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Process Addictions

Process Addictions

Process addictions – those addictions based on an activity or process – are becoming more prevalent in the addiction community. Process addictions include activities such as gambling, shopping, watching porn, sex/love, Internet surfing and eating disorders. The overuse or dependence on these activities can be equally as debilitating, if not more so than, more common addictions such as alcohol and drugs. Evidence based practices suggest that it’s not enough to treat these addictions one at a time but rather simultaneously in order to provide an individual with stronger tools for longer lasting recovery.

New Hope Recovery Center treats process addictions as well as addictions to alcohol and drugs.

Gambling Addiction: The Games Gamblers Play Gambling can be defined as risking something of value on an activity or event in which the outcome is uncertain.  It comes with the hopes of winning something of material value. Approximately 81% of Americans view casino gambling as an acceptable form of entertainment.  In 2011, it was reported that 27% of Americans visited a casino within the past 12 months and 75% of all Americans consider casinos a good value.  Based on those percentages, gambling is prevalent in American society.  If the statistics of 1 in 4 families are affected by addiction, there’s a high likelihood that many of these families are impacted by a gambling addiction.

Shopping Addiction: 5 Warning Signs Shopping addiction, commonly referred to as “shop-aholism,” is a less common but equally as destructive addiction as drugs or alcohol.  Shopping addiction is a process addiction in which an individual cannot control his or her impulse to purchase things.  The process addictions differ from chemical addictions in that it is a behavior or set of behaviors, compulsive in nature that a person becomes addicted to.  Although there is no substance involved, behavioral addictions are very powerful due to the fact that engaging in the behaviors triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, causing one to feel compelled to repeat the behavior in order to get the “high.”

Please contact us if you or someone you love is affected by an addiction to gambling, shopping, pornography, sex on the Internet or has an eating disorder.