What Does Physical Dependence Mean?
We often develop dependencies on various things, despite maintaining close relationships with them, the separation often does not have a significant impact. However, some things are more special, such as alcohol or certain drugs, which can easily lead to a sense of dependency. Once stopped, it can cause a range of physical discomforts, including irritation, insomnia, trembling, and more. This can be referred to as physical dependency. So, what does physical dependency mean? Let's explore it further.
Physical dependency refers to the physiological and biochemical changes that occur in the central nervous system due to repeated consumption of alcohol or addictive substances. This results in a need for the continuous presence of alcohol or the addictive substance in the body to avoid specific physical and mental symptoms. The severity of these symptoms can range from mild irritation, insomnia, and trembling to moderate to severe hallucinations, convulsions, and disorders of consciousness. These symptoms quickly disappear upon repeated use of alcohol or the addictive substance.
1. Cognitive Therapy: This treatment approach aims to correct the cognitive processes of the dependent individual, helping them effectively cope with cravings and enhancing their social skills. It maintains abstinence, corrects the patient's attitude towards addiction, recognizes the harm of addictive substances, enhances awareness of abstinence, and gradually controls behavior. It guides patients to gradually adapt to new life perspectives and values, overcoming the impact of negative emotions. It addresses deficiencies in their defense mechanisms, reshaping their personality and behavioral patterns. The comprehensive and in-depth understanding primarily focuses on the biological, psychological, and social history of both the individual and their family related to addictive behaviors.
2. Behavioral Therapy: The core of behavioral therapy lies in reward and punishment. Agreements are made with patients, rewarding positive expectations and penalizing non-positive ones. Material rewards can be provided through the money saved from abstinence. Regular assessments are conducted to evaluate progress or regression, and treatment goals are established. For patients who adhere to the agreement for a prolonged period and complete the goals on schedule, cue exposure therapy is conducted to consciously expose them to their former addictive substance or social environments while preventing relapse. Repeated reinforcement consolidates the treatment effect.
3. Family Therapy: Patients with alcohol dependency often have poor health, economic difficulties, and significant family conflicts. Family members may lose their mutual understanding after experiencing disappointment and grievance. It is crucial to establish contact with family members, providing them with health education related to addictive substance dependency, signs and prevention of relapse, and psychological guidance. This helps them change their attitude towards the dependent individual, avoiding discrimination and learning effective communication skills to promote family harmony and enhance the stability of the patient's condition.
4. Group Therapy: Engaging patients in mutual support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), allows them to recognize that their needs are not unique. It provides a sense of belonging, alleviates loneliness, and establishes intimacy. Within these groups, members share their experiences, provide mutual support and accountability, and participate in concentrated treatment, which serves as a supportive and educational process. This collective environment facilitates discussions, the development of treatment plans, and encouragement and monitoring of their implementation. Doctors and other group members have an opportunity to observe and identify early signs of relapse.
