New Study Shows Country Music Actually Makes Most Drug References Than Any Other Genre

While most people associate drug references with genres such as rock and roll and rap, it was recently discovered that country music is actually the worst offender of all. Drug references have occurred in music as far back as the 1930s when jazz, bluegrass and swing musicians would mention them casually from time to time. References became much more prevalent in the 1960s when rock bands and folk artists mentioned drugs like pot, cocaine, heroin, speed and LSD pretty regularly. Since that time period, many famous country artists have also referenced drug use including Johnny Cash, John Prine, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. More modern country musicians like Eric Church and Kacey Musgraves have included lyrics in their songs referencing drug use as well. Last week a study by Addictions.com, a treatment and recovery site, determined that country music overall now has more drug references than any other genre.

Country Beats Rap at Drug Mentions

The study regarding drug references found that country artists tend to sing about drugs more often than rock or rap artists. The number one substance that country musicians tend to sing about is weed, while second was cocaine and meth was third. Surprisingly, rap actually was the genre with the least number of drug references and rock came in fourth behind jazz, pop and electronic. The data scientists involved in the study theorize that rap has evolved in its format recently and that could account for the lower number of drug references over time. The drug culture of the 90s that was a major part of rap music has mostly disappeared and modern rap artists speak about different subjects. Meanwhile, with the normalization of marijuana, country musicians tend to talk about weed in their songs more than ever before.

Studying through Lists of Drug Names

The Addictions.com study was conducted by searching through more than a million songs collected the Songmeanings API database and then analyzing the frequency of drug references, the types of drugs mentioned and how trends have changed over time. Out of a total of eight categories, country ranked first with an average of 1.6 drug references per song. The genre with the least mentions was rap with less than 1 reference per song. Although more country artists tend to reference marijuana, the country radio stations are less likely to play these types of “outlaw” artists that mention weed. In terms of drug references, there are many lyrics that can be interpreted different ways and those that don’t explicitly mention drugs by name may or may not be talking about drug use. The study focused on more obvious use of drug names like cocaine and meth as well as popular slang terms such as addy, blow, molly, roxy, and a number of others making a total list of 65 different names. The research did not include alcohol which is also frequently referenced in country songs.

Trends of Drug References Over Time

After going through and finding each name referenced, the researchers looked a second time to make sure that the songs were in fact talking about drugs. Any songs that used the names from the list but were not specifically referencing drug use were cut from the data. What seemed most surprising to the researchers analyzing the data was the fact that drug references in lyrics generally have been declining in recent years. They discovered that drug references have significantly dropped especially since 2013 when all types of music began to stray away from mentioning drugs altogether. Although rap overall had the least drug references, possibly due to the shift in more modern versions of the genre, the artists that had the most references in fact were rap artists. The top 20 artists who most frequently mentioned drugs included plenty of rappers such as Lil Wayne, The Game, Jay-Z, Bone Thugs N Harmony, and Kottonmouth Kings. It seems that trends in drug references have shifted more recently toward country music mentioning substances more than rap.

The study determined that the top seven drugs most frequently mentioned in music overall were marijuana, cocaine, acid, pills, meth, heroin and ecstasy respectively. Marijuana beat out all the others at 30 percent of all references, with cocaine second at 20 percent of drug mentions. The goal of the study was to help raise awareness about how drug mentions in lyrics interact with addiction. Addictions.com wanted to identify drug references in music genres to help alert people in case they want to avoid hearing about drugs in their everyday music. People who are recovering from an addiction and don’t want to be reminded about drug use may decide to avoid genres like country or certain artists that tend to reference drugs more frequently.

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The Ultimate Drug Rehab Guide

When you first realize that you need to get help for an addiction, you may not know what to do or what kind of steps to take for your recovery. The beginning of recovery can be one of the hardest times in your life and preparing yourself for treatment can be mentally and physically demanding. People often have a lot of worries about rehab and wonder what will happen throughout the process. Understanding more about how rehab works, what takes place while you are there and what type of options are available for a treatment center can help you feel more prepared for recovery. Addiction is not just a temporary problem, it is a chronic illness that needs to be controlled and managed through a complex variety of solutions. Rehab addresses different aspects of addiction and helps patients get through all the most difficult emotions that they are experiencing so that they can feel more comfortable living as a sober person.

Intake and Assessment

When you begin rehab you will have to go through the process of intake which includes a kind of evaluation of the state of your addiction as well as your physical and mental health. Physicians must have a better idea of how severe your dependency is and if you have any medical or psychological issues that will need to be treated alongside your addiction. Intake provides you with the opportunity to talk with someone about your stay at rehab and find out if the treatment center is a good fit for you. They might run some diagnostic tests and screenings to help tailor a treatment plan that will work best for your individual needs. The treatment center will likely ask about your personal history of drug use, your family history of addiction and any prior mental health issues or diagnoses. If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness in the past or you are determined to have one during an intake screening then you will need to get specialized treatment for both your addiction and your co-occurring disorder.

The First Step is Detox

Before entering a rehab program, most treatment centers require that you first complete some time in a detox program. As the very first step in recovery, detox is usually one of the most challenging parts of getting sober. For many people, this is their first time ever transitioning from a life of addiction to total abstinence from any drug use. It is a major adjustment that can be stressful to go through especially if you are used to drinking or using a certain substance on a daily basis. During the detoxification phase, patients must refrain from any substance abuse and allow their bodies to rid themselves of any chemicals or toxins in the system that are causing them to be physically dependent. This is an important first step because it prepares the body for rehab in order for patients to later focus more on their psychological aspects of addiction.

Dealing with Withdrawal Symptoms in Detox

Because detox eventually leads to withdrawal symptoms, it is usually medically supervised by trained staff that know how to handle any issues that might come up. Withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable for the most part but in more severe cases they can be dangerous. That is why it is important to complete detox in a supervised environment where staff members provide care around the clock. Withdrawal symptoms vary depending on how much a person was abusing drugs prior to treatment and their own individual reaction to abstaining. Most symptoms typically include issues such as insomnia, decreased appetite, body aches, vomiting, sweating, and other flu-like symptoms. The majority of patients also experience emotional symptoms including anxiety, depression, irritability and strong cravings or the desire to use again. The most severe symptoms of withdrawal tend to subside after a few days but some patients stay as long as a week or so to fully complete their detox.

Inpatient vs Outpatient Treatment

Once you finish a detox program then you are finally ready to enter a rehab treatment center. At this point you can make the decision whether you want to enroll in an inpatient program or an outpatient program. Both can be equally effective depending on the severity of your addiction and your own personal treatment needs. An inpatient program means that you will be living inside the treatment facility for a period of time, usually a few months. Inpatient treatment gives people with very serious addictions the chance to be away from all temptations and the stress of their work and personal life so that they can focus on recovery. Living in a residential program gives patients access to helpful staff at all times as well as the support of their peers who are going through the same experiences in rehab while getting sober. Inpatient programs remove the possibility of relapse and give patients more opportunities to connect with others.

An outpatient program is a good option for people with less serious addictions because it means that they will be living at home while attending treatment sessions during the day. Although in an outpatient program you do not have 24 hour access to staff for assistance, you otherwise experience all the same aspects of a treatment program with daily therapy and education. Outpatient can be a great option for people who feel strong enough to live at home or who have certain obligations which prevent them from being able to live in a residential center. Patients who cannot take time off of work or who need to care for their families can use outpatient treatment as a way to fulfill their responsibilities while still getting help for themselves.

Confronting Emotional Issues in Individual Therapy

Whether you decide on inpatient or outpatient treatment, a lot of your time in rehab will be focused on different types of therapy. One of the most important types of therapy is individual therapy which means spending one or more sessions a day speaking with a trained counselor one on one. In individual sessions you will learn to open up and talk about personal problems that you may have been dealing with on your own for many years. Therapy can be both cathartic and challenging as you try to confront problems head on and deal with feelings that you may have been avoiding for a long time. The reason many people become addicted to certain substances is because they offer them a form of escape so that they don’t have to feel sad, confused, angry or scared. In therapy you can start to let yourself feel these emotions and work through them instead of running away or self-medicating.

Group Therapy for Support and Connection

While individual therapy is a way to deal with very private and personal issues, group therapy can give you the chance to be vulnerable and improve communication with your peers. Group therapy is a helpful supplement to individual therapy because it allows people to hear other stories about addiction and personal struggles that may be similar to their own. It can be cathartic and empowering to realize that you are not alone in the challenges you have faced in life and that everyone goes through their own dark times. In group therapy, patients learn to listen to each other and be more empathetic so that they develop closer connections and relationships. Many people with addictions often tend to isolate themselves and become distant from the people in their lives in order to pursue their substance abuse. The goal of group therapy is to help addicts learn to be closer to the people around them and rely on each other for support to stay sober.

Activities While in Rehab

There is more to most rehab programs than simply attending therapy every day and talking in group meetings. There are also plenty of fun activities planned to help patients have some time away from the ups and downs of recovery. Activities can also help people in recovery learn how to enjoy themselves while sober and explore new hobbies that alleviate stress. The type of activities vary depending on the type of treatment center but they could include sports, hiking, swimming, art classes, music or group outings like museum and beach trips. Getting involved in different activities is another way for peers to connect with each other and have interactive experiences that don’t involve any substance abuse. Hobbies and activities can be helpful in difficult times because they help take your mind off of what you are going through. Rehab includes activities so that patients can focus on having fun and occasionally taking a break from the hard work of recovery.

Help with Interventions

If you are concerned that someone you know needs to go to treatment for an addiction it can be a difficult subject to bring up. Talking to someone about their problem can be uncomfortable because they may feel hurt and defensive or fear that you are judging them. Confronting someone about their drug use can be very complex and is sometimes best accomplished through the format of an intervention. By gathering together a group of people that feel as worried as you do about this person’s well-being you are more likely to reach them. When a number of people in their life have all the same concerns about their drug use rather than just one person they are more inclined to listen. If you are not sure how to stage an intervention or are afraid that it might fail it can be a good idea to get in touch with an interventionist who has experience in the field of addiction. This person can help you prepare for the intervention and give you a better idea of what you can say and do to get your loved one into addiction treatment.

The Necessity of Aftercare

Although rehab is designed to prepare you as much as possible for living a sober life, many people still need help after they finish the program. Not everyone is going to be completely ready to go back to their old life and be faced with cravings and temptations without the help and support that they have in treatment. That is why most rehab programs offer some type of aftercare as a way to help people in the transition between treatment and living at home again. It is never easy to return to an environment where you used to abuse alcohol or drugs and have to maintain control so that you do not relapse. It is a difficult struggle for people to stay committed to the things that they learned in rehab when they are no longer in a safe and supportive sober community. Aftercare provides people with the resources they need when they have completed their treatment program and need help to stay sober in the first few months of living at home again.

Choosing a Rehab Center

Once you have a good idea of the different components of rehab and what the process entails you will need to focus on choosing one that suits your personal needs. Do you want to receive treatment in a certain location such as somewhere secluded and remote or close by so that family can visit? There are a lot of options to think about in terms of a rehab center and looking into a few different treatment programs can help ensure that you pick one that suits your needs the best. They type of program can vary depending on your financial situation and what you can afford or what your insurance will cover. People with greater financial means might choose something like luxury rehab and others might have to find a place that is comfortable but still within their ability to pay. As long as you visit a rehab center first and get all your most important questions answered, you can make sure that you have chosen the treatment center that will work best for you.

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Why there is a Dating Cliche in Early Sobriety

Building and maintaining romantic relationships are hard for everyone, including sober people. However, the subject of dating when someone is in the early stages of sobriety is a controversial issue.

Previous to having been sober, it’s readily assumed that people had lost themselves to their addiction. The process of recovery not only involves becoming sober, but learning to like oneself and appreciate life again.

Dating can throw a big monkey wrench into this, because everyone knows nothing chips away at self-confidence and feelings of self worth like dating.

The First Year

During the first year of someone’s sobriety, they may be especially fragile, trying to cope without their addiction, rebuild a new life, and find a stable support system. Any extra trauma or problem could very easily throw off the equilibrium of recovery.

This is why it’s not recommended that people not date in their first year of sobriety. This is a common cliché that people in recovery hear over and over again.

However, like all clichés, they stem from a common truth. People who are in early sobriety are in an especially fragile period of their life.

And, frankly, most romantic relationships formed in the early stages of sobriety are not going to last, and when they do end, this unfortunately may trigger a relapse. The sharp emotional pain and feelings of loss that someone experiences when a romantic relationship ends may even tempt a sober person to drink, so its especially dangerous for someone in the early stages of recovery.

The not dating in the first year cliché is often repeated, because people who have been addicts might not yet know how to maintain a healthy relationship.

Focus On Yourself

Another common cliché related to dating is that people should focus on themselves during early sobriety. They may have ignored focusing on themselves while drowning their anxieties and fears by their addiction.

During early sobriety in particular, a person will have to work through painful issues and fears that may have previously been easier to ignore. When a person starts a romantic relationship, especially an intense one, much of the person’s energy is focused on the relationship instead of on themselves.

What About Casual Relationships?

Some people take the dating cliché to mean to not form serious relationships, but casual relationships are ok. However, the cliché still remains relevant, because a relationship that starts out as casual may often not end up that way.

One of the parties, or maybe both, will start developing more serious feelings for each other. This is common when two people start spending a lot of time together. So, yes, even casual dating relationships should not be started during the cliché of the first year of sobriety.

People Will Still Fall In Love

However, whether sober or not, people may still fall in love. When it happens it’s not something to be ignored or swept under the rug. If someone in early sobriety does meet the person they were meant to have a long-term romantic relationship with, then it will happen.

When and who people fall in love with can’t be controlled. However, one word of caution is that these relationships should be taken slowly, with no serious commitment made in the first year. People’s commitment to sobriety should always be recovering addicts’ first priority during the first year.

And if they stay committed, eventually it will pay off in other periods of their life, like forming a relationship with someone who cared enough to support someone’s efforts to become sober. The ultimate goal of someone in the early stages of sobriety is to learn how to form healthy relationships with people, dating or otherwise.

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Why Addiction And Issues Of Mental Health Intersect

When someone develops an addiction, it is rarely due to the addictiveness of the substance alone. While physical dependency plays a role in drug addiction, there are a wide range of other factors that make a significant contribution to whether or not someone will struggle with abuse. Genetic factors, cultural environment, and social influences all contribute to addiction but one of the strongest connections is mental illness.

It is very common for people with addictions to also suffer from various mental health problems including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. The combination of mental health issues and addiction can create a very complex problem that requires special treatment to resolve. Because mental health issues and addiction are often connected, there are a number of rehab facilities that cater to both problems.

Increased Risk for Addiction

One of the reasons that mental health issues have a strong relationship to addiction is that they can actually increase the risk of someone abusing drugs. Someone who has an illness such as depression or bipolar disorder who is not receiving adequate treatment might seek out their own ways of self-medicating. People with symptoms of depression often begin drinking as a way to mask their feelings of sadness and give them temporary relief. They might also seek stimulants such as cocaine to give them a feeling of energy and confidence.

Those with anxiety might look for depressants or sedatives that calm their feelings of stress and tension. People with mental disorders can also be less inhibited and more likely to show risk-taking behavior such as engaging in illegal drug abuse or drinking to excess. This represents another factor that can quickly lead to substance abuse and eventually a serious addiction.

Abuse Can Cause Symptoms of Disorders

Although pre-existing disorders are often the cause of the relationship between addiction and mental health issues, the connection can also work the other way around.  People who develop addictions often begin to exhibit symptoms of depression, anxiety and even schizophrenia. The level of depression or anxiety that addicts experience is often indistinguishable from an actual mental illness. This is another reason why the instances of people with both addiction and mental health problems are so high.

About fifty percent of people with an addiction have a psychiatric disorder and for those with a disorder about twenty percent suffer from an addiction. Drug abuse can cause symptoms of mental health problems because sudden withdrawal can lead to emotional breakdowns and even hallucinations similar to that of schizophrenia. Alcohol and drug abuse can lead to changes in the brain that can cause mental or personality disorders.

Drug abuse can cause chemical deficiencies such as a reduction in the amount of serotonin in the body which can lead to disorders like depression. Some people can have a genetic vulnerability to developing a psychiatric disorder and an addiction simultaneously.

Treatment for Addiction and Mental Disorders

The relationship between addiction and mental illness is so strong and common among many individuals that there are specialized facilities that treat both issues. To treat both problems, a person must first abstain from drug abuse and go through a period of detoxification. Eliminating the substance from their body can help to distinguish which of their symptoms are due to abuse and which are caused by mental illness.

The addiction and the disorder must both be treated at the same time otherwise the risk of relapsing is very strong for individuals with each problem. People with both addiction and a mental disorder often require extended treatment to resolve both issues and ensure that they make a complete recovery.

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5 Tips For A Successful Intervention

When someone you are close to is going through an addiction or something else that is negatively affecting their life and the lives of those around them, then it is difficult to try and figure out exactly how to guide them towards help. People feel powerless over someone elses problems and this can develop problems in those around the ailing person. It is not uncommon that simply talking to the person one-on-one does not do the job. Usually, a more direct and profound approach is needed in the form of an intervention.

If you feel that you need to stage an intervention for someone you know who needs it, here is a brief guide that should help get you thinking and acting in the right direction.

Plan Carefully

1. Know What An Intervention Is

An intervention is not something that should be done quickly or on the same day that it is planned. It should be thought out and worked together carefully with the other people involved, be they friends, family members, colleagues or clergymen.

An intervention should basically be as such- first, it provides specific examples of destructive behaviors and their impact on the addicted/afflicted person and their loved ones; second, it should offer a pre-arranged treatment plan with clearly arranged steps, goals and guidelines; and third, it should also spell out clearly what will happen if the person does not accept treatment and help.

2. Get Help

Under these pretenses, one should be able to successfully plan out an intervention. It would also be wise to consult a professional, someone who is called an interventionist (there are professions for things like this) to get more help. Interventions sometimes spur feelings of resentment and betrayal on the part of the person who is being intervened upon. It is a charged situation. If you feel this may be the case, then please do consult a professional.

Consult relatives or close friends, maybe even someone you know who has also done an intervention too, for some advice. This kind of thing could prove invaluable to you when it comes time to get the intervention under way.

3. Gather Information

Why are you having the intervention in the first place? There should be a laundry-list of things that have happened in the past that have lead to the need for this, and they should be remembered when the time comes. Write them down and have them ready, and make sure that the other people who are present in the intervention have their own lists written down as well for more effect. This needs to be a sure thing, and with enough backing, the point can get across more easily.

Also, knowing what exactly is going on with the person helps a lot too. Gather information on what exactly the ailment is and know what can happen to a person under the circumstances. This should help you and those helping you prepare for anything that might come up during the intervention.

The Intervention

4. Stay Calm, Be Clear

When everyone is assembled and it comes time to confront the person about their problem, make sure to stay calm during the whole thing, being the center for the rest of the group to go off of. Be clear about why it is happening, what the conditions are, what has been going on, and most importantly, what the consequences of the situation are going to be, especially if the person does not agree to accept help. With all these in order, and careful planning at your side as well as a supporting group of others, the intervention should go as intended.

5. Following Up

Once the intervention is complete and help is being gotten, it is important to let the others know who helped you how things are going now.

There are also things that may have to be changed in the everyday living of the household, if the person being intervened upon lives there. Not only does their live have to change, but those around them have to change as well.

Hopefully this helps you in getting your own intervention to happen. Good luck.

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The First Phase Of Treatment: Detox

The disease of addiction forms quietly and elusively, being barely noticable to anyone, especially the person who is becoming the addict themselves. When it comes to any type of using, or drinking, the fact that an addiction is forming keeps itself rather hidden.

The Growing Addiction

When an addiction begins to grow, the problems start small and blend in with the scenery around them, so to speak. Maybe someone starts to get drunk a little more often, or appears to be high more and more, but the people they are partying with are getting crazy too so it’s no big deal.

People start to see less of them but assume they are busy. Meanwhile, the sickening person does not realize that they are getting loaded more often just in order to function. They don’t feel they “need” it quite yet, but are gaining more and more of a dependence on their substance of choice without really realizing it.

Problems Continue

Then the problems start to get worse. A job gets lost, a friend is alienated, a DUI happens, grades start to slip, and the person starts to withdraw more and more from their life. People begin to worry about them, but have a hard time getting through. The sick person seems to be more and more resistent to those who want to try and help them.

Over time, the problems climax and it becomes glaringly obvious to anyone that there is something wrong. Maybe the person has no job now, has crashed a car, no freinds, been kicked out of the house and/or homeless. And yet they still cling on to the fact that nothing is wrong, or, yes, something is wrong, but they “just don’t know what.” Even more sad is the case of the person who knows exactly what is wrong but will not quit, because they feel like they have nothing else or just don’t care. Their health is failing and their money is gone. The power of an addiction is cunning, baffling, and truly powerful.

Going Into Detoxification

When it comes time for the viscous cycle to end, the first step is to get into a detox facility. Some people are so afraid of detox that they will forego it and keep using instead of dealing with the withdrawals. But fear not, detox facilities are made to ease someone through the withdrawal process. There is no way to make it painless, but it will be far less painful than trying to do it on your own. Doing it on your own is very much not recommended. People relapse so often when trying to detox on their own from substances due to the pain that is occuring.

When it comes to the case of alcohol, detoxing can actually be dangerous and needs to be done in the care of a facility. The alcohol is so ingrained in the body that without it, the body starts to go through powerful withdrawals which lead to things like seizures, delerium tremens and sudden death. Detox facilities know how to avoid these things and an alcoholic should get into one as soon as possible.

Not Just The Body

Detoxing is not just for getting the junk out of your system. The disease of addiction is one that can be extremely isolating, and an addict will start to think that no one likes them, that no one cares. In detox, sometimes it goes that it is the first place in a long time that they will find people who care and other who are in the same boat, making them feel less alone. This is extremely theraputic and gives the recovering addict a new sense of hope.

Detox is the first step to recovering from an addiction. When the withdrawals are done and the body is clean, it is time to get the mind and the soul worked on in the world of treatment centers, where caring and community continue. One a final, specific note, those who need to get into detox should avoid places that advertise themselves as “speedy detox.” These places use dangerous practices to get someone through the detox process and should be avoided.

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Changing Obsessive Behavior to Healthy Behavior

Obsessive behavior is most commonly associated with obsessive compulsive behavior (OCD), a mental health condition in which a person is overly anxious about something which they believe their behavior can control. However, many of the signs of OCD have been linked with a variety of other disorders, including anxiety, eating disorders, addiction, and more.

Even if obsessive behavior is not associated with a diagnosable condition, it can still lead to problems in a person’s life. Regardless of the type of obsessive behavior or any associated condition, it is treatable, and it can be turned it into healthy behavior patterns instead.

What is Obsessive Behavior?

Obsessive behavior can be defined as behavior patterns with which a person has no control. In OCD, this might be repeatedly washing hands due to a fear of germs, repeatedly checking a door is locked to ensure the house is safe and secure, or hoarding items.

Studies have shown that at the basis of the unhealthy, obsessive behavior is the habit forming mechanisms in the brain. A person feels compelled to do something to ease anxiety, and it becomes a habit that is very difficult to break. There are other behaviors that likewise use the same mechanism and become a compulsion, such as the formation of an eating disorder or substance abuse.

What Problems are Caused by Obsessive Behavior?

One of the problems of obsessive behavior is that it often becomes intrusive, and can even damage a person’s relationships, career, and other elements of his or her life. When a person cannot function unless he or she completes the set number of behaviors he or she feels is necessary, it can take up a lot of their time.

Often, people with OCD find themselves perpetually running late, or even missing an event due to their obsessive behavior. Their friends, family, co-workers and bosses often lose their patience, leading to problems. Some obsessive behavior can even be more dangerous, leading to a person putting his or her life at risk. This could include feeling an urge to drink or do drugs, which can lead to addiction and other health problems, as well as further risky behavior.

How Can it be Treated?

Obsessive behavior can be changed to healthy behavior with treatment. The most common form of treatment is psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The majority of people who undergo CBT find a reduction to their symptoms.

However, this form of therapy requires active participation by the patient. CBT differs from traditional talk psychotherapy by working to change behavior patterns, rather than solely focusing on the interior anxieties fueling the problem. Cognitive behavior therapy likewise works on many other mental health conditions that involve obsessive behavior and other harmful behavior patterns, including eating disorders and addiction.

Exposure and Response Therapy

There are various forms of CBT, but most therapists use Exposure and Response Prevention, also known as ERP, to treat OCD and related disorders. In ERP, a person is typically exposed via pictures, thoughts, or staged situations to the situation or idea about which he or she is anxious, such as germs or invaders.

A person then works on making the conscious choice to not engage in the obsessive behavior following the exposure. Many times, the person is provided with an alternative way to manage the anxiety, including learning healthy behavior that replaces the obsessive behavior. ERP and CBT can be part of a comprehensive therapy solution that also includes talk psychotherapy.

It is possible to overcome obsessive behavior and regain control over life. Through psychotherapy treatment, a person can understand the underlying problems fueling the obsessive behavior and learn healthier coping mechanisms and behavior patterns.

 

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