Psychiatric comorbidity is very common in addictions, which is why psychiatric monitoring is ensured at our Centre. Mental health problems refer to a variety of conditions that affect a person’s thinking, mood and behaviour. If these problems persist, they have long term consequences for the person suffering and their environment, and there is often a sense that there is no escape, leaving the person feeling completely alone and helpless.
The most common disorders that accompany addiction are depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychoses, panic attacks, trauma, personality disorders and eating disorders.
Depression
Depression is a serious mental disorder with symptoms of intense melancholy, loss of interest in activities, feelings of loneliness and helplessness. These feelings can escalate and often lead to addictions as a way of relieving pain.
It is extremely important to seek help immediately. At our Centre we offer help and hope to people suffering from depression with a combination of treatments.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is based on the patient’s previous experiences. The patient is helped in psychodynamic psychotherapy indirectly, because of improved interpersonal relationships, trust in other people, defense mechanisms, emotional sensitivity, productivity and creativity… Pharmacotherapy relieves depressive symptoms and often facilitates psychotherapy.
Interpersonal therapy is a structured, individual or group brief psychotherapy that has proven its effectiveness in clinical and academic research in psychological disorders such as depression, dysthymia, adolescent depression, bipolar disorder, prenatal and postnatal depression. Strengths of this therapy are issues of loss, grief, or conflict.
Group psychotherapy is particularly effective in improving interpersonal skills and self-esteem.
Cognitive therapy is a brief psychotherapy, with structured sessions, that aims to identify and correct the patient’s negative mental schemas, which according to cognitive theory cause depression.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive persistent anxiety and worry, conditions that negatively affect daily life making normal activities and communication difficult.
It is important for people experiencing symptoms of anxiety disorder to seek and receive individualized help from specialists as through appropriate support and treatment it is possible to improve quality of life and reduce anxiety.
There are different types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, hypochondriasis, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), separation anxiety disorder, agoraphobia , panic disorder.
Each disorder can be diagnosed using the specific and unique symptoms, the events that cause it, and the timing. If a person is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, a medical professional should have evaluated the individual to ensure that the anxiety cannot be attributed to another medical illness or mental disorder.
It is possible for a person to have more than one anxiety disorder during their lifetime or at the same time, and anxiety disorders are characterized by a typical persistent course. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. However, anxiety disorders are treatable, and several effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.
Treatment options include lifestyle changes, psychotherapy and medication. There is no clear evidence on whether psychotherapy or medication is more effective. The decision on the specific medication can be made by the doctor and patient considering the patient’s specific circumstances and symptoms. If during treatment with a selected medication, the person’s anxiety does not improve, another medication may be offered.
Lifestyle changes include exercise, for which there is moderate evidence of some improvement with regulation of sleep disturbances, reducing caffeine intake and stopping smoking. CBT appears to be equally effective when delivered over the internet compared to sessions completed face-to-face. Mindfulness-based programs also appear to be effective for managing anxiety disorders. Counseling can be an effective way to deal with anxiety, as well as combined medication.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorders are characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by repetitive and uncontrollable thoughts or impulses that occur involuntarily and seem irrational. Compulsions are persistent, excessive behaviors or mental acts that patients feel compelled to perform in order to reduce the discomfort and anxiety caused by their obsessive thoughts. Essentially, compulsions are designed to counteract compulsions.
People with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder usually recognize their dysfunction and seek help from a psychiatrist or psychologist. Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered an appropriate form of psychotherapy.
Mood Disorders
Mood disorders are a group of mental disorders that manifest themselves with the excessive experience of emotions, such as joy, sadness and anger, with repeated episodes and periods of remission between episodes, which can seriously affect the person’s functioning. Mood indicates the type of emotions that people experience for a certain period and within certain limits. According to this definition, a person with a mood disorder exhibits an inappropriate or excessive reaction in relation to normal limits in the face of situations, events and circumstances that occur to them.
Mood disorders are disorders that can cause intense discomfort to the person and those around them, significantly reduce the quality of life and require professional treatment.
The treatment we offer at our Center is often a combination of pharmacological treatment and psychotherapeutic support. Especially in bipolar disorder, medication is often used. In cases where depressive symptoms are very severe, individuals can also be treated in a hospital setting, especially when faced with the possibility of harming themselves and their environment. Today, effective methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy are used in the treatment of mood disorders to support the medication process. In addition to these, third-generation therapies have begun to be used frequently, such as mindfulness-based psychotherapy approaches and acceptance and commitment therapy, which are based on the school of cognitive behavioral therapy. It is important to remember that mood disorders are recurrent disorders. Therefore, the treatment process can be long-term and requires the planning of preventive interventions.
Panic Attacks
Panic is a normal reaction to life-threatening situations. Panic disorder occurs when someone has panic attacks frequently. People who experience them may feel like they are losing control, and their lives are threatened.
There are several factors that can contribute to the development of panic attacks. Factors can be psychological, environmental, or biological and include:
Family history: People with a family history of anxiety disorders are more likely to experience panic attacks.
Environmental factors: Stressful life events, such as a divorce or the loss of a loved one, can trigger panic attacks. In addition, ongoing stress from work, relationships, or other sources can contribute to the development of panic attacks.
Periods of anxiety and stress: People who experience periods of anxiety and stress over a long period of time are likely to experience panic attacks.
Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as heart disease, hyperthyroidism, and asthma, can increase the risk of panic attacks.
At our Center, we use several effective treatments for panic attacks. These include:
Medication: Antidepressants and benzodiazepines can help reduce the frequency and severity of panic attacks.
Psychotherapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that can help people with panic attacks learn how to identify and change the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to their anxiety.
Lifestyle changes: Exercise, relaxation techniques, and stress management strategies can help reduce the frequency and severity of panic attacks.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders (or eating disorders as they are also called) are anorexia nervosa or simply anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. These are psychogenic disorders that affect a large percentage of the population. They affect women in a greater percentage but also men.
The reasons for the appearance of the disorder can be genetic, biological, hereditary or psychological. To these are added interpersonal relationships, emotions and a distorted body image.
Monitoring people with eating disorders with a specific treatment plan is our main concern in order to help effectively.
Psychotherapy and in particular cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are our choice in order to help people suffering from eating disorders as much as possible.
Our goal is to initially restore the individual’s health, with the collaboration of specialized and experienced nutritionists and doctors, and then to restore the mental health of the patient.
