Addiction Therapy in Hamburg Altona Ottensen & Plön Holstein
Dependencies
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This photo, which captures the moment of a tremendous liberation at the Pacific Ocean after a long life journey, reminds some artists of living of the feeling of freeing oneself from an addiction.
Chartered/Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist Egon Molineus, M.A. (Psychology), Psychological Psychotherapist, Cognitive Behavioral Therapist and Coach, has many years of experience working with addiction patients. He worked for several years in an outpatient addiction clinic as well as in an inpatient addiction ward in a clinic for psychiatry and psychotherapy. Currently, he offers his support for people with dependencies in his own practice for coaching and psychotherapy in Hamburg Altona Ottensen as well as in Plön Holstein on the Baltic Sea in the district of Plön in Schleswig-Holstein. He treats addiction disorders in the following areas:
- Behavioral addictions (Non-substance dependencies):
- Gambling addiction
- Media addiction (television, mobile phone, internet and computer game addiction)
- Work addiction
- Shopping addiction
- Sex addiction, Sexual addiction, Hyperlibido, Hypereroticism, Sexual compulsion, Sexual dependency, Sexaholism, Compulsive sexual behavior, Erotomania, Satyriasis, Don Juanism, Nymphomania
- Exercise addiction
- Pornography addiction
Function of an addiction disorder
Behavioral analysis of addiction
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Are you suffering from an addiction disorder? What lies behind this problematic coping strategy? An addiction disorder aims to avoid unpleasant feelings and immediately generate happiness hormones. It therefore rewards instantly, instead of striving for long-term solutions.
Non-substance addictions
Behavioral addiction
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Symptoms of a behavioral addiction (non-substance dependency):
- Mental fixation: Are you mentally constantly preoccupied with the addictive behavior? Are you increasingly focusing on a specific behavioral pattern?
- Excessive behavior: Do you engage in the addictive behavior in an excessive manner? Do you spend a lot of time devoting yourself to this behavior? This can include habits such as excessive gambling, excessive media consumption, compulsive working, excessive shopping, intense sports, or the consumption of pornography.
- Craving: Do you feel a strong desire or even a compulsion to engage in the addictive behavior?
- Impulse control disorder: Do you have difficulty controlling your impulses? Do you experience a loss of control when it comes to starting, stopping, or engaging in the behavior to an appropriate degree?
- Withdrawal symptoms: Do you experience withdrawal symptoms when you reduce or stop the behavior?
- Tolerance development: Do you need to engage in the behavior to an increasing degree to achieve the same effect that was previously achieved with lower intensity?
- Neglect of other interests: Do you neglect other hobbies or interests in favor of the addictive behavior?
- Continuation despite negative consequences: Do you continue to engage in the behavior even though it has already led to clearly harmful consequences such as depressive moods or a deterioration of your cognitive functions?
ICD-10 diagnoses for behavioral addiction
- F63 Abnormal habits and impulse control disorders
- F63.0 Pathological gambling
- F63.8 Other abnormal habits and impulse control disorders
- F63.9 Abnormal habit and impulse control disorder, unspecified
Cognitive behavioral therapy strategies for behavioral addictions (non-substance dependencies)
Treatment in Hamburg Altona Ottensen & Plön Holstein
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Behavioral addictions, also known as non-substance dependencies, encompass a variety of addictive behaviors, such as gambling addiction, internet addiction, shopping addiction or work addiction. These addictions are characterized by compulsive behavior that often has negative consequences, but without the consumption of an addictive substance.
Cognitive behavioral therapy has proven to be particularly effective in treating these forms of addiction. Here are some of the central cognitive behavioral therapy strategies used in the treatment of behavioral addictions:
- Behavioral analysis and identification of triggers
- Goal: Identification of the specific triggers and conditions that promote the addictive behavior.
- Method: Patients often keep a diary or log to document their thoughts, feelings and actions in situations where the addictive behavior occurs. This helps to recognize patterns and develop an understanding of the triggering factors.
- Cognitive restructuring
- Goal: Changing dysfunctional thought patterns that maintain the addictive behavior.
- Method: The therapist works with the patient to identify irrational beliefs (e.g., "I need gambling to feel good") and replace them with more realistic, helpful thoughts.
- Exposure procedures
- Goal: Reduction of the attraction and craving for the addictive behavior.
- Method: The patient is confronted in a controlled and gradual manner with situations that trigger the craving, without however engaging in the addictive behavior. This helps to weaken the emotional reaction to the triggers.
- Reinforcement planning and reward systems
- Goal: Promotion of alternative, positive behaviors.
- Method: Positive behavioral changes are reinforced through rewards, e.g., through positive feedback, privileges or self-set goals. This helps the patient establish new behaviors that can replace the addictive behavior.
- Social skills training
- Goal: Improvement of interpersonal skills, which are often impaired in addicts.
- Method: Through role-playing and other exercises, patients learn to better manage social situations, handle conflicts and express their needs in a healthy way.
- Problem-solving training
- Goal: Promotion of the ability to constructively cope with everyday problems.
- Method: The patient works together with the therapist to develop solutions for specific problems that are often related to the addiction, e.g., financial difficulties or conflicts in relationships.
- Relapse prevention
- Goal: Long-term maintenance of abstinence or control over the addictive behavior.
- Method: Strategies are developed to respond early to relapse signals and find alternative courses of action. This also includes developing an emergency plan for situations where the risk of relapse is particularly high.
- Mindfulness-based procedures
- Increasing awareness of one's own thoughts and feelings without immediately reacting to them.
- Method: Techniques such as meditation or mindfulness training are used to help patients control impulsive reactions and develop a more conscious approach to cravings.
These strategies are usually individually adapted to the patient, based on the specific type of behavioral addiction and the patient's personal resources. They are designed to address both the addictive behavior itself and the underlying psychological and social factors in order to achieve sustainable change.
