Hello, my name is Madoff! During my work I get confronted with people - all trying to manage their addiction(s) - a lot. I experience both the good side as the seam side. You could say I have a fairly big experience with addiction treatments. The purpose is to translate this experience into a useful website that people can use for help with their addiction treatment. Good luck!

Why YOU Can beat your addiction?

There are a lot of different types of addiction- some are general in nature, but some are medical. The definition of addiction can vary, but in most cases, it involves a psychological and sometimes physical dependence on a substance. Addictive substances are so because they make temporary alterations to the brain's chemical status. Today's definition of addiction has broadened to include excessive gambling, eating, computer use, exercise, pornography use, and shopping.

Addiction Treatment Tips From Madoff

Addictions are evidenced by compulsive desires that are all-consuming, and that people act on habitually. Any addiction will cause feelings of failure, fear, guilt, hopelessness, humiliation and shame. An addiction isn't just a habit or a passion; it has severe consequences that can damage a person's emotional, mental and physical health. Most substance addicts have a long-standing pattern of alcohol, drug and tobacco use, despite all the problems that the substance use causes. Addiction can be a debilitating condition, but it can be beaten through counseling and rehabilitation.

There are many ways to fight an addiction. The most common is counseling, where professionals perform therapy that helps the addict understand where their condition originated. The therapy helps the addict handle their condition one day at a time, and it offers support to addicts willing to do what it takes to beat their addiction.

Substitution therapy is another common approach. In this method, a medication is used to treat a nicotine or drug addiction. The medication given is a substance that chemically resembles the addictive one, without the harmful side effects. The therapy is continued until the addict has lessened their craving for the drug, and it is flexible because it can be given on both an impatient and outpatient basis.

Detoxification is a choice for those with drug and alcohol addiction. Here, the addict is checked into a facility that helps them get through painful withdrawal symptoms. During the treatment period, the addict has no contact with the addictive substance. Most detox centers offer support groups where addicts meet and talk both together and with addiction counselors.

-Self help groups are run on a voluntary basis. They have no formal structure and people can join whenever they want. They may be unstructured, but they do offer help to addicts with sufficient willpower. These groups are usually adherents of the twelve-step format; Alcoholics Anonymous and NA are good examples of this type of addiction treatment.