Overcome Process Addiction with Support
Overcoming Process Addictions With Black Horse Health
Struggling with process addiction? Black Horse Health provides tailored treatments, expert guidance, and a roadmap to a healthier, more balanced life.
What Is Process Addiction?
Process addiction is a behavioral form of addiction. It occurs when someone compulsively partakes in behaviors despite them having negative consequences to their life.
Process addictions, such as compulsive behaviors, may not involve physical dependence but can still significantly impact daily life. We provide specialized care to help you understand these behaviors and build healthier patterns for a more balanced future.
Instead, compulsive behaviors are often associated with mental health conditions and psychological dependence on certain behaviors or mentalities. Someone may feel like they need to perform behaviors to stay safe, healthy, or function normally when they struggle with this type of addiction.
Receive Holistic Care for Process Addiction at Black Horse Health
If you or someone you care about is struggling with a behavioral addiction, Black Horse Health can help. Our highly trained team of professionals is knowledgeable in the many causes that can influence process addiction.
We also work collaboratively to create custom treatment plans for every patient’s unique needs. We listen to you to ensure that your mental, physical, and emotional symptoms are treated.
What Are the Different Types of Process Addictions?
Several types of compulsive behaviors can be classified as process addictions. Here’s an overview of some of the most common ones:
Gambling Addiction
The highs and lows of winning and losing high-stakes gambles can create an adrenaline and dopamine rush for many individuals. Some then find themselves continually chasing after that feeling, whether it’s betting on poker, sports games, horse races, or others.
However, those struggling with a gambling addiction often find their bank account slowly – but significantly – decreasing over time. A common sign that someone is struggling with gambling addiction is if they’re struggling to make rent, having relationship problems due to finances or lost time, or continuing to gamble despite having to take out loans.
Treatment for gambling addiction requires a supportive and comprehensive approach. Black Horse Health can help by providing behavioral therapy, support group meetings, and life skill-building activities that will build coping mechanisms for common triggers for gambling.
Sex Addiction
Sexual activities cause many endorphins to increase within our systems. While healthy for most, those who compulsively engage in sexual acts can experience many negative consequences. These can include STDs, unwanted pregnancies, dangerous circumstances, or troubles in their relationships.
It’s important for rehab programs to treat sex addiction in a supportive and understanding way while understanding the root cause of the problem. For example, this type of addiction could be tied to trauma or feelings of low self-esteem that would need to be treated during therapy.
Support group meetings and trauma-based therapies can also be beneficial for individuals who need to continue treatment or who simply need added care.
Gaming Addiction
Video games create a dopamine rush that keeps players wanting to come back. Most people can maintain a healthy balance between gaming and their everyday lives, but some can struggle with process addiction.
This type of addiction is common in those who struggle with stress or mental health conditions. These may cause the game to feel like an escape or way to cope with what’s going on in their life.
Those struggling with gaming addiction may experience struggles like spending too much money on video games, neglecting responsibilities at work or school, or withdrawing from relationships.
Treating the Root Cause
Like other behavioral addictions, it’s important to understand what the root cause in someone’s life may be that is causing it to occur.
For example, it would be important to simultaneously treat symptoms of depression and gaming addiction to ensure a successful recovery. Treatment centers can also provide life skills training that can assist individuals in practicing healthy money or time habits.
Our team at Black Horse Health will take an in-depth approach during intensive assessment and treatment to get the best results.
Eating Disorders
Food nourishes our bodies and can fill us with happy memories of childhood. However, it’s not uncommon for many who struggle with stress, anxiety, or other underlying issues to use food to cope with the way they feel.
Those struggling with an eating disorder may find that they are putting on an unhealthy amount of weight, having health complications because of it, or overspending on food each month.
While eating disorders can feel hard to overcome since food is a daily part of our lives, there are many resources that can help.
Our team at Black Horse Health can help you build a healthier relationship with food, as well as identify and treat any underlying problems that may be causing the addiction to occur in the first place.
Exercise Addiction
Normally, exercise is a healthy activity, and it’s recommended for everyone to stay active to maintain good health.
However, in some cases, it can be taken to extremes where it causes negative complications such as overuse injuries, an unhealthy amount of weight loss, chronic pain, or the individual neglecting other daily responsibilities.
During treatment for exercise addiction, it’s important to build a healthy relationship between working out and the patient’s body image. Our team at Black Horse Health can provide holistic and therapeutic resources that will help. We’ll also help treat any co-occurring conditions while creating a long-term plan for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
What Are Common Symptoms Associated With Process Addiction?
While all process addictions are different, there are still general symptoms that can signify that you or someone you care about may be struggling.
These include:
- Spending a significant amount of time thinking about performing the behavior
- Spending a significant amount of time performing the behavior, even while experiencing problems with work, school, family, or personal health because of it
- Using the behavior as an escape from negative emotions
- Trying to stop the behavior but feeling like you’re unable to
- Increasing the amount of time you spend performing the behavior
- Experiencing psychological withdrawal symptoms when you don’t perform the behavior for a significant amount of time, such as anxiety or feeling a sense of distress
- Experiencing health risks due to the process addiction, such as exposure to STDs or vitamin deficiencies
How Can Black Horse Health Help Curate Process Addiction Treatment?
At Black Horse Health, our goal is to provide personalized and empowering care for anyone who comes to our facility struggling with process addiction or any other ongoing health concerns.
When you begin treatment with us, we’ll perform a complete intensive assessment to provide an accurate diagnosis. Then, we’ll partner with you to develop a tailored treatment program that fits your needs.
Here’s an overview of the treatment programs, therapies, and holistic options that can help treat your process addiction at our facility.
Treatment Programs
Depending on the level and severity of addiction, along with each individual’s personal preferences, we have several treatment programs available that can help treat process addiction.
These include:
Intensive Assessment
Your treatment begins with a comprehensive clinical and psychological assessment. This allows our team to identify the scope of your process addiction, any underlying trauma or co-occurring mental health conditions, and the best-fit program for lasting recovery. From here, we’ll create a personalized roadmap that aligns with your lifestyle and long-term goals.
Medically Supervised Detox & Stabilization
While process addictions don’t involve substances in the traditional sense, individuals may still arrive in a mental or emotional crisis.
Our stabilization program provides a calm, supportive environment with 24/7 monitoring for those experiencing severe anxiety, depression, obsessive behaviors, or emotional dysregulation.
This stage helps create the emotional stability and safety needed before diving into deeper therapeutic work.
Inpatient Residential
For those with more intense symptoms—or anyone who benefits from distance and structure—residential treatment offers full-time support in a peaceful setting.
At our private Houston facility, you’ll engage in:
- Daily therapy sessions focused on compulsive behavior patterns
- Co-occurring mental health or pain management services as needed
- Skill-building, mindfulness, and relapse prevention
- Around-the-clock support from a dedicated care team
This immersive level of care allows you to step away from daily triggers and reset your routine in a supportive, therapeutic space.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
PHP offers structured, full-day treatment without the overnight stay. Ideal for those stepping down from inpatient or needing a higher level of care, PHP allows you to engage in intensive therapy, group work, and behavioral support—while still returning home at night.
It’s a flexible but focused path forward for rebuilding healthy habits and accountability.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
If your process addiction is less acute—or you’ve already completed a higher level of care—IOP may be a good fit.
With therapy and recovery-focused sessions scheduled several times per week, IOP supports continued healing while giving you space to manage work, family, or school obligations. Consistency, self-awareness, and a strong support system are key to success at this level.
Family Support Program
Process addictions often strain family dynamics and communication. Our Family Support Program provides education, tools, and therapeutic support to help loved ones better understand the nature of behavioral addictions and become part of the healing process.
In some cases, shared or co-occurring behavioral issues within the household can also be addressed in a supportive, judgment-free environment.
Alumni Program
Recovery from process addiction is a long-term journey—especially when the behaviors involve everyday activities like food, sex, or technology.
Our Alumni Program provides continued structure through:
- Check-ins with your care team
- Access to group support
- Ongoing therapy or skills coaching
We’re here to help you maintain the progress you’ve made and navigate any future challenges with confidence.
Therapies
Every patient and process addiction is unique. This makes it essential that multiple forms of therapy are available to manage underlying causes and unique issues that may be occurring in someone’s life.
Some forms of therapy we offer at Black Horse Health that can help with process addiction treatment include:
CBT has proven to be a valuable approach in treating process addictions. In this context, CBT focuses on identifying and challenging distorted thoughts and beliefs related to the addictive behavior.
Through this process, individuals gain insight into the triggers and automatic reactions that may fuel their addictive tendencies. Our CBT therapists also equip individuals with coping strategies and healthier ways to manage stress, boredom, or other emotional triggers without resorting to addictive behavior.
DBT combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness strategies, emphasizing the importance of accepting and regulating emotions.
Individuals with process addiction often struggle with emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and a lack of effective coping mechanisms. DBT addresses these challenges by teaching skills in distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness.
By enhancing emotional awareness and providing tools to manage intense emotions, individuals in Black Horse Health treatment can develop a greater capacity for self-control and make more informed choices.
When someone struggles with a process addiction that occurs in everyday life, 12-step recovery and support can help. Attending regular support group meetings is a great way to learn how to cope when triggers present themselves in daily life and keep a structured approach to recovery.
At Black Horse Health, we can incorporate 12-step recovery modality programs into individual treatment options. This type of support will help you connect with individuals who have similar struggles and build a solid support system that you can continue on even after your treatment program with us has ended.
This type of therapy offers a unique and effective approach to treating process addiction. It promotes psychological flexibility and acceptance of one's internal experiences.
Since individuals with process addiction often grapple with a strong desire to avoid uncomfortable emotions or thoughts, they start to rely on addictive behaviors as a coping mechanism. However, ACT encourages individuals to accept these internal experiences without judgment while simultaneously committing to behaviors that align with their values.
ACT also encourages clients to develop a more open and accepting relationship with their thoughts and emotions, reducing the need for avoidance through addictive behaviors.
EMDR is primarily known for its effectiveness in treating trauma, but it can also be beneficial in addressing underlying issues related to process addiction.
EMDR involves guided bilateral stimulation, typically through rapid eye movements. This helps individuals process distressing memories and associated negative emotions. EMDR can assist individuals in reprocessing these experiences, reducing their emotional charge and diminishing their impact on addictive patterns.
Process addictions can often lead to neglect of physical health, with irregular eating habits and poor nutrition exacerbating the negative effects of addictive behaviors. Nutritional counseling aims to educate individuals on the importance of a balanced diet and how it can positively impact overall health.
By working with a nutritionist at Black Horse Health, individuals can develop personalized meal plans that support their recovery journey. Proper nutrition can contribute to stabilizing mood, enhancing cognitive function, and providing the body with essential nutrients to restore well-being.
Holistic Treatment Options
We also offer a variety of holistic options that can help treat process addiction, as we believe that treating the whole picture is imperative for healing.
Some holistic options we offer are:
Yoga
Mindfulness exercises
Relaxation techniques
Art and expressive practices
When you’re seeking treatment for process addiction, know that Black Horse Health can help with all your needs. We’ll provide you with a supportive environment and a custom treatment plan. Contact us today to learn more.
