Whenever one says addiction, an image of a coarse-looking man smoking alone in the alley, or a fidgety one trying to find his veins with a syringe in his hand pops up in one’s mind. Yes, these are also addictions, but addictions are not only limited to substance abuse. That is the idea that we as individuals and as a society need to understand. “The biggest danger is the danger that comes unseen.”
These addictions, since they are not looked upon in the same manner that drugs are by the society, have claimed victims from all over the demographic. The older generations have fallen prey to gambling, the younger ones to social media. These are gross generalizations and are not meant to state that there are only these two types of non-substance addictions (which we will see further), but to state the point that none are safe from this. Not only that but our society heavily relies upon these types of addicts and actively tries its best to hide the seriousness of the addiction in their purpose to keep exploiting the addicts. The only way to stay safe in this ‘addictive world’ is to be mindful and build the ability to discern the difference between mindful indulgence and mindless indulgence. It is usually the latter which turns slowly into an addiction.
Some Non-Substance addictions are stated below (the list is not just limited to the ones stated below):
- Excessive internet use and social media addiction.
- Gambling addiction
- Shopping addiction, or compulsive buying disorder.
- Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.
Since most of the addictions spring forth from very deep-seated beliefs and ideologies of the world and of themselves, a holistic approach is way more necessary in treating non-substance addiction. Usually what we see while dealing with non-substance addictions is that the treatment is based only on the behaviour side of it, replacing the prior addiction by a new and benign addiction like reading or exercising. We are not against this approach as we also make use of these approaches in our programmes, but they must be complemented with a change in ideologies and the deep-seated beliefs that the addictions rise out from. Otherwise, the change does not last very long.
We understand the nuances and complexities of non-substance addictions comprehensively. As one of the best retreat and rehab centres in India, Veda Wellness is committed to providing holistic care for those struggling with non-substance addictions. Alongside psychotherapeutic help, we at Veda believe in Holistic healing, i.e. for some issue to be completely healed, one must work on all three levels of the human system – the body, the mind and the spirit. Therefore, each of our centres has at least one Yoga and Meditation expert who personalise techniques according to the need of each client in synchronicity with the therapeutic healing already going on.
We also understand the importance of environmental factors on the human system and have placed our centres in the midsts of beautiful landscapes and make sure the clients recognise and follow the cycles of nature. We have always maintained a very positive environment with a friendly therapeutic atmosphere. Our approach to our clients has never been a serious and grave one. Many recreational activities like badminton courts, activity rooms for games, swimming pools, exercise rooms and gyms, and much more can be enjoyed by the clients as per their temperaments.
If you think we can help you by any standards, or you know someone who might be going through something similar, contact us today. Share this blog with your friends to increase awareness of Non-Substance Addiction, an invisible problem that plagues most of us in the modern world.
– Nihar Laljani
– Content Writer For Veda Rehabilitation and Wellness