Magwise

Diseases treated at the magwise clinic

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.

Addiction treatment which is available at Magwise

  • Addiction psychotherapy
  • 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.

Specialists in the treatment of addictions