Types of Harmful Behaviors and Treatment Options
Harmful behaviors can include addictions or other compulsive actions. People tend to assume that these only refers to those who have obsessive needs for things like drugs or alcohol, but the truth of the matter is that people can develop problems to all sorts of things. Let’s take a quick look at a few.
Alcohol/Drugs
Alcohol is a substance that is legal and widely used by people all over the world. It also happens to be highly addictive and can lead to quite a few health issues. Those who abuse it can develop a serious physical and mental dependence that leads them to drink regardless of the consequences. It can be treated through inpatient or outpatient alcohol treatment.
Related to that is drug abuse. Whether we’re discussing something like LSD or the opioid epidemic, this is a serious issue that ruins relationships, costs jobs and can turn fatal at a moment’s notice.
Gambling
People who suffer from a gambling addiction, in many cases, become hooked due to the thrill of it. They might begin just hoping for that ‘big win’, but with the passing of time, they can become obsessed by the anticipation of winning. Or their financial situation becomes so precarious that they need to cover their losses before disaster strikes. Gambling can also be described as a hidden addiction due to the fact that there aren’t any sort of outward physical signs. In many cases, their loved ones won’t even be aware there is a problem until it’s too late and the addict has racked up serious financial issues. This is typically treated with a variety of things that can include a 12-step program, alternative therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, and counseling.
Eating
These are known as food addictions and are capable of destroying the lives of people who are affected. The common ones include bulimia and anorexia. Eating disorders can be classified as abnormal and unhealthy attitudes towards food. People who suffer from anorexia will severely limit the total calories they take in. People who suffer from bulimia tend to binge eat and then go purge or excessively exercise to get rid of calories they consumed. These are mental health issues and can be incredibly difficult to treat, but the same methods are used for this as for gambling addictions.
Gaming
A lot of teens these days spend a lot of their time in a virtual world of one sort or another. They tend to socialize using the internet and this makes it more difficult for them to get used to the idea of interacting with people face to face. Online gaming can become an issue when it starts to affect the lives of people who play the games, and those around them. This is something that tends to have more of an effect on teens and it can result with them being socially withdrawn and isolating themselves. This is another one of those addictions that is hidden and is typically treated in the same way as gambling and eating disorders are.
The above situations show just a few of the different types of problems that affect people all of the time. One thing that is common to them all is that they all can have consequences that are harmful for the people affected by them. If you or someone you know has an addiction, it is important to get the help that is necessary before it is too late.