The treatment of non-chemical addictions

Abstract

Today, there are no standards of therapy for non-chemical (behavioral) addictions. The article examines in detail modern psychological (classes in the 12 step program groups, various psychotherapeutic interventions) and pharmacological (antidepressants, opioid receptor antagonists, normotimics, glutamatergic agents, etc.) approaches to the treatment of pathological gambling. The possibilities of therapy of love and sexual addiction are analyzed. Separately, the problems of correction of the so-called socially acceptable addictions, as well as Internet addictions, are considered. The extremely cautious tactics in the therapy of these forms is recommended, because they can transform into heavy chemical and behavioral addictions. The importance of using a number of socially acceptable addictions as substitutes for the treatment of severe forms of dependences is underlined. In conclusion, the questions of the competency of a psychiatrist-addiction specialist and a psychologist in the correction of behavioral dependencies are analyzed and indications for psychopharmacotherapy are determined.