Therapy

CITA’s holistic treatment model utilizes a specially developed, modified addiction medicine approach. This approach is based on the concept that substance and behavioral addiction share the same neurobiologic pathways in the brain. We view behavioral addiction, such as the Internet, video games, and Smartphones to be treatable with similar therapies that have been used successfully with other addictions.

A significant component of treatment is evaluating an individual’s level of motivation and readiness for change. Once assessed, Dr. Greenfield and our team will utilize motivational interviewing, enhancement and harm reduction strategies to facilitate readiness for therapy. Insight and immediate motivation for treatment is not initially required for therapy. During the early phases of therapy, these issues are generally addressed and become the focus of how to engage the patient, even when he or she doesn’t believe they need help or have a problem.

Other types of therapy that might be involved besides talk therapy are EMDR, or eye movement desensitization reprocessing, which is a psychophysiological treatment tool that is utilized at CITA for anxiety and phobia reduction, along with reduction of urgings and cravings for Internet, pornography and video game use.

Pharmacotherapy, or medication and pharmacologic interventions, can be arranged on an as-needed basis; we can consult with the patient’s prescriber to provide suggestions and recommendations based on our clinical experience.

PowerPoints and video presentations are often used to help patients understand the neurobiology and psychology of addiction and particularly of Internet and technology addiction.

Therapy can help you or your loved one learn how to:

• Recognize triggers for use and abuse of the Internet, video games, pornography, and Smartphone
• Identify and manage urges and cravings for use
• Prevent and manage relapse, if and when it occurs
• Develop a real-time living strategy and manage a healthy tech-life balance
• Live with boredom and even welcome it
• Develop advanced social skills and manage general and social anxiety
• Recognize issues involving social, academic, and work avoidance, and how to develop mindful and sustainable use of technology
• Deal with co-occurring behavioral health and psychiatric conditions, such as ASD, ADD/ADHD, depression, etc.

What is a Digital Detox and will I need one?

A Digital Detox is a period of time where you refrain from some or all use of specific aspects of the Internet, videogaming, or Smartphone, that might be problematic for you. This brief respite may be necessary to help you break the neurobiologic pattern in your brain and reshape your behavioral habits with technology. We find that individuals suffering from Internet and technology overuse and addiction may develop reward deficiency syndrome wherein they lose the ability to experience real-time pleasure from non-screen based activities. A major goal of therapy is the reintroduction of real-time living strategies to help rebalance the brain and experience joy and pleasure while living with less screen time.

Oftentimes, a component of therapy for Internet and technology addiction can include consultation with our IT expert, who in coordination with your doctor or therapist will develop a personalized program to monitor, block, and filter problematic websites, apps, and web content. CITA has been a pioneer in the use of this approach over the last sixteen years and we utilize a combination of proprietary and off-the-shelf technologies to help facilitate healthy and sustainable technology use.

What are the goals of therapy for Internet or technology addiction?

The development of real-time living skills and tech-life balance is the primary focus of therapy for Internet, Smartphone, video game, pornography and technology use, overuse and addiction.

One of the hallmarks of therapy is to reverse the phenomena of reward transfer where real life has ceased to stimulate satisfaction and happiness; this reward transfer is often marked by reductions of dopamine to unnaturally low levels and can even lead to feelings of sadness and depression.

Tech-life balance and a sustainable and mindful relationship to technology and screens can be achieved by recognizing and understanding that boredom is often the springboard for creativity and social interactions. When you have no downtime or availability to be with yourself, you often then do not have the ability to truly be present with others.