However, my own struggle with alcoholism and recovery led me to have specific interest in the addiction field. I was troubled that the stereotypical image of the alcoholic was preventing many alcoholics, including myself, from getting appropriate help. My own challenge in recognizing and acknowledging my alcoholism led me to want to help others short-circuit this process—which is the true purpose of my book “Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic”

AT: What is a high-functioning alcoholic?

SAB: A high-functioning alcoholic is a person who drinks alcoholically yet is able to maintain an above average level of functioning in their life responsibilities such as career, academics and/or childcare.

AT: Some of your articles focus on coping with alcohol cravings. What are some effective alternatives to alcohol consumption?

SAB: There are many strategies to help individuals to cope with cravings to drink. It is important to determine which ones are most helpful and to apply them in difficult times:

1. Choose not to drink or use drugs despite what your mind may be telling you
2. Distract yourself- Physically get away from the situation you are in, and do something else
3. Talk with someone immediately who is supportive (therapist, friend, family member)
4. Avoid isolating yourself, go somewhere safe with someone you trust
5. Engage in another activity take a hot or cold shower, squeeze ice
6. Exercise- go for a brisk walk or run, swim, lift weights, or engage in other aerobic activities that require physical exertion
7. Release your emotions in a safe manner- punch a pillow, yell, etc.
8. Pamper yourself by doing something soothing: read, listen to music, take a relaxing bath, look at the moon or clouds
9. Get fresh air- open a window or take a walk in an area that is not near a bar, liquor store, etc.
10. Practice relaxation exercises that involve diaphragmatic breathing (meditation, mindfulness, guided CD)- allow yourself to experience and observe your feelings and cravings in a detached way
11. Journal- Write your feelings down
12. Read recovery based literature
13. Create a delay- Increase the time and distance between you and a drink or drug
14. Look at your pro/con list of drinking and/or using drugs
15. Pray- serenity prayer, for the strength to stay away from a drink or a drug
16. Eat a meal, snack or drink a non-alcoholic beverage
17. Go to a mutual-help group meeting- A.A., N.A. or SMART Recovery
18. Call your sponsor and talk about your cravings and that you are in a high-risk situation
19. Repeat a positive affirmation or mantra ("This too shall pass", etc.)- it is harder for your mind to think about alcohol/drugs and intentional repetitious thoughts
20. Stay away from people, places and things that tempt you while in this vulnerable state
21. Focus on something else- play with your pet, garden, watch TV, read a magazine
22. Think of the consequences- imagine the impact for tomorrow, next week, next year
23. Positive self talk
24. Observe your thoughts- don't believe everything that you think
25. Imagery- visualize being in a safe or special place
26. Break time down into manageable increments- commit to staying sober for the hour, minute, second
27. Create structure for your day/evening
28. Replace destructive activities- eat candy instead of drinking or using drugs
29. Practice delay- tell yourself that you only have to stay sober today
30. Fight the urge- imagine this is a battle that you want to win!
31. Don't pick up a drink- NO MATTER WHAT!

AT: What are some challenges facing a recovering alcoholic in today’s society?

SAB: Drinking alcohol is part of the American culture and therefore, getting sober is essentially going “against the grain”. Therefore, finding social support in recovery is crucial to maintaining long lasting recovery. Additionally, alcohol is a legal substance and therefore more accessible and socially expectable than illicit drugs. Recovering alcoholics can often feel socially isolated when they get sober and “not normal” as so many others in their life may be able to drink alcohol in a moderate way or have not chosen to get help.

AT: In your experiences, why do people abuse alcohol?

SAB: People abuse alcohol because they enjoy the effects that alcohol produces. For those with alcohol problems, many begin drinking for one reason (socially, work culture) and then often report that they end up drinking because they have developed an addictive relationship with alcohol. Alcohol serves different purposes for different people, and is highly addictive for those with a predisposition for alcohol problems Individuals are more at risk for developing alcoholism if they have alcoholism in their family, started to drink before age 15, trauma history, mood issues and/or impulsive personality.

AT: What advice can you give for anyone struggling with alcohol addiction? If you are having a moment of clarity around your alcohol problem, take action and reach out for help. It is easier not to deal with an addiction and important that loved ones can support you in getting help and hold you accountable. There is hope and there are MANY resources available. My Website lists some of the available resources.

Thank you, Sarah, for your insight and tips. Alcoholism, like many addictions, can be a difficult disease to recover from, but with methods and support from loved ones, it can be beat.

AllTreatment.com - Best Blogs of 2011

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:18:54 +0000

With 2012 in full swing, we thought it would be good to pause and look back at some blogs that made 2011 a great year for drug, addiction, and treatment information. Our list includes everything from a psychological look at these topics to rehabilitation approaches. Take a look at these blogs as they continue to inform in 2012 and beyond.

Addiction and Recovery News: This blog, headed by Jason Schwartz, was started by the rehab facility Dawn Farms. Originally running as an email list for the Dawn Farm staff, it has grown into one of the best blogs for following news in the addiction and recovery world. Jason, who is the clinical director of Dawn Farms, writes on a variety of drug and alcohol related topics, including findings in research, trends, and controversies.

Brain Blogger: This health and science blog provides insight into the human brain. Covering a wide range of topics, this insight can help us better understand the psychological factors of addiction, and why some struggle with it more than others.

The Canyon Rehab Blog: The Malibu based rehab facility frequently updates their blog, which provides information on everything from cocaine addiction to celebrity drug news. They are committed to providing addicts and their loved ones with quality information about addiction and treatment.

The Discovering Alcoholic: Written by a recovering alcoholic, the self proclaimed “Discovering Alcoholic” writes about, as you may have guessed already, the ups and downs of alcoholism. He also writes, however, about addictions from a wide range of other substances, including unconventional ones like Battlestar Galactica Addiction. Yikes, sounds serious.

The Sara Bellum Blog: A teen oriented blog, The Sara Bellum Blog explores understanding the science behind drug abuse. Articles, written by a team of National Institute on Drug Abuse scientists, are geared towards teens, but informational for all. Recent topics include addiction to caffeine and treating addiction with medication.

Exercise Addiction

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:33:43 +0000

When looking at an addiction such as exercise, it is important to keep in mind that it is not an officially recognized addiction. However, experts have recognized similar characteristics with abusing exercise that are found in common, officially recognized addictions. As more is discovered about behavior based compulsions like excessive exercise, it is possible that we will see more of these conditions be legitmately considered as addictions.

What is Exercise Addiction?
Exercise addiction is a behavioral addiction in which one becomes obsessed with exercising in excessive quantities. Usually the addiction is spurred by chemicals in the brain during exercise that create a pleasurable feeling. While the term “runner’s high” is often used to describe this feeling, it is not just running that can produce it. Any form of exercise can lead to this pleasurable sensation. An addiction study, in fact, found that when this sensation was artificially produced in rats, they became obsessed with the feeling so much that they forgot to eat or drink. With humans, the consequences are not typically this dramatic, but the addiction can lead to deprivation or disregard of other things in life.

How Much is Too Much?
Due to the fact that exercise is actually encouraged for a healthy lifestyle, exercise addiction can be hard to prevent or recognize. Most doctors, though, recommend that the average person exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. While this number is flexible, and many exceed it, an exercise addict typically works out for hours each day. If they miss a day, they feel guilty and will work out even harder the next day.

Signs and Symptoms
Like most addictions, an addiction to exercise will begin to consume one’s life. The several signs and symptoms of this addiction include:

Neglecting friends and family in favor of exercise
Exercising even when sick or tired
Exercising to the point of injury, and continuing to work out despite the injury
Skipping school or work to exercise
Experience of guilt or withdrawal when unable to exercise

Consequences
The consequences of exercise addiction can include

Anxiety
Fatigue
Untreated injury
Difficulty relaxing
Trouble in personal relationships

Treatment
If you believe you are addicted to exercise, seek help. Your doctor can refer you to an expert who can help you figure out a way to exercise in a healthy way.

For More Information, Check Out:

What Is Exercise Addiction?

Compulsive Exercise

Interview with Addiction Journalist Dirk Hanson

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:44:36 +0000

A couple of years ago we talked to Dirk Hanson, blogger and author of the book The Chemical Carousel, about Marijuana Withdrawal. Now, Dirk has kindly returned to talk about addiction in general, its genetic factors, and attitudes towards the addiction and recovery process.

AllTreatment: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Dirk Hanson: I’m a journalist specializing in neuroscience, drugs, and addiction. I write the Addiction Inbox blog, and I’m senior contributing editor at the online addiction and recovery magazine, The Fix. I published a book on addiction in 2009, and I freelance. I recently did an article on male-female differences in alcohol metabolism for Scientific American online. But my educational background is strictly liberal arts. I took a job with a trade newspaper in San Francisco back in the 70s, covering this interesting little place called Silicon Valley. And the next thing I knew, I was hip-deep in solid-state physics. I end up writing a book about the invention of the computer on a chip, and then moved to rural Minnesota. Somewhere along the way, my interests migrated from machine intelligence to the human brain. From a reporter’s perspective, I changed beats, from artificial intelligence and computers to brain science and neurotransmitters.

AT: How did you become interested in addiction and substance abuse, and why did you want to start a blog about it?

DH: What got me there was being an active alcoholic for many years, along with various forays into other addictive drugs, by no means excluding nicotine. When I got out from under that, I felt like the only thing that had saved me was my firm realization that the problem I was having had a strong biological component—that it was, in fact, a medical disorder. A pharmacogenetic disease. A genetic affliction. And allergy of mind and body, to steal a phrase. That insight changed everything for me. I dove into the research, the current thinking on the disease model of addiction, I wrote a draft of a book on the subject, for interested laypeople, but my agent had absolutely no luck finding a publisher. This was several years ago, and all the book people wanted to hear about were drug confessionals. I had worked for newspapers and magazines and written two previous books, and luckily I had started a modest blog about four years ago as a landing site on the Internet for discussion of the book, just the odd post about biochemical aspects of addiction, mostly press release rewrites, sort of a holding pattern, because I didn’t really know anything about blogging.

AT: You released that book, The Chemical Carousel, in 2009. Could you tell us a bit more about it?

DH: I ended up self-publishing with Amazon under their BookSurge imprint. The Chemical Carousel tells the story of scientific and medical research on addiction. It’s basically an extended argument on behalf of the disease model of addiction. It seemed to me that after a century or more of essentially Freudian theories about addiction and recovery, it was really time to get back to basics, and look at the science of it. And of course, all this coincided with the revolution in neuroscience, and our whole understanding of the brain changing due to insights about synaptic neurotransmission, and the role played by serotonin, dopamine, and other chemicals in the brain. I interviewed dozens of key researchers and decided to focus from a treatment perspective on pharmacological approaches—fighting fire with fire. If addiction is a medical disorder, there is no reason not to pursue medications that might help alleviate the condition. That doesn’t mean there aren’t social and environmental and cultural components to it. The same with diabetes, or heart disease, for that matter. I concentrate on explaining brain function and particularly the function of reward systems. Addictive drugs have played a crucial role in our understanding of many brain functions—reward, learning, memory, and various cognitive behaviors.

AT: Do you think society has a skewed vision when it comes to attitudes about addictions and treatments? Do you see this changing at all?

DH: It seems like we’re always struggling to emerge from the Dark Ages when it comes to addiction. The majority historical view has always been moralistic, punitive, and unforgiving. Although that has been watered down some by the trend toward celebrities using rehab facilities as hideouts, or just for a vacation, I guess. If you think addiction is a voluntary condition brought on by moral sloth, lack of will power, hedonism, or advertising, then your attitude toward addicts will be condemnatory rather than supportive. We’ve jailed addicts for centuries, taken away their rights, their children, their dignity—for what? Certainly not to make them better. Even today, most treatment is ineffective. As Susan Sontag has written: “Psychological theories of illness are a powerful means of placing the blame on the ill. Patients who are instructed that they have, unwittingly, caused their disease are also being made to feel that they have deserved it.”

We certainly know enough now to legitimately view addiction as a medical disorder of the nervous system, a form of disease triggered by an acute vulnerability to the effects of a certain class of drugs. Going for addiction treatment should be like going in for diabetes treatment—there shouldn’t be a stigma, a sense of shame associated with it. Addicts already feel ashamed, because of bad behaviors and bad choices made while under the influence. I’m optimistic, if only because the sheer weight of the research makes it harder and harder for denialists to insist that addiction is a lifestyle choice.

AT: How have your own attitudes changed since you began researching addictions and substance abuse?

DH: I’m more comfortable with a lot of the ideas underpinning the harm reduction movement, for one thing. Originally, I became interested in harm reduction because its advocates were highlighting the folly of prison terms over treatment for drug addicts—a sentiment with which I wholeheartedly agree. Also, the various harm reduction organizations worldwide were fastened onto the issue of clean needle exchanges as a means of reducing HIV transmission—another approach I heartily support. Harm reduction, at the core, has always been about reducing the number of deaths by drug overdose. But lately, it seems to me that activists in the harm reduction movement have been leaning hard on the notion that abstinence is a bunch of nonsense. A few months ago, on Denise Krochta’s excellent podcast, Addicted to Addicts, I suggested that part of the argument over abstinence vs. controlled drinking stemmed from a confused bundling of “problem drinkers” and “alcoholics.” This has helped some extreme harm reductionists center the battle precisely where the definitions are fuzziest: at the point on the spectrum where “problem drinking” becomes “alcoholism.” Nonetheless, by focusing on this imprecise edge, harm reductionists make a legitimate point: Culture and environment are major influences on the course of heavy drinking.

AT: How much does biology play a part in addiction as opposed to environment?

DH: I think addiction shows a strong genetic component, but a lot of people react negatively to that concept. Genes are about risk, not about destiny. What’s inherited is a tendency, a propensity. It’s not ordained. In the most recent population study of addicts and non-addicted siblings, published in Science (Feb. 3 2012), the researchers looked at the early lives of sibling pairs, and found pretty much the same risk factors for both kids: both the addicts and their siblings had seen roughly equal amounts of trauma in childhood. “We really looked at their childhoods,” said Karen Ersche, lead author of the study and group leader for human addiction research at the University of Cambridge in England, quoted at Time Healthland. “There was a lot of domestic violence, there was sexual abuse — but both [groups] had that.”

Sorting out this chicken-egg problem is a major headache, but addicts often feel like outsiders from an early age, and many of them sense that something is not quite right with them long before they ever take a drink or a drug. As for nature/nurture, I’m willing to put the odds of that mix at 60/40 for addiction, which is a good deal less genetically loaded than my estimates used to be. The growing research field of epigenetics has brought the two views closer together, by demonstrating that a person’s DNA can in some cases be modified, and genes turned off and on, by environmental impacts.

AT: For those struggling through an addiction, what advice can you give them?

DH: There’s never been a better time to be an addict in search of a treatment that will put the condition in abeyance. It’s always hard, and there’s still too much stigma, but there is a strong network of non-practicing addicts that you can find and lean on for support these days. Musician Mike Doughty, formerly of Soul Coughing, told me something in an interview for Addiction Inbox that I think is a fairly common experience for addicts after detox: “If I’m really messed up about something emotionally, talk therapy has the most immediate effect. Just being in touch with dudes from the rooms, a sponsor, friends, I’m on a gratitude list with a bunch of guys, we email each other every day—that stuff is a lot more effective in the short term.”

Thank you, Dirk, for sharing your insight and opinions with us. To hear Dirk's interview with Addicted to Addicts, click here.

Love Addiction

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:23:42 +0000

What is Love Addiction?
Love addiction is a behavior where people become addicted to the feeling of love. In today’s society, it is more common than it might seem, yet most addicts don’t realize they are indeed addicted to love. A variety of behaviors can result from being addicted to love, including sexual acting out--which more specifically might be recognized as sex addiction. Love addiction, however, usually involves something of an emotional need rather than simply a pure physical need.

Is Love Addiction a Legitimate Addiction?
Yes. Some believe that love addiction is simply a metaphor for being in love, but researchers distinguish love as an actual drug. Among pioneers in recognizing this addiction was Dr. Stanton Peele, and along with Archie Brodsky, he explored it in the book Love and Addiction in 1975. Peele noticed social behaviors with love that were prominent in physical addictions as well. He observed the consuming grip it had on some people’s lives, and also saw physical withdrawal symptoms when an addict dealt with a romantic breakup. According to Peele:

Love is an ideal vehicle for addiction because it can so exclusively claim a person's consciousness. If, to serve as an addiction, something must be both reassuring and consuming, then a sexual or love relationship is perfectly suited for the task. If it must also be patterned, predictable, and isolated, then in these respects, too, a relationship can be ideally tailored to the addictive purpose. Someone who is dissatisfied with himself or his situation can discover in such a relationship the most encompassing substitute for self-contentment and the effort required to attain it.

Since Peele’s look into love addiction in 1975, others have joined in as well. 1985’s Women Who Love Too Much by Robin Norwood furthered the concept of addiction to love, and Susan Peabody’s Addiction to Love in 2005 was the first place where the phrase ‘love addict’ was used as a legitimate term. Many now recognize dependency on love as a very real and literal addiction.

Signs and Symptoms of Love Addiction:

Frequently mistaking romantic infatuation for love
Constantly searching for love or romance
Easily falling in love with strangers or people just met
Often anxious or unhappy when alone
Skipping out on important time with family, career, or friends in order to pursue a romantic relationship
Constant fantasizing about object of infatuation
Inability to let go of person bonded with
Initial attraction is more appealing than falling in love over time
Object of desire is idealized, often to the point of divinity
Reality is distorted to see what is desired to see
Inability to want to leave an abusive partner
Very possessive and jealous when in love
Spying on person in love with

Treatment
Because the concept of love addiction is fairly new, not many treatments are specifically designed to handle love addiction. There are, however, a few places online that can offer support. Loveaddictionhelp.com and Susan Peabody’s Love Addicts Anonymous are a couple such places. Another, more traditional method of treatment is psychological therapy.

Interview with Dr. Stanton Peele

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:54:00 +0000

Dr. Stanton Peele is a prominent figure in the addiction field. He has written several books on the matter, and has been a leading researcher in addictions beyond drugs and alcohol. He also maintains an addiction blog on Psychology Today's website. Here, we ask him a few questions about him and his work.

AllTreatment: Tell us a bit about yourself.

Dr. Peele: I live in Park Slope -- a fairyland -- Brooklyn, where I can take the subway directly to NYC to see movies, or my two daughters who live and work there, or else transfer out to Queens to see my son and his two children, Cassius and Imogen. Sometimes, Cassius is naughty.

AT: How did you become interested in addictions?

Dr. Peele: Perhaps because I was taught to value self-control, I was always fascinated by people who were out of control of themselves -- so as a 5-year-old, I peppered my mother with questions about an alcoholic man who had to be dragged home babbling night after night (when I get my Nobel Prize, I plan on waving it towards heaven to thank her).

AT: On your blog, you say that addiction is “the thematic malady for society.” How so?

Dr. Peele: When I wrote Love and Addiction in 1975 with Archie Brodsky, people thought heroin was addictive, and that was it. The decades since have been a backfilling by society -- cocaine, marijuana, cigs, really the recognition that all drugs may be addictive -- and, now, finally, DSM-V proposes to identify the first non-drug addiction -- gambling. I expect shortly to be recognized for having been a half century ahead of the American Psychiatric Association.

AT: Have the nature of and attitudes towards addictions changed since you first started your work?

Dr. Peele: It's become the hottest topic -- when I was in college and grad school there were no addiction courses -- just pat courses on drugs. I picked a hot topic that will not only never go away, but will only grow hotter.

AT: Many people probably don’t connect the feeling of love with addiction, but Love and Addiction argues that they can indeed be linked. What factors have you seen in love that cause you to believe so?

Dr. Peele: When women get beat up and refuse to leave their boyfriends/spouses, who are often substance abusers, they say, "I can't -- I love him."

AT: Are there any other addictions that you cover that people might be surprised to know about?

Dr. Peele: Well, the addiction America has to believing addiction is a disease, which has produced no benefits, but which is still considered the cutting edge of research and theory (they'll get over it -- like most people outgrow addictions on their own).

AT: From a psychological standpoint, what advice do you have for those struggling with addiction?

Dr. Peele: Examine the key areas of your life -- health, love, family, work, education -- and try to do something positive regularly and for the long run in each of them -- if you do, your addiction will likely quit itself.

Thank you for sharing your insight with us, Dr. Peele. Certainly addiction can extend beyond simply drugs and alcohol.

Cosmetic Surgery Addiction

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:11:50 +0000

Plastic surgery has become a staple in popular culture. From Hollywood stars to everday citizens, it seems to be an expensive but easy way to "fix" a subtle physical flaw. However, for some, plastic surgery is more than that. For some, it is an obsession. Here, we take a look at what is known as Cosmetic Surgery Addiction.

What is Cosmetic Surgery Addiction?
Cosmetic Surgery Addiction is the feeling of a constant desire to receive cosmetic, or plastic, surgery, often to the point of excess. While most plastic surgery procedures are designed to maintain the body’s natural appearance, addicts are usually physically distinguishable because of the extreme and unnatural appearance-altering manner that results from excessive plastic surgery.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder:
Cosmetic surgery addicts often suffer from a disorder known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, which is defined as a mental illness that causes one to be fixated on one’s own minor or imagined physical flaw. While this flaw is often insignificant or nonexistent, a person will be mentally consumed and obsessed by this flaw for hours a day. Specific symptoms of BDD include:

Obsessive thoughts about one or more perceived body defects
Constantly low self-esteem
Obsessive and/or compulsive behaviors relating to perceived body defects
Withdrawal from society and family
Strong feelings of shame and self-consciousness
Envy over the physical appearance of others

How Much is Too Much?
Many experts feel that the best plastic surgery is minor and unnoticeable. When the appearance of a patient begins to look fake or unnatural is when it becomes too much. Cosmetic surgery addicts, however, feel a constant need to adjust and “perfect” their appearance through plastic surgery. While in most cases a surgeon can recommend to their patient that they not undergo any more procedures, it is usually ultimately up to the patient to accept or reject this recommendation. And, if this patient is a cosmetic surgery addict, they will likely reject it.

Cosmetic Surgery Statistics from The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery:

From 1997 to 2010, the increase in cosmetic procedures has increased by over 155%.
The top five cosmetic procedures (2010): breast augmentation, liposuction, eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty, and breast reduction.
Women had 92% of the total cosmetic procedures in 2010.

Treatment:
If a plastic surgeon identifies Cosmetic Surgery Addiction in a patient, they will usually advise psychological counseling before surgery. If it is determined that the patient does indeed need psychological treatment, there are a variety of methods available, including cognitive behavioral therapy and medications. If you or someone you know suffers from this addiction, please seek help.

For More Information:

http://plasticsurgeryaddiction.net/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/body-dysmorphic-disorder/DS00559

Binge Eating Disorder

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:30:27 +0000

Recently, AllTreatment took a look at food addiction. Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a specific type of food addiction that is characterized by extreme overindulgence. We take a closer look here.

Definition:
Binge Eating Disorder is closely related to, but ultimately different from food addiction, being distinct based on the excessive amounts of food one consumes when suffering from this disorder. BED is the most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting 2% of males and 3.5% of females. Another concern about BED is that it is present in up to 30 percent of those who are attempting to lose weight. Additionally, those who suffer from Binge Eating Disorder may feel embarrassed, which may lead to eating in secret.

Causes:
The Mayo Clinic lists three possible interrelated factors that can initiate BED:

Biological Factors - Some people with BED may be genetically predisposed to excessively overeat. Research also suggests that brain chemicals may altered in people with BED.
Psychological Factors - Low self esteem and other emotions such as anger and sadness can may play a role in excessive overeating.
Environmental Factors - Although in Western culture there is an implied desire for thinness, the overwhelming presence of food in advertising and general society can cause some people to excessively overeat. These conflicting messages may cause those who suffer from BED to become angry at themselves.

Possible Symptoms:

Eating even though you’re full
Feeling that your behavior is out of control
Eating when you’re not hungry
Depression
Frequently eating alone
Eating when bored or depressed
Anxiety

Risk Factors:

Age - BED most commonly shows up in adolescents and young adults in their early twenties.
Gender - Women are more likely to develop this disorder than men.
Dieting - Extensive dieting may contribute to a strong urge to binge eat.
Family History - As is the case with many diseases and disorders, those with relatives who have BED are more likely to suffer from it themselves.

Treatment:
To remedy BED, sufferers rely on a variety of treatments, including psychotherapy, medications, behavioral weight loss programs, and self help strategies (e.g. books, videos, etc.). Specifically, though, realistic ways to beat BED include:

Stick to your plan - Only eat the food each day that you plan on eating; don’t eat impulsively.
Eat breakfast - Skipping breakfast may cause you to overcompensate with food in later meals.
Exercise - Keeping the body active can reduce impulses to eat what you don’t need. A healthy body wants to eat in a healthy way.
Don’t keep too much food around - The more food you keep at your house, the easier it will be to overindulge. When at the grocery store, buy only what you need for a few days.