Behavioral misuse among clients in substance abuse treatment: an interview study

“It’s A Deficiency Disorder”. Clients Understanding of Substance and Behavioral Addictions and Treatment Needs: An Interview Study

“…Clinicians were therefore advised to be receptive about shameful and anxiety-provoking difficulties, and the consequences of traumatic experiences. Prior studies have shown that treatment concerning sexual difficulties should support disclosure of sensitive topics otherwise clients might appear improved without having solved their difficulties [46,47]. The participants' descriptions of how sensitive topics had been neglected should therefore be taken seriously and clinicians should be supported to approach such topics.…”

“…It has been proposed that research on behavioral addictions should be less directed toward questions of definitions and more toward clients experiences, and how to enhance treatment outcome [2,9,40]. Moreover, substance abuse treatment needs to be holistic and address a variety of difficulties among clients concerned [6,14].…”

“…When clients in substance abuse treatment had the opportunity to self-report behavioral addictions (sexual activities, food intake, gambling and exercise), 67% reported such difficulties [6]. Through brain imaging studies it is possible to evaluate underlying brain systems pathology and also visualize effectiveness of treatment [7] and through interview studies it is possible to investigate the shared phenomenology of addiction to substances and behaviors [8][9][10]. In line with this, some researchers view addiction to substances and behaviors as varying expressions of an underlying difficulty or deficiency [11][12][13][14].…”

Excessive behaviors in clinical practice—A state of the art article

“…The term addiction also directs interest toward so-called rewards and the desirable nature of the behaviors, sometimes suggesting that the behaviors are repeatedly enacted because they, just like substances, provide desirable experiences that the individual repeatedly wants to achieve (Elam, 2015 ; Essig, 2012 ; Giugliano, 2006 ; Goodman, 2008 ; Grant, Potenza, Weinstein, & Gorelick, 2010 ; Karim & Chaudhri, 2012 ; Thomas, 2014). This view of excessive behaviors implies that the behaviors are experienced as rewarding and desirable, whereas in fact individuals who enact behaviors excessively might describe the behaviors as distasteful and enact them in order to confirm a negative and even degrading or shameful perception of themselves (Churucca et al, 2014 ; McKeague, 2014 ; Power, 2005 ; Punzi, Tidefors, & Fahlke, 2014 ). Shame has indeed been described as a core affect in suffering connected to negative self-perception, as well as a core affect in excessive behaviors and substance misuse (Nathanson, 1987 ; Wurmser, 1999 ).…”

Sexual addiction in drug addicts: The impact of drug of choice and poly-addiction

“…There are also reports on patients using alcohol and drugs to either facilitate sexual behavior or to handle feelings of shame and guilt derived from their sexual practices. 8,11 Importantly, both sexual addiction and drug use have been associated with increased risk of HIV transmission and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). 12,13 Although more studies are needed to estimate the rates of STDs among individuals concomitantly addicted to substances and sex, this population presents several vulnerability factors, making their study of interest since they will require public health strategies specific for each condition.…”