June 2011 - Addiction Help Center

Work Addiction Therapy

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| Work Addiction

The symptoms of work addiction may include the following:

You tend to take on more work than everyone around you
You feel anxious about your work when you leave the office
It is hard to take a vacation and when you do, you think about your work
Your family or loved ones claim that you are not available or that you never spend time with them anymore
You may have trouble falling or staying asleep, or sometimes sleeping at all
You feel tired all of the time and often drink caffeinated beverages or use other means to stay awake and alert
You have headaches, blood pressure problems, ulcers or other health issues

When to Seek Help for Workaholism

Help for workaholism should be sought if any of the following occur:

Your relationships suffer—if your marriage, your family relationships, or relationships with parents or children are suffering because of workaholism, it is time to seek help.
You have a need for control—you know deep down that you cannot control everything. When you suffer from work addiction, the need to control everything may become overwhelming. While it is important to remain in control of your own life, there are some things you cannot control. The need to control can cause stress and strain on your life.
Health Concerns—Heart disease, ulcers, migraines, high blood pressure, heart attacks and aneurysms are among the hundreds of illnesses that are attributed to stress each year.
The thing you work for the most, your work, suffers—no human can maintain the schedules workaholics set for themselves. Whether it is small errors, mistakes in scheduling, competency or completion, your work suffers when you become stretched too thin.

Work Addiction and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Work addiction can be a symptom of deeper psychiatric issues. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) occurs when a person has obsessive worries that he or she cannot let go of. Because of these worries, the person feels compelled to perform certain actions to help fix the anxiety. For the workaholic, this can be making sure every work task is done perfectly and desiring to control the work environment.

Help Finding Work Addiction Therapy

Are you or a loved one addicted to work? We can help. Our toll-free number is available 24 hours a day. We work with a nationally-based network of treatment centres, counsellors, consultants, interventionists, family therapists and more. We can help you break the cycle of work addiction in your life and get you back on track to a more productive and rewarding life.…

Bulimia Treatment Help

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| Eating Disorders

Bulimia is best known as a disorder characterized by recurrent binge eating and purging. It is rooted in complex emotional struggles, and those suffering from bulimia may be with dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder or any other issues that lead to self-destructive behavior. Bulimics suffer not only from physical health risks but also have difficult psychological issues that need to be resolved. In professional care and treatment for bulimia, both the physical and psychological issues of the disease are addressed through medical treatment and therapy.

Possible Causes of Bulimia

Some risk factors for bulimia include:

Pressure from the media to be thin
Poor self-esteem
Peer pressure

Poor weight-loss tactics, such as starvation or excessive exercise, may prompt a person to binge, which can then lead to severe guilt followed by purging. Though this process may seem repulsive to some, this behavior is addictive, and once a person has experienced a binge-purge episode, he or she is at high risk for more frequent episodes. Due to bulimia’s addictive nature, individuals who have struggled with addictions or who have a propensity towards compulsive behavior are at a higher risk of developing bulimia and may have more trouble recovering.

Potential Health Risks Associated with Bulimia

Though each case of bulimia is different, and some cases are more serious than others, there are health risks involved with all levels and intensities of the disease. Potential health risks and problems caused by bulimia include:

Chronic gastric reflux
Dehydration
Hypokalemia
Electrolyte imbalance
Cardiac arrhythmia
Cardiac arrest
Constipation
Infertility
Dental erosion

These health risks make it crucial for anyone suffering from bulimia to seek professional help immediately so that health problems can be treated and further risks prevented. Also, proper treatment can help resolve the complex psychological issues at the core of bulimia.

Bulimia Treatment and the Recovery Process

Bulimia recovery is a long but rewarding process that involves various types of treatment. Individuals suffering from bulimia should first be evaluated by a doctor for an official diagnosis so that any imminent medical needs can be met as soon as possible. Dental care may be necessary due to tooth erosion caused by frequent vomiting. Furthermore, a nutritionist may be needed to help the patient understand what it means to eat a normal and healthy diet. The patient should also attend the individual, group, or family therapy. In a treatment center or rehabilitation facility, patients can receive all this care and more in one convenient location.

Due to the psychological struggles that lead to bulimia and the emotional toll the disease takes on a person, psychotherapy is one of the most important steps toward recovery. In therapy, patients resolve their inner conflicts and learn to accept and love themselves for who they are and with the bodies they have. By gaining a new self-awareness, patients are able to stop focusing on how they feel about their bodies and become engaged in the surrounding world.

Need Help Finding Treatment for Bulimia?

If you or someone you love is suffering from bulimia, we can help. Please call our toll-free number today. We are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to take your call. We can answer your questions about treatment and recovery.…