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Addictions

Addiction is a mental illness in which a person loses control of their behavior and becomes physically or psychologically dependent on a substance or a particular behavior.

Addiction symptoms

We can become addicted primarily to chemical substances, such as alcohol, narcotics, and some psychotropic drugs, but also to certain behaviors, the so-called behavioral addictions - from computer games, gambling, shopping, food, sex, or the Internet. Addiction is a broad term; however, regardless of what addiction we are talking about, there are several symptoms typical of an addicted person; they are:

  • A strong desire and irresistible need to reach for a substance or perform a specific activity.
  • Difficulty limiting or controlling substance use or behavior performance.
  • Increased tolerance, i.e., the need for more significant amounts of the substance or more intense behavior to achieve the desired effect.
  • The onset of withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, depression, tremors, or nausea is when a person tries to reduce or stop using a substance or performing a behavior.
  • Loss of interest and resignation from other activities for addiction - over time, the addict's whole life is focused on obtaining and using substances.
  • Difficulties in maintaining interpersonal relationships and problematic social functioning.

Addiction treatment

  • Addiction therapy (group or individual) - an attempt to reach primary disorders, resulting in the patient seeking various substances to intoxicate or "self-medicate."
  • Self-help movements (AA, AN)
  • Pharmacological treatment - is symptomatic and auxiliary; it boils down to the use of various substances to reduce hunger and the amount of consumed substance, or the so-called aversive treatment.
  • Neurostimulation of the brain in the form of TMS treatments - an effect that reduces the feeling of alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine craving. The use of TMS in addictions is the subject of numerous scientific studies.
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Addiction treatment which is available at Magwise

  • Pharmacotherapy under the supervision of a specialist psychiatrist
  • TMS treatments support the brain in reducing alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine cravings (quitting smoking)

References

  • Harel M, Perini I, Kämpe R, Alyagon U, Shalev H, Besser I, Sommer WH, Heilig M, Zangen A. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Alcohol Dependence: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Proof-of-Concept Trial Targeting the Medial Prefrontal and Anterior Cingulate Cortices. Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Jun 15;91(12):1061-1069. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.11.020. Epub 2021 Dec 6. PMID: 35067356.
  • Li X, Hartwell KJ, Henderson S, Badran BW, Brady KT, George MS. Two weeks of image-guided left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation improves smoking cessation: A double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Brain Stimul. 2020 Sep-Oct;13(5):1271-1279. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2020.06.007. Epub 2020 Jun 10. PMID: 32534252; PMCID: PMC7494651.
  • Young JR, Galla JT, Appelbaum LG. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment for Smoking Cessation: An Introduction for Primary Care Clinicians. Am J Med. 2021 Nov;134(11):1339-1343. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2021.06.037. Epub 2021 Aug 15. PMID: 34407423; PMCID: PMC8607981.

Our Specialists in the Treatment of Addictions