Psychological dependence is a process that occurs when individuals need something outside of themselves to meet their needs. Psychological dependence can be a coping mechanism for people dealing with trauma or other challenging life experiences.
We often find ourselves in situations where our actions are driven by a psychological need to feel secure, loved, or necessary. These needs are often met through external sources of security, love, and importance.
Examples of psychological dependence are as follows: People with a solid need to be loved may take up an abusive relationship to receive love and support.
People dealing with the physical or emotional pain associated with depression are sometimes unable to feel comforted by other people because of their mental state.
People with low self-esteem may develop a deep distrust of others and may not feel a need to confide in them. Depression is common during adolescence, and many fear sharing their feelings will lead to humiliation or rejection.
What Is Psychological Dependence?
Psychological dependence is a form of addiction in which a person becomes psychologically or emotionally dependent on a substance or behavior that is harmful to them. Psychological dependence can lead to severe negative consequences for the individual, their family, and society. The term “psychological dependency” was first introduced in the 18th century by Swedish physician Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom. in his work “Narcissus.”
Examples of substances with a high potential to cause psychological dependence are alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamines. Some drugs that have been shown to cause physical dependence may also have the ability to cause psychological dependence in some users. Examples include heroin and nicotine.
What is dependence psychology?
Dependence is a psychological need to have something that is not available. It can be anything from food, drink, drugs, relationships, or money.
Some people are more dependent on certain things than others. This can cause them great distress when they cannot get what they want. Some people are more likely to become addicted to substances or develop mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
Dependence psychology helps individuals understand their own dependency needs and how they can work with them for them to feel fulfilled and happy in life.
The examples of psychological dependence
Psychological dependence is when a person’s emotional state is so dependent on an outside source that they cannot function without it. This can be drugs, alcohol, gambling, or even relationships.
This article discusses the examples of psychological dependence and the adverse effects of psychological dependency on psychologically dependent people.
The most common form of psychological dependence is addiction. Addiction can be defined as a mental disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable urges to participate in an activity despite its negative consequences for themselves and others. It can also be defined as compulsive behavior that becomes more important than anything else in one’s life, including relationships and work responsibilities.
The dependence psychology definition
Psychological dependency is a state of mind in which someone needs to rely on something or someone to feel secure.
One of the most common ways people feel psychological dependency is through a relationship. People can feel dependent on their partner, friends, family, or children for emotional support and validation.
Most people depend on their partner, who relies on the other person to provide for these things. However, in some cases, it may be your partner who is dependent on you to fulfill needs that aren’t being met elsewhere.
Dependency can also be felt through codependency or a codependent relationship. Codependents often need others to feel happy and in control. They often try to control others to feel better about themselves.
Dependency also relates to a person’s power over addiction and compulsion. Some people have experienced powerlessness due to various circumstances, such as addiction, poverty, unemployment, lack of resources, etc., and have found success in self-help groups, 12-Step fellowships, and other support programs that help the person develop their power.
Another aspect of “Dependency” is a relationship where one person relies on another for financial support, emotional nurturance, physical care, or any other material need.
In addiction recovery, dependency can also be defined as needing to rely on a substance or behavior to regulate mood and avoid other painful feelings.
The term “addiction” is used in popular culture to describe someone who is psychologically dependent on a substance or behavior, despite experiencing adverse consequences due to continuous use of the substance or behavior.
what is psychological dependence weegy
Psychological dependence is a term used to describe how a person feels when dependent on something or someone. It can be anything from food, drugs, or social media.
Psychological dependence is not just limited to addiction but can also be seen in other aspects of life, such as relationships and work. Some examples of psychological dependence are:
- A person diagnosed with an addiction may feel like they need their drug of choice to survive. – Someone who has been in a relationship for over ten years may find themselves unable to imagine life without their significant other.
- Workers who have an unhealthy attachment to their job may feel like they have no other options if they leave work and try something new.
There are a variety of thoughts and feelings that can contribute to the process of psychological dependence. It is essential to be aware of these when experiencing problems with dependency or addiction. The following list outlines some shared thoughts and feelings that might lead someone towards psychological dependence:
- “If I stop, I’ll have no purpose in my life.”
- “I cannot live without this.”
- “I don’t think I can make it without (something).”
- “I just need a little more to feel normal again.”
- “This is the only thing that helps me feel good about myself.”
The above list represents some shared thoughts and feelings that can contribute to the process of psychological dependence. It is essential to be aware of these when experiencing problems with dependency or addiction.
How Psychological Dependences Can Affect Your Relationships
Psychological dependencies are a way to achieve happiness. They can also be a form of addiction that can have long-term consequences on your relationships. Some of the most common psychological dependencies include:
- Pornography
- Gambling
- Drug abuse
- Alcohol abuse
An example of psychological dependency is drinking alcohol. Often people drink alcohol to eliminate tension, anxiety, and negative emotions.
This can lead to dependence and addiction if the person drinks more than they intended or need to. It’s not just physical consequences that come from your behavior; psychological effects also happen. There are different types of addictions, and dependency on alcohol is one type of addiction.
Physiological dependence is a drug, such as heroin, that change the brain’s chemistry in a way that exaggerates its natural reward system when exposed to it repeatedly.
In this case, the individual would be inclined to seek out the drug for stimulation or relief even if they do not have any other use for it. Dependence is not the same as addiction, which is a much more complicated issue and can be medical, psychological, or social.
When It’s Time to Quit a Relationship & How to Prevent Re-Addiction
If you are struggling with an addiction to a relationship, you can take steps to recover. This includes quitting the relationship and seeking professional help. After an addiction relapse, it’s crucial that the person recovering from their addiction takes responsibility for their actions and puts in the effort to avoid returning to their old behavior. The first step in quitting a relationship after an addiction relapse is admitting that they have a problem and seeking professional help.
If a person has an addiction to relationships, in an attempt to avoid getting hurt, it is difficult for them to put themselves into vulnerable positions. This can lead to sabotaging their recovery.
The Role of Behavioral Therapy for Addiction Rehabilitation
Behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that’s been around for more than 50 years. It has been proven to be the most effective form of addiction treatment. Behavioral therapy focuses on changing the patient’s behavior and environment to encourage them to take responsibility for their actions, change their thoughts, and build coping skills. Behavioral therapy for addiction rehabilitation is a treatment that helps patients overcome their addiction issues by teaching them how to cope with stress and change their behavior.
A significant difference between behavioral therapy and other types of therapy is that behavioral therapy deals primarily with the individual’s behavior. Therapists work to help patients change what they do, as well as how they feel about it.
The main goal of behavioral therapy for addiction rehabilitation is to change the patient’s thoughts and beliefs about their addiction to stop using drugs or alcohol.
Behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors to overcome addiction or other disorders.
Psychotherapy is a type of treatment that uses behavioral techniques and cognitive-behavior therapy. Therapists work with patients to help them improve their self-esteem, work toward the realization of personal goals, learn new coping skills, and support them through the process.
The behavioral therapy theory is based on humans’ verbal and behavioral responses to situations.
The human mind is programmed to help us cope with situations we encounter by using these reactions in a way that is appropriate for that situation. These reactions can be considered learned behaviors that often fall into a pattern.
An example of this would be a person raised in a culture where people greet each other with handshakes. When the person meets someone for the first time, they will usually shake hands. This is because it is customary to do so and most likely because of cultural conditioning from their ancestors.
How the Market Adapted to Psychological Dependence
In the past few decades, there has been a rise in the number of people who are psychologically dependent on things like gambling, shopping, and social media. The market has adapted to these new drug dependencies.
For example, with the introduction of online gambling sites and mobile apps that allow users to gamble anytime and anywhere, more people have become addicted to gambling. Some companies have even started to offer their employees psychological counseling as a form of prevention against addiction.
In the past few decades, there has been a rise in the number of people who are psychologically dependent on things like gambling, shopping, and social media. The market has adapted to these new drug dependencies.
For example, with the introduction of online gambling sites and mobile apps that allow users to gamble anytime and anywhere, more people have become addicted to gambling.
The desire to purchase online goods without interacting with the seller, and the lack of social interaction in the virtual world, have also led to an increase in people who are psychologically dependent on these products.
What Are the Different Types of Addiction & How Do They Affect Our Lives?
Addiction is a condition that affects the brain and body. It is a chronic disease that can be classified into addictions, such as substance abuse, gambling disorder, or compulsive shopping.
The different types of addiction are:
1. Substance Abuse – This addiction involves using alcohol, drugs, tobacco, etc.
2. Gambling Disorder – This type of addiction involves gambling to escape life’s problems and negative emotions.
3. Compulsive Shopping – This addiction involves excessive buying or hoarding behavior to relieve anxiety or stress.
4. Sex Addiction – This type of addiction involves the sexual obsession or compulsion to act out a sexual fantasy.
5. Work Addiction – This addiction involves excessive work and over-involvement with a career to relieve stress or anxiety.
6. Violent Video Game Disorder – This type of addiction can be considered an addiction to video games. This type of addiction is the excessive use of violent video games.
7. Internet Addiction – This type of addiction involves excessive internet use to escape from reality and relieve stress and anxiety.
8. Food Addiction – This type of addiction involves obsessive compulsions with eating, leading to overeating or bulimia to relieve anxiety or stress.
9. Relationship Addiction – This addiction is a compulsive relationship with a person. To be satisfied, the addict must engage in extreme behaviors such as infidelity or abuse.
10. Work Addiction – This type of addiction is the compulsive engagement in work that leads to neglecting or abusing personal relationships and other personal priorities.
11. Video Game Addiction – This addiction is the excessive use of video games that leads to neglecting social relationships and other personal priorities.
12. Demanding Beliefs Addiction – This disorder involves an intense obsession with demanding beliefs that neglects or abuses personal relationships and other personal priorities.
13. Schizotypal Personality Disorder – This disorder is a spectrum of behaviors including the “concern for the meaning of life, mystical preoccupation with thoughts and experiences, magical thinking, unusual perceptual experiences.”
14. Olfactory Bulb – This small part of the nose creates an adhesive odorant receptor and allows us to sense smells.
15. Weasel – A small animal with short legs, a long snout, short ears, and round eyes. They have either fur or spines on their backs
16. Counter-transference – This is the therapist’s response to the client. It is typically different from the therapist’s originally thought of as a possible response.
17. Gestalt Therapy – A therapy in which therapists teach clients to observe and attend to their personal experiences, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors without trying to fix or change them.
18. Grief – The painful feelings that people go through when they are left with a loss.
19. Group Therapy – A therapeutic intervention in which a group of individuals, according to the theory of psychodynamics, is led through processes such as experiencing and expressing emotions and developing insight into the conflicting demands of their environment.
20. Guilt – When people feel guilty, they struggle with what they did or did not do.
Should You Detox From Your Addiction or Follow Your Treatment Plan?
This is a question that many people ask themselves when they are trying to quit their addiction. The answer is not as straightforward as you might think.
The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on the nature of the addiction and how long you have been doing it.
This article provides a few examples of what might happen in both scenarios, so you can decide which path to take based on your specific situation.
More resource: 5 Types of Addiction to Help You Avoid Them in the Future
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