All psychoactive substances, such as alcohol, marijuana, and opiates, have the potential to cause both physical and psychological addiction. But what is psychological dependence? Psychological dependence requires treatment but does not result in your body developing a physical dependency on your substance of choice. Both physical and psychological dependencies can cause withdrawal symptoms and require the help of a Boise addiction treatment center to overcome it.
More than 1 out of every 7 Americans ages 12 and older meets the criteria for a substance abuse disorder, making addiction one of the most common mental health problems in the country. Unfortunately, while substance abuse disorders are relatively common, especially among teens and young adults, only 10% receive help. Because addiction is a chronic condition, completing a substance abuse program drastically improves your chances of recovering.
What Is Psychological Dependence?
Substances that can create Psychological dependence include marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Some psychoactive substances don’t cause physical dependency, but regular use can cause a psychological dependency to occur.
Examples of substances and behaviors that can lead to psychological dependence include:
- Marijuana
- Inhalants
- Hallucinogens
- Stimulants
- Gambling
To fully understand psychological dependence, it is important to remember that psychological dependence can cause emotional withdrawal symptoms. While physical addictions cause somatic withdrawal symptoms such as aches, pains, and nausea, psychological dependence causes emotional withdrawal symptoms, such as:
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Agitation
- Cravings
If you are wondering what psychological dependence is, it is important to remember that any substance, even physically addictive ones, can cause psychological dependence. For example, opiates like OxyContin can result in both a physical and psychological addiction.
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How is Psychological Dependency Treated?
Now that you found an answer to the question of what is psychological dependence, you may be wondering what aspects are covered in addiction treatment programs. During addiction, your brain’s pleasure and reward center changes and begins rewarding your drug and alcohol use, or other negative behavior, with a rush of pleasurable neurotransmitters.
This process can make it difficult to recover because it causes you to experience intense and overwhelming cravings when you try to stop using the drugs or stop the behavior. These cravings intensify whenever you are exposed to triggers, which are people, places or things that remind you of the stimuli that you are psychologically dependent on.
Treatment can occur at an inpatient or outpatient Boise addiction treatment center. Psychological dependency treatment programs utilize both evidence-based and holistic therapies, such as:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- Art and music therapy
- Relapse prevention education
- Coping skills education
- Individual, group and family therapy
An important part of successful substance abuse treatment is learning how to cope with things like triggers and cravings in a healthy manner. Nearly half of all people in recovery experience at least one relapse. A relapse occurs when you resume using drugs or alcohol or engaging in negative behaviors following a sustained period of abstinence. Treatment centers ensure that you have the skills and tools necessary to navigate recovery.
Finding Help Today
Our Boise addiction treatment programs offer you the ability to have the support, guidance, and compassion you or your loved one needs to overcome physical or psychological addiction. While addiction can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed, finding help starts with a phone call.
If you are wondering what is psychological dependence, chances are you or your loved one is struggling with a substance abuse problem or behavioral addiction. Early treatment is the best way to improve recovery outcomes as addiction progressively worsens until you receive treatment. It is never too late, or too early, to ask for help. To find out more about our nationally-recognized teen and young adult substance abuse treatment programs, call us today at 208.518.0797.
