Addiction can lead to many harmful illnesses and behaviors and can be a challenging health problem to beat. When a person develops a drug or behavioral addiction, they typically persist in their use of, or engagement in, an addictive substance or conduct despite their awareness of, or knowledge that such use or behavior is associated with adverse outcomes. Fortunately, addiction treatment is possible once its symptoms are recognized.
How Is Drug Addiction Diagnosed?
Excessive or prolonged substance use can have adverse effects. For example, dependence shows up when someone tries to cut back or stop using but cannot because of the strength of their addiction. Other diagnostic criteria for drug addiction include an indication of poor control, physical reliance, social issues and dangerous behavior.
How Is Behavioral Addiction Diagnosed?
The diagnostic criteria for behavioral addiction are theoretically similar to those for drug abuse. These include signs that the behavior is becoming a fixation, less self-control over the behavior, tolerance, withdrawal and adverse psychological and social effects. Some common behavioral addictions include:

- Sex
- Gaming
- Gambling
- Shopping
- Eating
- Internet/Social Media
How are Drug and Behavioral Addictions Addressed?
Anyone who has struggled with addiction or knows someone who has understands that recovery is not simple or linear. However, there are some direct components to healing addictions.
3 Factors That Keep an Addictive Loop in Place
Addictions are the symptoms of a combination of 3 factors:
- Something that at one point provided you or your loved one with relief (albeit momentarily) from some pain in their life
- A psychological loop that connects your current life pain with the potential effectiveness of the potentially addictive behavior
- A feeling of shame related to the behavior
All three of these factors keep the addictive loop in place.

Breaking the Addictive Loop with Holistic Addiction Recovery Services
When looking to resolve or heal an addiction, we need to address all these factors, so the body and mind can believe they do not need to promote these loops any longer.
This generally includes some of the following more concrete actions:
Creating a plan as we advance that is more appealing than the current addictive moment
Making a present moment that is more effective than the current behaviors by utilizing grounding techniques
Meditation
Ancient yogic breathing techniques to release emotions and center energy
Sound through the body and instruments such as a gong
Acknowledging and changing the current thought patterns/neuron patterns
Resolving shame and forgiving oneself
Self-ownership by using somatic-oriented techniques as well as typical western psychology
While we offer various modalities, the best way to help someone get better will depend on who they are and what they are going through.

The Importance of a Community Setting in the Addiction Healing Process
A significant part of ownership and accountability is developed in a community setting. While this process is always something that must start and end within, the community, friends and family of the participant are always a vital component, especially during our personalized addiction retreats.
Earth’s Edge Wellness has standard programs and personalized retreats to help people addicted to drugs or behaviors. Contact us when you want to begin your addiction recovery journey.