Addictive Disorders
Substance and Behavioral Addiction Recovery at Lindner Center of HOPE
What is an addictive disorder?
An addictive disorder occurs when the use of a substance—such as alcohol or drugs—or a behavior – such as excessive gambling, shopping or gaming—causes significant problems in a person’s life. In most cases, people with addictions frequently suffer from a mental illness, such as depression, anxiety or another disorder.
When both an addiction and a mental illness are present, it is called a co-occurring condition. Co-occurring conditions can be difficult to diagnose and challenging to treat. Fortunately, the treatment team at Lindner Center of HOPE is adept at identifying underlying causes of addictions and can design a plan to address both the mental illness and the addiction.
Substance and behavioral addictions can cause emotional, physical, financial and personal problems
Addictions can destroy families, friendships, careers and opportunities for better living. Furthermore, research shows that many addictions have an underlying cause, usually a mental illness. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that nearly half (45 percent) of those with any mental disorder meet criteria for having two or more disorders. When a mental illness is left untreated, it is difficult to achieve long-term recovery from an addiction. The reverse is also true – untreated addictions can make it difficult to achieve long-term mental wellness.
Comprehensive treatment led by addiction specialists offers proven success
The team at Lindner Center of HOPE can uncover and treat the causes of addiction enabling patients to truly recover from substance or behavioral addictions. Outpatient and residential treatment programs, facilitated by a unified, multidisciplinary treatment team, are designed to simultaneously address both addictions and mental disorders.
Lindner Center of HOPE’s approach to addiction recovery includes the use of proven and advanced techniques for treatment, including detoxification, Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), family therapy, and group support. Education about mental disorders, addiction and recovery tools teaches patients how to both manage their mental illness and overcome addiction.
Recognizing Substance and Behavioral Addictions
Addiction can strike individuals of all cultures, ages or economic status. Acknowledging an addiction is a crucial first step in treatment. Professionals at Lindner Center of HOPE begin with a full diagnostic assessment to pinpoint the addictive symptoms an individual is experiencing as well as any co-occurring conditions.
Identifying Substance Addictions
Substance addiction is a pattern of substance use (drugs or alcohol) that harms the individual’s physical, spiritual or mental health as well as those important to the individual. It can result in significant life problems or stress. While symptoms can vary significantly from individual to individual, those fighting substance addictions often exhibit several of the following symptoms:
- Use of the substance in progressively larger amounts or for longer periods of time
- Spending significant time on finding, using or recovering from use of the substance
- Trying multiple, failed times to reduce or control use of the substance
- Taking time from important social, work-related or recreational activities to use the substance
- Developing a tolerance to the effects of the substance so progressively larger amounts must be used for longer periods of time to get the desired effect
- Experiencing uncomfortable physical and psychological symptoms when the substance is not used
- Continuing to use the substance despite experiencing recurrent or persistent problems related to using the substance
Substance addictions can lead to personal problems by affecting one’s quality of life. Personal relationships, marital relations, family relations, and job or school are all aspects which are affected by substance addictions. As seen in other addictions, withdrawal from these behaviors may result in elevated levels of depression and/or anxiety.
If you believe you have a substance addiction, consider a professional evaluation to determine the best course of treatment. Co-occurring conditions are not uncommon and can be treated when accurately diagnosed.
Identifying Behavioral Addictions
Behavioral addictions can include a variety of behaviors, including addictions to sex, internet, pornography, gaming, shopping, or gambling. While the specific behaviors are varied, the addictions share these common characteristics:
- Loss of control
- Compulsive and/or obsessive behaviors
- Continued pursuit of the behavior despite negative consequences and/or life disruption
Behavioral Addictions can lead to personal problems by affecting one’s quality of life. Personal relationships, marital relations, family relations, and job or school are all aspects which are affected by behavioral addictions. As seen in other addictions, withdrawal from these behaviors may result in elevated levels of depression and/or anxiety.
If you believe you have a behavioral addiction, consider a professional evaluation to determine the best course of treatment. Co-occurring conditions are not uncommon and can be treated when accurately diagnosed.
Do you or does someone you know suffer from a substance or behavioral addiction? Screen yourself now.
Causes of Substance and Behavioral Addictions
Addictions inflict a staggering toll on individuals, families, and even employers. Although leading researchers are still exploring the specific causes of substance or behavioral addictions, most understand that addictions are caused by a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors:
- Biological factors may include genetic (or hereditary) and neurochemical differences in the individual’s brain’s response to treatment.
- Environmental factors can include stress, quality of home life, exposure to violence or abuse, substance’s or behavior’s effects on mood, as well as previous personal experiences.
- Psychosocial, social and cultural factors include peer influence, experimentation with substances or behaviors, availability of substance or ease of pursuing addictive behavior.
Fortunately, progressive, proven treatment is available through Lindner Center of HOPE. A team of clinicians and licensed psychotherapists experienced in treating addictions and their underlying causes can accurately diagnose and guide patients toward a life of recovery.
Lindner Center of HOPE Offers Treatment and Tools to Overcome Addictions
Each patient at Lindner Center of HOPE begins recovery with an assessment of the addiction and its underlying causes. The multidisciplinary team works collaboratively to design a treatment plan with the right combination of therapies and education to support recovery.
Clinicians at Lindner Center of HOPE are leaders in the use of proven and progressive therapies to counter substance, sex, internet, pornography, gaming, shopping, and gambling addictions as well as co-occurring conditions that commonly accompany addictions. Integrated therapies address both addictions and mental health issues.
Therapies may include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – This progressive therapy helps identify and challenge a patient’s negative thought patterns and encourages behaviors designed to counter-act depressive symptoms.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) – This differentiating approach to treatment helps patients develop strategies to manage quick and strong fluctuations in emotions. No other facility in the midwest offers more expertise in DBT than the Lindner Center of HOPE. Clinicians trained to use DBT support the development of skills and mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation. These skills assist patients in avoiding extreme behaviors that limit the ability to function and encourage change to a more successful and fulfilling life.
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) – This patient-centered therapy helps individuals increase awareness of potential problems, consequences and risks associated with specific behaviors as well as envision a better future and discover intrinsic motivation to change.
- Community Support Groups
- Additional counseling and support for patients and families to mend relationships as needed
Outpatient Addiction Treatment
Most patients who are dealing with the challenges of substance or behavioral addictions can recover with integrated outpatient treatment. Highly qualified clinicians and experienced professionals from the clinical practice group, Lindner Center of HOPE Professional Associates (LCOHPA), create a personal plan that includes proven and progressive therapies and techniques. Patients struggling with addictions also participate in group and family counseling while maintaining normal life activities.
Patients and referrers can call our main number at 513-536-4673 for these specific services.
Intensive Outpatient Program
The Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at Lindner Center of HOPE is an intensive treatment option for the person experiencing challenges with substance abuse and/or co-occurring disorders. The IOP provides a therapeutic and supportive environment for patients struggling with substance use problems and abstinence. The IOP at Lindner Center of HOPE is unique in its ability to work with patients struggling with dual diagnosis or multiple diagnoses. The program can also accommodate patients on medication, including Suboxone.
Learn more about the Intensive Outpatient Program here.
Premier Assessment and Residential Treatment for Addictive Disorders
Sibcy House at Lindner Center of HOPE is a specialized and enhanced, rich therapeutic residential environment offering comprehensive diagnostic assessment and residential treatment programs for individuals age 18 and older, suffering with complex, co-morbid mental health and addiction issues. A renowned, multi-disciplinary clinical team uses state-of-the science technology, evidence-based treatment modalities (including DBT an ERP) and clinical expertise to accurately diagnose patients, create individualized treatment plans, and provide intensive treatment through individualized and group therapy to improve overall treatment trajectory.
Highlights of offerings:
- 10-day Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessment (Neuropsychological testing, sub-specialty evaluations and assessments and ongoing 24 hour observation with feedback and next steps; Neurological assessment and MRI as indicated)
- Treatment Initiation– Individual and Group Therapy with foundation in Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Treatment Extension – Ongoing Individual and Group Therapy
WILLIAMS HOUSE at Lindner Center of HOPE offers an intimate and stabilizing residential environment for adults, age 18 and older, suffering with co-morbid mental health and addiction issues, who may benefit from psychiatric evaluation, cognitive work, medication adjustments/compliance, detox, observation and treatment initiation. The clinical team applies their expertise to facilitate stabilizing evaluation and next level of care recommendations.
Highlights of offerings:
- 10-day Stabilizing Evaluation
- 10-day Detox and Evaluation
- Add-on Neuropsychological Testing and/or Treatment Initiation
Learn more about the assessment and residential programs here.
Addiction Specialists Ensure Effective Treatment
The team at Lindner Center of HOPE is recognized for their experience, advanced training, and results in the treatment of substance and behavioral addictions as well as co-occurring conditions.
Team members apply their expertise in substance and behavioral addictions to accurately assess and guide patients suffering from addictions to recovery through:
- Individually tailored treatment approach which combines Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Carefully monitored medication treatment as necessary
- Psychiatric evaluation and treatment
- Community support groups
- Relapse prevention
- Individual and group therapies and family support
Each patient’s multidisciplinary treatment team may also include the following healthcare professionals:
- Primary Care Physicians
- Masters or Doctoral-level Therapists and Psychology Interns
- Social Work Staff
- Registered Nurses
- Licensed Practical Nurses
- Mental Health Specialists
- Dietitian
- Recreational Therapist
- Employment Specialist
- Spiritual Care Coordinator
- Community Psychiatric Support Specialist
Resources for Substance and Behavioral Addictions
Are you ready to take the next step? Patients suffering from substance or behavioral addictions and their families can use these resources to identify the problem and take the first steps toward treatment and recovery.
Substance and Behavioral Addictions Screenings
Take one of these quick self tests developed by addictions specialists to help you determine if you or someone you love may benefit from a professional evaluation for a substance or behavioral addiction.
- Substance Addiction Screening
- Sexual Addiction Screening
- Compulsive and/or Problem Gambling Screening
- Problematic Internet Use Screening
- Problematic Gaming Behavior Screening
- Compulsive Buying/Shopping Screening
WEB SITES
Substance Addiction
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alanon and Alateen Information Center for those living with alcoholics
Alcoholism Information Center (National Council on Alcoholism)
Cocaine Anonymous
Drug Rehab
Just Think Twice
Narcotics Anonymous
SMART Recovery
Women for Sobriety
Warren County Education Service Center
Sex Addiction
Sexhelp.com
Sexaholics Anonymous
Sexual Recovery
Sex Addicts Anonymous
Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous
Gambling Addiction
(Gambling) Gamblers Anonymous
Buying Addiction
Shopaholics Anonymous
Internet & Gaming Addiction
www.netaddiction.com (Internet Addiction)
http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction (Internet Addiction)
BOOKS
Sex Addiction
Out of the Shadows
Patrick Carnes
False Intimacy
Schaumburg
Sex Addiction Workbook
Sbraga and O’Donohue
Women, Sex, and Addiction
Kasl
Gambling Addiction
Hats & Eyeglasses
Frankel
Nicotine Dreams: A Story of CG
Cunningham
The Gambling Addiction Patient Workbook
Perkinson
Internet & Gaming Addiction
Internet Addiction: A handbook and guide
Young
Caught in the Net
Young
Untangling the Web
Weiss & Schneider
Game Addiction: The Experience and the Effects
Clark & Scott
Unplugged: My Journey into the Dark World of Video Game Addiction
Van Cleave
Buying Addiction
To Buy or Not to Buy
Benson
Spent
Palaian
Born to Spend
Arenson
Handbook of Addictive Disorders: A practical guide to diagnosis and treatment
edited by Robert Coombs
Substance and Behavioral Addiction Screening Questions
Addictions do not improve when ignored. In fact, behaviors related to addictions most often worsen. Acknowledging the problem is the first step towards overcoming the problem, recovering and returning to a rewarding life. But how does someone know if he or she has an addiction?
The following brief self-tests developed by addiction specialists can help individuals determine if they need an evaluation for a substance or behavioral addiction. However, only a licensed professional in a one-on-one setting can positively and properly diagnose an addiction or other mental health disorder.
Complete a screening and contact Lindner Center of HOPE to learn more.
Please answer yes or no to each of the following:
- Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?
- Have you tried to cut back, but couldn’t?
- Do you ever lie about how much or how often you drink or use drugs?
- Have your friends or family members expressed concern about your alcohol or drug use?
- Do you ever feel bad, guilty, or ashamed about your drinking or drug use?
- On more than one occasion, have you done or said something while drunk or high that you later regret?
- Have you ever blacked out from drinking or drug use?
- Has alcohol or drug use caused problems in your relationships?
- Has alcohol or drug use gotten you into trouble at work or with the law?
These questions are intended to help a person recognize if he or she may have a concern with an area of addiction. Answering yes to two or more of the questions may indicate a lifestyle in which a particular behavior has become problematic.
If you think you have an addiction, consider a professional evaluation to determine the best course of treatment.
No other addiction affects someone’s most personal feelings as profoundly as sex addiction. The terms “sexual addiction” or “sexual compulsivity” are used to describe the behavior of a person who has an unusually intense sex drive or an obsession with sex. Sex and the thought of sex tend to dominate the sex addict’s thinking, making it difficult to work or engage in healthy personal relationships.
Please answer yes or no to each of the following:
- Do you often find yourself preoccupied with sexual thoughts?
- Have you made efforts to quit a type of sexual activity and failed?
- Do you ever feel bad about your sexual behavior?
- Do you feel that your sexual behavior is not normal?
- Has sex become the most important thing in your life?
- Has the Internet created sexual problems for you?
- Have you spent considerable time surfing pornography or relationships online?
- After you have sex, do you sometimes feel depressed afterward or become angry with yourself about what you have done?
- Has sex or romantic fantasies been a way for you to escape your problems?
These questions are intended to help a person recognize if he or she may have a concern with an area of addiction. Answering yes to two or more of the questions may indicate a lifestyle in which a particular behavior has become problematic.
If you think you have an addiction, consider a professional evaluation to determine the best course of treatment.
Compulsive or Problem Gambling is the term used to describe gambling behavior, which causes disruption in any important life function, whether psychological, physical, social or vocational. When the thrill of the game outweighs everything else, the player has crossed over the line from player to addict. Gambling, like many other addictions can be devastating for the person and his or her family.
Please answer yes or no to each of the following:
- Did you ever gamble more than you intended to?
- Have you ever felt like you would like to stop gambling, but didn’t think you could?
- Have you ever lost time from work (or school) due to betting money or gambling?
- After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?
- Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
- After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?
- Did you ever borrow to finance gambling?
- Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?
- Have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?
These questions are intended to help a person recognize if he or she may have a concern with an area of addiction. Answering yes to two or more of the questions may indicate a lifestyle in which a particular behavior has become problematic.
If you think you have an addiction, consider a professional evaluation to determine the best course of treatment.
The Internet has impacted the world and provided many benefits to its users. At the same time the Internet has had negative ramifications. Some people are preoccupied with using the Internet and are unable to control their use, jeopardizing their employment and relationships. Symptoms are comparable to criteria used to diagnose other addictions. Research characterizes Internet addiction as an impulse control disorder.
Please answer yes or no to each of the following:
- Do you find that you stay online longer than you intended?
- Does your work (or school work) suffer because of the amount of time you spend online?
- Do you neglect household chores to spend more time online?
- Do you form new relationships with others online?
- Do you lose sleep due to being online late at night?
- Have you tried to cut down on the amount of time you spend online and failed?
- Do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you are off-line, which goes away once you are back online?
- Do others in your life complain to you about the amount of time you spend online?
- Have you ever noticed that your job performance or productivity suffers because of the time spent online?
These questions are intended to help a person recognize if he or she may have a concern with an area of addiction. Answering yes to two or more of the questions may indicate a lifestyle in which a particular behavior has become problematic.
If you think you have an addiction, consider a professional evaluation to determine the best course of treatment.
An addiction to video games or computer games is treated in much the same way as any other addiction. Like other people with addictions, “gamers” often are trying to escape problems in their lives. Video and computer games offer a particularly appealing escape to socially maladjusted teenagers, most often boys, who find it intoxicating to become immersed in a world completely under their control.
Please answer yes or no to each of the following:
- Do you, or your child, feel really happy when you’re online or when you’re playing games, but as soon as you have to stop, you get angry or upset?
- Do you, or your child, think about going online or playing when you are supposed to be focusing on other things, like doing school work or having dinner with your family?
- Do you, or your child, spend more time with your keyboard or controller than physically hanging out with your friends?
- Do you, your friends, or parents ask what you spend all your time doing, and you lie about it or laugh it off, but inside you know they may have a point?
- Do you get up in the middle of the night to check your e-mail or your social network comments because you’re having a hard time sleeping?
- Do you, or your child, play for increasing amounts of time?
- Do you, or you child, spend a great deal of time thinking about gaming while involved in other activities?
- Do you, or your child, utilize gaming as a way to escape from real-life problems, anxiety, or depression?
- Do you, or your child, lie to friends and family members to conceal the gaming behavior?
These questions are intended to help a person recognize if he or she may have a concern with an area of addiction. Answering yes to two or more of the questions may indicate a lifestyle in which a particular behavior has become problematic.
If you think you have an addiction, consider a professional evaluation to determine the best course of treatment.
People who have compulsive buying disorder – sometimes called compulsive shopping disorder – are often struck with an irresistible, intrusive and often senseless impulse to buy. It is common for sufferers to go on frequent shopping binges and to accumulate large quantities of unnecessary, unwanted items. Sufferers often rack up thousands of dollars in debt and lie to their loved ones about their purchases. The consequences can be bankruptcy, divorce, embezzlement and even suicide attempts.
Please answer yes or no to each of the following:
- Do you have a tendency to shop and spend large amounts of money during times of depression or emotional distress?
- Do you purchase excessive amounts of items that never get used, especially if they already possess these items at home?
- Do you have unused items which are frequently disposed of, sometimes even in the original packaging or with the tags still attached?
- Do you lie about shopping or the amount of money spent?
- Do you run up large amounts of debt or buying unnecessary items instead of paying bills?
- Have you ever borrowed or stolen money to shop?
- Do you find that shopping or money spent interferes with work or relationships?
- Do you break your budget by spending more than you have agreed to?
- Do you ever experience a rush or a feeling of euphoria with spending?
These questions are intended to help a person recognize if he or she may have a concern with an area of addiction. Answering yes to two or more of the questions may indicate a lifestyle in which a particular behavior has become problematic.
If you think you have an addiction, consider a professional evaluation to determine the best course of treatment.