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A process addiction describes an addiction to a process rather than a substance, and compulsive behaviors can create substantial problems in your work, relationships, and entire life. Many people understand the treatment methods used to deal with substance abuse but what treatment is available if you are addicted to a process like gambling, shopping, eating, surfing the Internet, committing certain crimes, working, or sex instead? The brain changes that occur with process addiction are different from what is seen in substance abuse where the substance physically changes the brain chemistry and specific neurotransmitters. A process addiction affects the brain in a more indirect route, but the changes that take place are no less destructive to your life because of this. Professional treatment is required in order to stop the compulsive behaviors and live a normal life once more.

If you have a process addiction then there are a number of different treatment methods that may be offered. Each program and facility will have specific methods which are used, and these can change from one program to the next. Individual counseling can be very beneficial by helping you determine what is causing these behaviors and allowing you to work through hidden issues in order to finally heal. Group counseling is also common so that you can get peer feedback and to let you see that many other people share the same problem. Usually medication is not used unless there are other disorders which are complicating the process addiction that may benefit from medication. Sometimes a medication may be prescribed to treat or manage one of the symptoms exhibited.