Anatomy Of An Addictive Behavior: Not For Men Only

By Mitchell Milch, LCSW

My experiences inside and outside my psychotherapy practice have taught me that all addictive relationships express our feelings of hopelessness and helplessness to be active agents of change in our lives. Often we are running from legacies of emotional deprivation and abuse that we believe to be life-long punishments for being bad and/or incompetent people.

Screening For Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol-Related Problems in College Populations

New-found independence can sometimes be dangerous: Alcohol use and abuse among college students is a serious cause for concern. Many students are under the legal drinking age and many engage in heavy episodic, or binge, drinking. There are a variety of simple screening methods that can help identify those students at greatest risk for alcohol problems so that preventative steps can be taken before it's too late.

Weighty Matters

By Mitchell Milch, CSW

Our emotional vulnerabilities post-divorce may create an internal environment ripe for unhealthy dependencies on our own eating habits, as well as on how we feed others. Eating dysfunctions, even in their most benign forms, are perhaps the most insidious because, in a society where obesity is quickly becoming the norm, they can easily go undetected.

Couples in Recovery

By Amy Zachary, MSW

When addiction strikes, what happens to a couple? In couples where one partner is using and the other is not, spouses usually develop over-functioning and under-functioning roles. That is, the user under-functions and the non-user over-functions to compensate for their mate.

Cybersex

By Dorothy C. Hayden, CSW

Dorothy C. Hayden, CSW, is a Manhattan-based psychotherapist who specializes in treating Adult Attention Deficit Disorder and the addictions (alcohol, drugs, sex and food). The following is a transcript of the pre-edited Q&A from Dorothy’s interview on TV's "20/20" segment about cybersex.

Therapy for Sexual Addiction—A Depth-Psychology Approach

By Dorothy C. Hayden, CSW

It is well known among people in the 12-step sex programs that of all the addictions, sex is the most difficult to master. Far from the notion that sex addiction is the "fun" one, the suffering of dealing with this affliction is enormous. Before treatment, sexual enactment is the addict’s only source of safety, pleasure, soothing and acceptance.

Recognizing the Signs of Sex Addiction and Compulsivity

For most people, sex contributes in positive ways to the quality of life. However, about three to six percent of Americans have sexual addiction. Like all addictions, its negative impact on the addict and on family members usually increases as the disorder progresses.

Compulsive Gambling

The term "addiction" is usually reserved to explain a compulsive attraction or pathological attachment to a substance, normally a drug. However, we now recognize that some behaviors can be addicting, such as eating, sex and gambling. All addiction is characterized by loss of control, preoccupation, compulsivity, narrowing of interests, dishonesty, guilt and chronic relapse. This year alone, an estimated 8 million Americans will gamble in ways that seriously risk causing harm to themselves and to their families.

What Is Spending Addiction—And How Do I Know If I Have It?

If you suffer from spending addiction, even the most negative consequences--such as guilt, debt, or feeling ashamed and secretive about out-of-control purchases--can't keep you from spending more time and more money shopping than you know you should. Read on to learn how to tell when a pattern of extravagant buying is actually a sign of addictive behavior--and how to get help.

Which Came First: Marijuana Use or Depression?

By Meghan Vivo

Marijuana has adverse effects on the brain, heart, and lungs--and mounting evidence also suggests a correlation between marijuana use and depression. The question experts on all sides want answered is, which came first? Marijuana use or depression? Do depressed teens smoke pot to relieve their symptoms, or does smoking pot actually cause depression?

Tangos Of Debt Accumulation

By Mitchell Milch, LCSW

Every couple dances in complementary ways. Some of these dances are healthier than others, but all, notwithstanding denials and protests to the contrary, are mutually gratifying on some level. When it involves a pattern of debt accumulation, it may look like one partner is the aggressive culprit and the other is the helpless victim--but don’t be so sure. The two "dancers" likely have deeply personal agendas perpetuating their shared tango of debt accumulation.

Understanding Sexual Addiction

By Joseph Winn, MSW, LICSW

For many, the idea of seeking professional assistance to heal from sexually addictive behavior seems daunting. This article seeks to introduce the reader to the concept of sexual addiction, describe the cornerstones of the addictive process, and inform the reader that healing from sexual compulsivity is possible.

The Road Back to Self-Worth

By Michelle Gottlieb, MFT

I recently received an e-mail from a woman who was terribly distraught. She had been in a long-term relationship with an addict who had AIDS. She had supported him financially, had given up her family and her church to be with this man and help him. He left her, and she could not figure out why.

Do You Feel Me?

By Lana M. Ackaway, LCSW-R, NCPsyAv

Punitive superego is often found within addiction and within borderline. It produces not only self-criticism, but also acts as a censorship over what is felt to be unacceptable thoughts and feelings—a resistance that offers a protection against shame and humiliation.