Process addictions have been around for a while, but they are becoming increasingly common in today’s digital age. Process addictions involve the development of a compulsive behavior related to an activity, such as gambling, shopping, or playing video games. People with process addictions often feel compelled to engage in the behavior even when it has a negative impact on their life. A process addiction treatment center can provide the support needed for teens with this type of addiction. Call Foothills at Red Oak Recovery at 866.300.5275 today to learn the facts about process addictions.
Process Addictions Are a Growing Issue for Teens
Parents today may have heard of the occasional person addicted to sex or gambling, but process addictions have traditionally played a much smaller role in society than addiction to drugs or alcohol.
However, that is beginning to change. Today, the behaviors at the center of process addictions are widely available to teenagers. Behavioral health professionals are seeing increasing numbers of teenagers developing process addictions.
5 Facts About Process Addiction Parents Should Know
Addiction treatment centers are seeing more young people needing process addiction treatment. When parents take the time to learn the facts about process addiction, they can help teens develop healthy practices and know how to recognize when it’s time to seek professional intervention:
1. Teen Process Addiction Is Addiction to an Action
A process addiction happens when a teen becomes addicted to an action or the process of doing something. Process addictions are also called “behavioral addictions.” The activity at the center of the addiction is something that a teen can’t stop doing. Attempts by parents to set healthy boundaries are usually unsuccessful.
2. There Are Many Types of Process Addictions
Process addictions are nothing new, but technological advances have led to potentially addictive new processes that simply didn’t exist for generations past. Some of the most common types of process addictions include:
- Gambling addiction
- Shopping addiction
- Eating addiction
- Gaming addiction
- Social media addiction
- Smartphone addiction
- Internet addiction
Although these activities look very different, they can all lead to an addiction that seriously impacts a person’s mental and emotional health and overall quality of life.
3. Process Addictions Have the Same Impact on the Brain as Drugs
Although process addictions don’t have the potential for physical dependence, they impact a teen’s brain similarly to hard drugs. The activity involved in a process addiction activates the brain’s reward center, causing a rush of feel-good chemicals. Teens can experience withdrawal symptoms when the chosen activity is taken away.
4. Teens Are at High Risk of Developing Process Addictions
Today’s teens have grown up in a world where technology is constantly accessible and a regular part of life. For teens, social belonging, peer approval, and self-esteem are often dictated by technology more than real-life interactions, making it easy to develop a process addiction to technology.
5. Process Addictions Can Be Harder to Recover from than Drugs
Process addictions bring challenges that substance use doesn’t. Simply stopping the activity associated with a process addiction is often impractical, especially in the long term. Teens are preparing for a future in which they’ll go to college and begin careers. Using smartphones and the internet is an unavoidable part of that future.
Getting a teen help with compulsive behavior often involves helping them re-learn the appropriate behaviors that escalate to addiction. Learning moderation can be much more challenging than stopping use completely.
Get Help with Teen Process Addiction at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery is a teen addiction treatment center for adolescent boys. We offer support for various teen process disorders, including gaming addiction, smartphone addiction, and social media addiction.
To learn more about helping a teen struggling with a process addiction, contact Foothill at Red Oak Recovery at 866.300.5275.
