Video Game Addiction Symptoms - Ten Psychological Signs

Although video game addiction is not yet an official psychiatric diagnosis, it is still reasonable to conclude that some players spend far too much time engaged with online computer games and that this can have serious consequences for their lives in the "real world."

In an attempt to define the symptoms of video game addiction, researchers initially examined the diagnostic criteria for other more well-known obsessive behaviors.

For example, in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Pathological Gambling is classified as an impulse-control disorder and includes symptoms such as a preoccupation with gambling, the need to spend more and more time gambling, irritability when one must cut down or stop gambling, involvement in illegal activity to finance the habit, and reliance on others to provide money to get out of desperate financial situations.

It was a good start to clarify the signs of excessive play by using mostly objective criteria. However, adapting existing symptoms of one disorder to fit another condition has significant drawbacks. For example, a video game addict is unlikely to be involved in illegal activities to finance his or her habit, and it is not clear that the concept of a "high" that comes from larger bets while gambling can be adapted to fit video game addiction.

As such, researchers and mental health professionals have started to propose different ways to classify video game addiction symptoms that rely less on adapting the criteria for other disorders.

One such system proposes that the symptoms of video game addiction can be broken down into four categories - psychological symptoms, physical symptoms, behavioral symptoms, and relational symptoms.

With this classification system in mind, below is a list of ten psychological symptoms of video game addiction. Again, because video game addiction is not an official psychiatric condition, keep in mind that is not an official list of diagnostic symptoms. However it is based on current research on this issue and clinical work with individuals who have sought help for excessive gaming.

1. Feelings of guilt, regret, and that one has wasted his or her time after playing for much longer than originally intended

2. Feelings of irritability, depression, frustration, or lethargy when unable to play for more than a few days

3. Strong feelings of guilt when one does not join their online team for a prearranged mission or quest

4. Frequently experiencing a distorted sense of time, such as the perception that only an hour has passed while in fact the person has been playing for three or four hours

5. Frequent justification of use that would be considered excessive by most others ("I just use it to relax, what is the problem with this?")

6. A significant loss of interest in activities or hobbies that the gamer once enjoyed

7. Experiencing a sense of contentment, peace, and calmness when one is gaming that does not exist otherwise

8. Often thinking about one's next gaming session when involved in other activities or people (for example, at school, with friends, while working, etc.)

9. Frequently downplaying the negative effects of excessive gaming ("At least I'm not addicted to drugs or alcohol")

10. Significantly decreased interest in academic and / or work-related success.

Dr. Brent Conrad is a clinical psychologist and author who specializes in treating internet, computer and video game addiction. He is committed to providing honest, helpful, and straight-forward advice on how to overcome online addictions. Much more on video game addiction symptoms is available at his professional website.

Tips For Overcoming Drug Addiction

While drug use is rampant in most parts of the Western world, drug addiction is no joke. It has become a serious problem, effecting people at all levels of society and socio-economic status. It takes a lot for addicts to break free of their addictions. Outsiders may think it's simply a matter of deciding to quit, and that is absolutely a step, but there's a bigger picture, a pattern  that emerges if you will, of ways to cope and overcome addictions.

What are we talking about here? Let's get right into it. If a drug addict has made the decision to quit, here are some tips for making the decision come true.

Avoid putting oneself in the company of the drug. This means avoiding friends and even family members who will use this drug in front of you. It also means avoiding environments where the use of this drug is rampant. For instance, alcoholics should avoid bars. Cocaine addicts should avoid clubs. Note that this does not have to be a permanent thing, but rather, during the time of overcoming the addiction, avoiding putting oneself around the substance will do a lot to reduce a relapse. One the addiction is under control, it may be possible to remove this 'rule', but note that it also might be in the best interest of the addict to make this a permanent lifestyle choice.

Ask for the support and approval of your loved ones, friends, and family members. Openly declaring to your loved ones that not only are you seeking help to overcome your drug addiction, but you know you will also need their support can be of tremendous importance. It will not be an easy ride, and you need to know that they will be with your during the rough parts to make it out on the end.

Begin regularly exercising. This will help instill first of all, new behaviors and patterns, secondly it will improve your overall health, and third, it will give you confidence and support mentally to maintain a new lifestlye. Most on-site treatment facilities for drug addiction incorporate either a casual level of exercise or an actual exercise program into their treatment plans, and it is for a good reason - it helps.

Take life one day at a time. This advice sounds cliche, but it's very helpful. When deciding not to drink, when deciding not to smoke, when deciding not to shoot up, and so on, look at it from this perspective: you might not feel 100% that you are strong enough to never do this again, but for RIGHT NOW, at this moment, in this situation, you are making the decision to NOT do this. And all we ever have is the present moment and how we deal with it. Embracing this outlook is incredibly empowering in overcoming an addiction.

If you are suffering from drug addiction issues, from marijuana addiction to meth, seek the treatment you deserve. Either on your own but with a firm conviction, sealed with a support group of family, friends, and other users who want to quit. Other options, if affordable, include going to an onsite marijuana addiction treatment facility.

Worst Curse on Humanity is Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is the worst curse that humanity is suffering from. It has affected the whole human race and taken away millions of lives. Opiate addiction has spread like a plague and engulfed mostly the teenagers all over the world. It must be uprooted from our society; otherwise our future generations have to face unforeseen consequences. Drug addiction is a disease that has taken control over millions of human beings all over the world. The most common form of drug practiced nowadays by the people is the painkiller addiction. The teenagers are worst hit by this form of addiction. Since, painkillers are legal and used for its medicinal properties; they are found in any medical stores and are easily available.

In order to cure people from opiate addiction, many drug rehabilitation centers have grown up which provide great treatment facilities to the patients. Opiate addiction comes for various reasons, sometimes it comes from depression, loneliness and sometimes it comes from mere curiosity. Teenagers often try to show their smartness in front of their friends and take these drugs, which later turns to be addiction. Due to the easy availability of opiates like the painkillers, the teens get them very easily. They are not well informed about the effects of painkiller addiction, so they do not see any risk in consuming them. But, when the effects show up, it becomes too late for them to get back.

These intentional uses of painkillers are nothing but few steps towards their premature death. The side effects are so strong, that it is almost impossible to get rid of the addiction. The only way to get out of opiate addiction is proper treatment in an opiate rehab. The latest method of treatment used to cure the patients is the buprenorphine treatment. The use of this medicine has proved to be very effective in the treatment of opiate addicts. But, only medicinal treatment is not enough for complete rehabilitation of a person. The drug addicted patients need a lot of attention and care during the treatment process. The treatment process also needs a comfortable atmosphere which must be calm and soothing for the drug addicted patient. The main treatment of a drug addicted patient is the psychological treatment. The patient must be forced to realize that he can live without these drugs.

The first process that is conducted in the treatment process is the rapid detox process. During this process, all the toxic drug materials are eliminated from the addict's body. The opiate withdrawal effects that show up are very painful, most patients are unable to tolerate. It has been observed that many patients run away from the rehabs and get back to their usual life of addiction to get relieved from the pain. This is because most drug rehabilitation centers cannot provide the required care and comfort that helps the drug addicted patient to overcome the withdrawal effects of painkiller addiction.

Getting treatment from a well renowned rehabilitation center is the only way of treatment and complete rehabilitation.

Cliffside Malibu is a luxury alcohol and symptoms of painkiller addiction located in Malibu, California. For further details about Cliffside's treatment methods, amenities, or other general information about our opiates rehab.

How To Quit An Alcohol Addiction Cold Turkey

When a close friend or household member confronts you with your alcohol dependancy, you can really feel as though you're totally worthless to society, particularly coming from someone you may truly love. This could be your initial step towards overcoming your alcohol addiction.

Now, quitting an alcohol dependancy may be the hardest thing you've ever carried out in your life. It definitely was for me when I lastly surrendered to my addiction after many many years of consuming. What I would like to explain in this tutorial are the methods that I discovered helped me get via 1 of the most hardest issues I acquired to go via in my existence, and believe it not, it really wasn't that poor.

Quitting an alcohol addiction cold turkey is some thing you need to truly be prepared for. You must know in your mind that this choice will hopefully be the last 1 you will need to take in combating your dependancy to alcohol.

You need to first, want to change your existing mode and lead a healthier and happier life. Promise yourself that as soon as you begin your voyage toward sobriety you won't do a u-turn and return to that horrible existence you as soon as possessed.

First of all, I acquired to get myself out of that damaging mode that I had been in for so many years and begin to really feel positive about my life and about how my life would be, one I used to be lastly clean and sober.

Now, I picked a date to begin my new life and I stuck to it. You are able to not change your thoughts for any reason as soon as you have selected a date. Prolonging time would only make issues worse. So, once you've chosen that date, stick with it regardless of what happens or what thoughts might enter into your thoughts about prolonging for an additional day.

I acquired to promise myself that I would never return the bottle once more. I should admit, within the initial few weeks it was really tough, and I continued thinking about alcohol virtually all day lengthy, but I knew that I couldn't go back on my word, no matter how I was feeling.

Whenever I used to be possessed with those thoughts about drinking, I'd just think of how my life would alter, not only for myself, but for my household too. They had put up with a lot of things during my consuming many years and I just refused to allow myself to let my family down again.

1 with the biggest fears I had before quitting my alcohol addiction chilly turkey was that I'd regret having given up so soon. That was 1 with the reasons that I hadn't been able to quit many years before. I tried to convince myself that the damage was already carried out and my life was such a lot a mess anyway, so why bother quitting. So I just continued towards self destruction, until I lastly realized that I was hurting my household and killing myself at the same time. That was my wake up call...

I did have cravings and urges on the begin and my demons possessed me, torturing me with their require for alcohol. I just acquired to be stronger, and when I changed my attitude to be constructive one instead of usually negative, it just gave me even more determination to make it over this giant hurdle that I just acquired to cross.

Needless to say I managed the tough way with my alcohol dependancy, and did it chilly turkey. I have listed several other issues that I needed to confront throughout the time I spent removing the alcohol dependancy from my existence in the totally free report mentioned below.!!!.

Need More Alcohol Addiction Support? Take a look at this Tried and Tested Alcohol Addiction Support written by Ed Philips and discover how to Stop Drinking Alcohol in under 21 days....

Pathological Eating Disorders and Poly-Behavioral Addiction

When considering that pathological eating disorders and their related diseases now afflict more people globally than malnutrition, some experts in the medical field are presently purporting that the world’s number one health problem is no longer heart disease or cancer, but obesity. According to the World Health Organization (June, 2005), “obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults overweight - at least 300 million of them clinically obese - and is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability. Often coexisting in developing countries with under-nutrition, obesity is a complex condition, with serious social and psychological dimensions, affecting virtually all ages and socioeconomic groups.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (June, 2005), reports that “during the past 20 years, obesity among adults has risen significantly in the United States. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older - over 60 million people - are obese. This increase is not limited to adults. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and teens aged 6-19 years, 16 percent (over 9 million young people) are considered overweight.”

Morbid obesity is a condition that is described as being 100lbs. or more above ideal weight, or having a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30. Being obese alone puts one at a much greater risk of suffering from a combination of several other metabolic factors such as having high blood pressure, being insulin resistant, and/ or having abnormal cholesterol levels that are all related to a poor diet and a lack of exercise. The sum is greater than the parts. Each metabolic problem is a risk for other diseases separately, but together they multiply the chances of life-threatening illness such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke, etc. Up to 30.5% of our Nations’ adults suffer from morbid obesity, and two thirds or 66% of adults are overweight measured by having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25. Considering that the U.S. population is now over 290,000,000, some estimate that up to 73,000,000 Americans could benefit from some type of education awareness and/ or treatment for a pathological eating disorder or food addiction. Typically, eating patterns are considered pathological problems when issues concerning weight and/ or eating habits, (e.g., overeating, under eating, binging, purging, and/ or obsessing over diets and calories, etc.) become the focus of a persons’ life, causing them to feel shame, guilt, and embarrassment with related symptoms of depression and anxiety that cause significant maladaptive social and/ or occupational impairment in functioning.

We must consider that some people develop dependencies on certain life-functioning activities such as eating that can be just as life threatening as drug addiction and just as socially and psychologically damaging as alcoholism. Some do suffer from hormonal or metabolic disorders, but most obese individuals simply consume more calories than they burn due to an out of control overeating Food Addiction. Hyper-obesity resulting from gross, habitual overeating is considered to be more like the problems found in those ingrained personality disorders that involve loss of control over appetite of some kind (Orford, 1985). Binge-eating Disorder episodes are characterized in part by a feeling that one cannot stop or control how much or what one is eating (DSM-IV-TR, 2000). Lienard and Vamecq (2004) have proposed an “auto-addictive” hypothesis for pathological eating disorders. They report that, “eating disorders are associated with abnormal levels of endorphins and share clinical similarities with psychoactive drug abuse. The key role of endorphins has recently been demonstrated in animals with regard to certain aspects of normal, pathological and experimental eating habits (food restriction combined with stress, loco-motor hyperactivity).” They report that the “pathological management of eating disorders may lead to two extreme situations: the absence of ingestion (anorexia) and excessive ingestion (bulimia).”

Co-morbidity & Mortality

Addictions and other mental disorders as a rule do not develop in isolation. The National Co-morbidity Survey (NCS) that sampled the entire U.S. population in 1994, found that among non-institutionalized American male and female adolescents and adults (ages 15-54), roughly 50% had a diagnosable Axis I mental disorder at some time in their lives. This survey’s results indicated that 35% of males will at some time in their lives have abused substances to the point of qualifying for a mental disorder diagnosis, and nearly 25% of women will have qualified for a serious mood disorder (mostly major depression). A significant finding of note from the NCS study was the widespread occurrence of co-morbidity among diagnosed disorders. It specifically found that 56% of the respondents with a history of at least one disorder also had two or more additional disorders. These persons with a history of three or more co-morbid disorders were estimated to be one-sixth of the U.S. population, or some 43 million people (Kessler, 1994).

McGinnis and Foege, (1994) report that, “the most prominent contributors to mortality in the United States in 1990 were tobacco (an estimated 400,000 deaths), diet and activity patterns (300,000), alcohol (100,000), microbial agents (90,000), toxic agents (60,000), firearms (35,000), sexual behavior (30,000), motor vehicles (25,000), and illicit use of drugs (20,000). Acknowledging that the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality was risky behavior lifestyles, the U.S. Prevention Services Task Force set out to research behavioral counseling interventions in health care settings (Williams & Wilkins, 1996).

Poor Prognosis

We have come to realize today more than any other time in history that the treatment of lifestyle diseases and addictions are often a difficult and frustrating task for all concerned. Repeated failures abound with all of the addictions, even with utilizing the most effective treatment strategies. But why do 47% of patients treated in private treatment programs (for example) relapse within the first year following treatment (Gorski,T., 2001)? Have addiction specialists become conditioned to accept failure as the norm? There are many reasons for this poor prognosis. Some would proclaim that addictions are psychosomatically- induced and maintained in a semi-balanced force field of driving and restraining multidimensional forces. Others would say that failures are due simply to a lack of self-motivation or will power. Most would agree that lifestyle behavioral addictions are serious health risks that deserve our attention, but could it possibly be that patients with multiple addictions are being under diagnosed (with a single dependence) simply due to a lack of diagnostic tools and resources that are incapable of resolving the complexity of assessing and treating a patient with multiple addictions?

Diagnostic Delineation

Thus far, the DSM-IV-TR has not delineated a diagnosis for the complexity of multiple behavioral and substance addictions. It has reserved the Poly-substance Dependence diagnosis for a person who is repeatedly using at least three groups of substances during the same 12-month period, but the criteria for this diagnosis do not involve any behavioral addiction symptoms. In the Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Condition’s section (DSM-IV-TR, 2000); maladaptive health behaviors (e.g., overeating, unsafe sexual practices, excessive alcohol and drug use, etc.) may be listed on Axis I only if they are significantly affecting the course of treatment of a medical or mental condition.

Since successful treatment outcomes are dependent on thorough assessments, accurate diagnoses, and comprehensive individualized treatment planning, it is no wonder that repeated rehabilitation failures and low success rates are the norm instead of the exception in the addictions field, when the latest DSM-IV-TR does not even include a diagnosis for multiple addictive behavioral disorders. Treatment clinics need to have a treatment planning system and referral network that is equipped to thoroughly assess multiple addictive and mental health disorders and related treatment needs and comprehensively provide education/ awareness, prevention strategy groups, and/ or specific addictions treatment services for individuals diagnosed with multiple addictions. Written treatment goals and objectives should be specified for each separate addiction and dimension of an individuals’ life, and the desired performance outcome or completion criteria should be specifically stated, behaviorally based (a visible activity), and measurable.

New Proposed Diagnosis

To assist in resolving the limited DSM-IV-TRs’ diagnostic capability, a multidimensional diagnosis of “Poly-behavioral Addiction,” is proposed for more accurate diagnosis leading to more effective treatment planning. This diagnosis encompasses the broadest category of addictive disorders that would include an individual manifesting a combination of substance abuse addictions, and other obsessively-compulsive behavioral addictive behavioral patterns to pathological gambling, religion, and/ or sex / pornography, etc.). Behavioral addictions are just as damaging - psychologically and socially as alcohol and drug abuse. They are comparative to other life-style diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease in their behavioral manifestations, their etiologies, and their resistance to treatments. They are progressive disorders that involve obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviors. They are also characterized by a preoccupation with a continuous or periodic loss of control, and continuous irrational behavior in spite of adverse consequences.

Poly-behavioral addiction would be described as a state of periodic or chronic physical, mental, emotional, cultural, sexual and/ or spiritual/ religious intoxication. These various types of intoxication are produced by repeated obsessive thoughts and compulsive practices involved in pathological relationships to any mood-altering substance, person, organization, belief system, and/ or activity. The individual has an overpowering desire, need or compulsion with the presence of a tendency to intensify their adherence to these practices, and evidence of phenomena of tolerance, abstinence and withdrawal, in which there is always physical and/ or psychic dependence on the effects of this pathological relationship. In addition, there is a 12 - month period in which an individual is pathologically involved with three or more behavioral and/ or substance use addictions simultaneously, but the criteria are not met for dependence for any one addiction in particular (Slobodzien, J., 2005). In essence, Poly-behavioral addiction is the synergistically integrated chronic dependence on multiple physiologically addictive substances and behaviors (e.g., using/ abusing substances - nicotine, alcohol, & drugs, and/or acting impulsively or obsessively compulsive in regards to gambling, food binging, sex, and/ or religion, etc.) simultaneously.

New Proposed Theory

The Addictions Recovery Measurement System’s (ARMS) theory is a nonlinear, dynamical, non-hierarchical model that focuses on interactions between multiple risk factors and situational determinants similar to catastrophe and chaos theories in predicting and explaining addictive behaviors and relapse. Multiple influences trigger and operate within high-risk situations and influence the global multidimensional functioning of an individual. The process of relapse incorporates the interaction between background factors (e.g., family history, social support, years of possible dependence, and co-morbid psychopathology), physiological states (e.g., physical withdrawal), cognitive processes (e.g., self-efficacy, cravings, motivation, the abstinence violation effect, outcome expectancies), and coping skills (Brownell et al., 1986; Marlatt & Gordon, 1985). To put it simply, small changes in an individual’s behavior can result in large qualitative changes at the global level and patterns at the global level of a system emerge solely from numerous little interactions.

The ARMS hypothesis purports that there is a multidimensional synergistically negative resistance that individual’s develop to any one form of treatment to a single dimension of their lives, because the effects of an individual’s addiction have dynamically interacted multi-dimensionally. Having the primary focus on one dimension is insufficient. Traditionally, addiction treatment programs have failed to accommodate for the multidimensional synergistically negative effects of an individual having multiple addictions, (e.g. nicotine, alcohol, and obesity, etc.). Behavioral addictions interact negatively with each other and with strategies to improve overall functioning. They tend to encourage the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, help increase violence, decrease functional capacity, and promote social isolation. Most treatment theories today involve assessing other dimensions to identify dual diagnosis or co-morbidity diagnoses, or to assess contributing factors that may play a role in the individual’s primary addiction. The ARMS’ theory proclaims that a multidimensional treatment plan must be devised addressing the possible multiple addictions identified for each one of an individual’s life dimensions in addition to developing specific goals and objectives for each dimension.

The ARMS acknowledges the complexity and unpredictable nature of lifestyle addictions following the commitment of an individual to accept assistance with changing their lifestyles. The Stages of Change model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984) is supported as a model of motivation, incorporating five stages of readiness to change: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. The ARMS theory supports the constructs of self-efficacy and social networking as outcome predictors of future behavior across a wide variety of lifestyle risk factors (Bandura, 1977). The Relapse Prevention cognitive-behavioral approach (Marlatt, 1985) with the goal of identifying and preventing high-risk situations for relapse is also supported within the ARMS theory.

The ARMS continues to promote Twelve Step Recovery Groups such as Food Addicts and Alcoholics Anonymous along with spiritual and religious recovery activities as a necessary means to maintain outcome effectiveness. The beneficial effects of AA may be attributable in part to the replacement of the participant's social network of drinking friends with a fellowship of AA members who can provide motivation and support for maintaining abstinence (Humphreys, K.; Mankowski, E.S, 1999) and (Morgenstern, J.; Labouvie, E.; McCrady, B.S.; Kahler, C.W.; and Frey, R.M., 1997). In addition, AA's approach often results in the development of coping skills, many of which are similar to those taught in more structured psychosocial treatment settings, thereby leading to reductions in alcohol consumption (NIAAA, June 2005).

Treatment Progress Dimensions

The American Society of Addiction Medicine’s (2003), “Patient Placement Criteria for the Treatment of Substance-Related Disorders, 3rd Edition”, has set the standard in the field of addiction treatment for recognizing the totality of the individual in his or her life situation. This includes the internal interconnection of multiple dimensions from biomedical to spiritual, as well as external relationships of the individual to the family and larger social groups. Life-style addictions may affect many domains of an individual's functioning and frequently require multi-modal treatment. Real progress however, requires appropriate interventions and motivating strategies for every dimension of an individual’s life.

The Addictions Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) has identified the following seven treatment progress areas (dimensions) in an effort to: (1) assist clinicians with identifying additional motivational techniques that can increase an individual’s awareness to make progress: (2) measure within treatment progress, and (3) measure after treatment outcome effectiveness:

PD- 1. Abstinence/ Relapse: Progress Dimension

PD- 2. Bio-medical/ Physical: Progress Dimension

PD- 3. Mental/ Emotional: Progress Dimension

PD- 4. Social/ Cultural: Progress Dimension

PD- 5. Educational/ Occupational: Progress Dimension

PD- 6. Attitude/ Behavioral: Progress Dimension

PD- 7. Spirituality/ Religious: Progress Dimension

Considering that addictions involve unbalanced life-styles operating within semi-stable equilibrium force fields, the ARMS philosophy promotes that positive treatment effectiveness and successful outcomes are the result of a synergistic relationship with “The Higher Power,” that spiritually elevates and connects an individuals’ multiple life functioning dimensions by reducing chaos and increasing resilience to bring an individual harmony, wellness, and productivity.

Addictions Recovery Measurement - Subsystems

Since chronic lifestyle diseases and disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, alcoholism, drug and behavioral addictions cannot be cured, but only managed - how should we effectively manage poly-behavioral addiction?

The Addiction Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) is proposed utilizing a multidimensional integrative assessment, treatment planning, treatment progress, and treatment outcome measurement tracking system that facilitates rapid and accurate recognition and evaluation of an individual’s comprehensive life-functioning progress dimensions. The “ARMS”- systematically, methodically, interactively, & spiritually combines the following five versatile subsystems that may be utilized individually or incorporated together:

1) The Prognostication System – composed of twelve screening instruments developed to evaluate an individual’s total life-functioning dimensions for a comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessment for an objective 5-Axis diagnosis with a point-based Global Assessment of Functioning score;

2) The Target Intervention System - that includes the Target Intervention Measure (TIM) and Target Progress Reports (A) & (B), for individualized goal-specific treatment planning;

3) The Progress Point System - a standardized performance-based motivational recovery point system utilized to produce in-treatment progress reports on six life-functioning individual dimensions;

4) The Multidimensional Tracking System – with its Tracking Team Surveys (A) & (B), along with the ARMS Discharge criteria guidelines utilizes a multidisciplinary tracking team to assist with discharge planning; and

5) The Treatment Outcome Measurement System – that utilizes the following two measurement instruments: (a) The Treatment Outcome Measure (TOM); and (b) the Global Assessment of Progress (GAP), to assist with aftercare treatment planning.

National Movement

With the end of the Cold War, the threat of a world nuclear war has diminished considerably. It may be hard to imagine that in the end, comedians may be exploiting the humor in the fact that it wasn’t nuclear warheads, but “French fries” that annihilated the human race. On a more serious note, lifestyle diseases and addictions are the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality, yet brief preventive behavioral assessments and counseling interventions are under-utilized in health care settings (Whitlock, 2002).

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force concluded that effective behavioral counseling interventions that address personal health practices hold greater promise for improving overall health than many secondary preventive measures, such as routine screening for early disease (USPSTF, 1996). Common health-promoting behaviors include healthy diet, regular physical exercise, smoking cessation, appropriate alcohol/ medication use, and responsible sexual practices to include use of condoms and contraceptives.

350 national organizations and 250 State public health, mental health, substance abuse, and environmental agencies support the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Healthy People 2010” program. This national initiative recommends that primary care clinicians utilize clinical preventive assessments and brief behavioral counseling for early detection, prevention, and treatment of lifestyle disease and addiction indicators for all patients’ upon every healthcare visit.

Partnerships and coordination among service providers, government departments, and community organizations in providing treatment programs are a necessity in addressing the multi-task solution to poly-behavioral addiction. I encourage you to support the mental health and addiction programs in America, and hope that the (ARMS) resources can assist you to personally fight the War on pathological eating disorders within poly-behavioral addiction.

For more info see:

Poly-Behavioral Addiction and the Addictions Recovery Measurement System,

By James Slobodzien, Psy.D., CSAC at:

[http://www.geocities.com/drslbdzn/Behavioral-Addictions.html]

Food Addicts Anonymous: http://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous: http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

References

American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition,

Text Revision. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p. 787 & p. 731.

American Society of Addiction Medicine’s (2003), “Patient Placement Criteria for the

Treatment of Substance-Related Disorders, 3rd Edition,. Retrieved, June 18, 2005, from:

http://www.asam.org/

Bandura, A. (1977), Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review,

84, 191-215.

Brownell, K. D., Marlatt, G. A., Lichtenstein, E., & Wilson, G. T. (1986). Understanding and preventing relapse. American Psychologist, 41, 765-782.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Retrieved June 18, 2005, from: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/

Gorski, T. (2001), Relapse Prevention In The Managed Care Environment. GORSKI-CENAPS Web

Healthy People 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2005, from: http://www.healthypeople.gov/

Publications. Retrieved June 20, 2005, from: http://www.tgorski.com

Lienard, J. & Vamecq, J. (2004), Presse Med, Oct 23;33(18 Suppl):33-40.

Marlatt, G. A. (1985). Relapse prevention: Theoretical rationale and overview of the model. In G. A.

Marlatt & J. R. Gordon (Eds.), Relapse prevention (pp. 250-280). New York: Guilford Press.

McGinnis JM, Foege WH (1994). Actual causes of death in the United States. US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC 20201

Humphreys, K.; Mankowski, E.S.; Moos, R.H.; and Finney, J.W (1999). Do enhanced friendship networks and active coping mediate the effect of self-help groups on substance abuse? Ann Behav Med 21(1):54-60.

Kessler, R.C., McGonagle, K.A., Zhao, S., Nelson, C.B., Hughes, M., Eshleman, S., Wittchen, H. H,-U, & Kendler, K.S. (1994). Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United

States: Results from the national co morbidity survey. Arch. Gen. Psychiat., 51, 8-19.

Morgenstern, J.; Labouvie, E.; McCrady, B.S.; Kahler, C.W.; and Frey, R.M (1997). Affiliation with Alcoholics Anonymous after treatment: A study of its therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action. J Consult Clin Psychol 65(5):768-777.

Orford, J. (1985). Excessive appetites: A psychological view of addiction. New York: Wiley.

Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1984). The transtheoretical approach: Crossing the boundaries of therapy. Malabar, FL: Krieger.

Slobodzien, J. (2005). Poly-behavioral Addiction and the Addictions Recovery Measurement System (ARMS), Booklocker.com, Inc., p. 5.

Whitlock, E.P. (1996). Evaluating Primary Care Behavioral Counseling Interventions: An Evidence-based Approach. Am J Prev Med 2002;22(4): 267-84.Williams & Wilkins. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Guide to Clinical Preventive Services. 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010 (Conference Edition). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2000.

World Health Organization, (WHO). Retrieved June 18, 2005, from: http://www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/

James Slobodzien, Psy.D., CSAC, is a Hawaii licensed psychologist and certified substance abuse counselor who earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology. The National Registry of Health Service Providers in Psychology credentials Dr. Slobodzien. He has over 20-years of mental health experience primarily working in the fields of alcohol/ substance abuse and behavioral addictions in medical, correctional, and judicial settings. He is an adjunct professor of Psychology and also maintains a private practice as a mental health consultant.

Heroin Addiction Symptoms and Signs

An opiate that belongs to the morphine-codeine family, heroin goes by the chemical name of diacetylmorphine. This vastly illegal drug is derived from the opium poppy.

Heroin is among the easiest of drugs to become addicted to. Many heroin addicts need no more than just one attempt at the drug to become addicted, even if mildly at first. Like many other drugs, heroin is used intravenously, or through smoking or snorting through the nostrils. Of these, the method most abusers prefer is injection, because the effect that is got from this method is considered the highest. This makes it the most popular method of use of heroin.

Effects of heroin: Heroin has its own way of working on the system. It primarily acts on the central nervous system initially. It starts acting within seven seconds of ingestion, when taken intravenously. In the few seconds of its being absorbed into the system, heroin can cause euphoria.

Immediately after being taken in, heroin enters the area that is the barrier between the brain and blood. This causes heroin to get converted into morphine. Once the euphoria settles down, it leads to dry mouth, skin flushing, and a feeling of heaviness. This in turn can lead to vomiting, nausea and itching. Following this, the heroin addict normally becomes sedate and sleepy for many hours. Many of the vital cognitive functions slow down and get impaired momentarily. These include the ability to reason. Heart beat and breathing slow down considerably.

The most important long term effect of heroin is its ability to be an addictive drug. Drugs are in themselves addictive, but heroin addiction is found to be the fastest to get into, and the most abusive of all addictions. This addiction has its own detrimental effects on the brain, mind and body.

Physically, long term heroin addiction leads to damage to the arteries, lungs, liver, kidneys and veins, and several infections, abscesses and bone diseases such as arthritis.

Emotionally, heroin addiction can very soon reach a point where seeking the drug becomes the sole objective of life for the addict. This has various serious ramifications, such as social isolation, family dislocation and professional under performance.

Heroin withdrawal symptoms, which start within hours of the last ingestion, include pain in the muscle and bone, restlessness, diarrhea, insomnia, cold flashes with goose bumps, or what are called "cold turkey", strong body movements, convulsions and vomiting. Sometimes, these symptoms can last months. These however, are seldom fatal, and a heroin detox center can take care of these symptoms.

Treatment for heroin dependency: For heroin dependency, a combination of methods has to be tried to bring the heroin addict out of the "zone". The first step is detoxification, wherein the effects of abuse are purged; this is followed by systematic lessening of craving tendencies. Drugs that help in this are buprenorphine and methadone. Finally, behavior therapies are introduced; typically at a heroin rehab center. These may include cognitive behavioral interventional therapies which are aimed at redesigning the outlook the addict has towards life, and help him deal with stressful situations without recourse to the drug. A method that combines the two approaches "medical and behavioral" is considered the best.

The author of this article knows all about heroin addiction. He has written many articles on cocaine rehabs. He has wide knowledge about the heroin rehab centers. He uses his knowledge for helping people to find the best heroin detox center.

Marijuana Addiction Detox

Some individuals are na?ve enough to believe that they can take marijuana without getting addicted. However, they do have sleepless nights when they go without having to take a roll or two of marijuana. Marijuana is a drug that stays in the body of the addict for a long time even after they have had their last smoke. It is highly addictive and once you get hooked, it takes a lot of effort to overcome the addiction.

Marijuana, being fat soluble, stays in the system of the addict for a relatively longer time. The fatty tissues store Marijuana in the organs and gradually release it for metabolism. Then it is excreted from the body of the addict. The natural detox of Marijuana from the body can take a long time including several months. Getting Marijuana out from the system quickly needs some of the best detoxifying products.

Medical experts and professionals are well aware of the effects of Marijuana addiction. That is why they have come up with Marijuana detox which is a medical process aimed at ridding the body of the addict of the toxins accumulated through the addiction. It is an essential process that takes place before the addict begins his or her real recovery. For a successful recovery from the addiction, it is important to undergo detoxification to clear the addict's body and mind.

Marijuana is very addictive and one develops a quick dependence on it. First time users of Marijuana usually feel a strong desire to use the drug again. One of the best ways to treat marijuana addicts is by detoxifying their bodies. Addicts can undergo detox irrespective of the duration of their marijuana use. Most people addicted to Marijuana usually have difficulty coping with pressure in their professional, personal and social lives. Consistency in marijuana addiction leads to memory problems and learning difficulties.

Marijuana addiction treatment centers offer Marijuana detox to help in the recovery process of the addict. The expertise staff at the centers understands that a clear and comprehensive mind is needed to recognize the patterns and reasons leading to the addiction. The detox process begins with a set of medication along with a vitamin program to get the impurities out of the body of the addict. This helps in healing any damage caused to the body organs especially the lungs.

As Marijuana contains thrice the carbon monoxide that cigarettes constitute of, the lungs are at high risk of damage. A complete assessment of the body is made and accordingly medications for healing the heart and purifying the blood are given. Patients suffering from anxiety syndromes are put under anti-anxiety programs in the detox process.

The detox symptoms are not harmful for the addict but they can create discomfort as craving for the drug is at its peak during the detox process. Marijuana detox symptoms include insomnia, nausea, depression, aggression, headaches, irritability, anxiety and loss of appetite. These symptoms depend on the history of Marijuana abuse and the psychology of the patient. There are no medications available to treat the symptoms of Marijuana detox but with time, the symptoms will ease out.

Marijuana treatment centers provide sober support groups for combating the temptation and detox symptoms by focusing on the positive energy and hope of living a better, sober, and healthier life.

I invite you to learn more about Alcohol Treatment. We specialize in individual substance abuse treatment plans tailored to fit the person seeking drug and alcohol treatment. Please call 866-211-5538 or visit today and get a complimentary copy of an Addiction and Alcoholism E-book. Educating yourself on alcoholism treatment centers is key to getting the treatment needed. For more information about Drug Treatment can be difficult without calling and speaking to the admissions department about the program.

Sexual Addiction - Are You a Sex Addict? - Part 2

Sexual addiction is a dysfunctional pattern of compulsive sexual behavior that continues even after the addict knows that it is causing major problems in their life. The sex addicts has a compulsion to engage in the problem behavior despite the fact that it has become emotionally dissatisfying and self-destructive. Compulsion is defined as an "irresistible" urge to engage in a behavior. The sexual acting out produces guilt, shame, and repeated unfulfilled promises to stop.

Addiction creates an experience that is called "powerlessness and unmanageability" in 12 step recovery groups. Compulsivity implies a "powerlessness" over resisting the compulsive urge to do the behavior. "Powerlessness" means the behavior is out of control. The compulsive behavior, along with the addict's attempts to stop and the over-compensation for the destructiveness of the behavior create a life that becomes more and more unmanageable. Despite the addict's attempts to keep the behavior hidden, s/he experiences an escalating sense of shame and guilt, and self-loathing. The addict tries to eliminate the problem behavior, but cannot consistently do so. The losses suffered due to addiction, including the marriage, jobs, financial, arrests, self-esteem and self-efficacy may or may not create an awareness of the need for help. The compulsive behavior persists even after addicts can no longer deny the negative consequences to their lives.

The sexual compulsions of a sex addict could involve the physical, emotional, or obsessive thoughts/fantasy. Varieties of sexual compulsivity are limitless. Examples of compulsive sexual behavior include but are not limited to masturbation, voyeurism, infidelity, internet sex, pornography, cruising and/or anonymous sex, dangerous sex.

Sexual addiction parallels alcohol and other drug (AOD) addictions in that sex is the "drug" that medicates the feelings. The compulsive sexual behavior allows the addict to temporarily escape feelings and problems, to reduce emotional or psychological pain, and/or to control stress - in other words to self-medicate discomfort. Symptoms of sexual addiction are listed below:

· Pre-occupation, or an obsession with sex that overshadows and interferes with other areas of the addict's life.

· Inappropriately large amount of time and energy devoted to planning or fantasizing about sexual activity or recovering from sexual acting out.

· Feelings of shame, guilt, despair, about your sexual behavior or thoughts

· Inability to stop engaging in the behavior despite repeated attempts to do so.

· Persistent compulsive behavior despite awareness of experiencing negative consequences from that behavior.

· Sexual compulsion or obsession is used as the main way you cope with life, feelings, and problems.

· Important social, family, career, or spiritual activities are neglected or given up because of sexual behavior

· Engaging in certain "ritualized" routines that are an important part of the sexual acting out.

· Need for increasing amount or intensity of sexual experience.

· Negative financial consequences because of the acting out.

· Negative relationship consequences because of the acting out.

· Loss of interest in sex with your partner or lack of interest in genuine intimacy with a long term partner

· Spending more time with sexual compulsivity than with intimate partners.

· Keeping secrets about your sexual behavior from significant others.

· Having regrets after acting out sexually.

· Frequenting places like sex clubs, strip clubs, adult book stores, massage parlors, cruising locations.

· Your sexual behavior is dangerous or the circumstances of your acting out could get you arrested.

If you are experiencing some of the above symptoms, you should be screened and/or assessed for sexual addiction. The addictions specialist making the assessment can provide an appropriate referral for treatment. The road to recovery begins with recognizing that you are out of control sexually and beginning to believe that the compulsive behavior can be stopped. To do that, you must take a realistic look at your behavior, the problems caused by that behavior, and becoming aware that your attempts to stop by yourself have not worked. If you see yourself in this description of sexual addiction, seek help now.

By Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D.

Dr. Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D., LADC, LMFT, Marriage/Family Therapist and Alcohol/Drug Counselor. Whether you are dealing with addiction issues, emotional or mental health issues, relationship issues, or need some additional living skills, my website is available to you. The "Links" page offers a wide range of resources for additional help. There is a "Recommended Readings" page and an "Ask Peggy" column. My site is a work in progress with additional features, articles, and resources being added to it on a regular basis. Check it out at http://www.peggyferguson.com

For more information about sexual addiction, read my articles, "Sexual Addiction: A Brief Description - Part 1", Sexual Addiction: Help for the Sex Addict - Part 3", Sexual Addiction: Are You Suffering From Someone Else's Sexual Addiction - Part 4", "Sexual Addiction: Help For the Sex Addict's Spouse - Part 5", here at EzineArticles.com.

Click here to ask Peggy a question about this topic or others or to subscribe to a newsletter that will alert you to additional informational and educational opportunities on this topic and others. *http://www.peggyferguson.com

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