Cognitive Remediation Journal 2019, 8(2):1-4 | DOI: 10.5507/crj.2019.002

Emotional Life of People with Addictive Disease

Roman Procházka1, Karel Nešpor2
1 Department of psychology. Palacky University Olomouc
2 Psychiatric Hospital Bohnice, Prague, Czech Republic

Addicted individuals are often less aware of their emotions. However, in these people strong emotions often occur and act as a trigger for addictive behavior or are induced by it. Improving realization of emotions and emotional management is an important part of the treatment of addictive disease and can be combined with strengthening motivation. Risk emotions, craving and stress can be managed in the same or similar ways. Good emotion management facilitatescoping with cravings and vice versa. Specific procedures are discussed in more detail other literature (Nešpor, 2017, 2013). In order to use them, the addict must, however, be aware of the risky mental state. The aim of our work is to point out possible connections between alexithymia and alcohol addiction. Another aim of our work is also to briefly define the referenceareas of the related emotional schemes and practical recommendations for improving awareness of one’s own emotions and incipient craving.

Keywords: alexithymia, craving, emotional schemas

Addicted individuals are often less aware of their emotions. However, in these people strong emotions often occur and act as a trigger for addictive behavior or are induced by it. Improving realization of emotions and emotional management is an important part of the treatment of addictive disease and can be combined with strengthening motivation. Risk emotions, craving and stress can be managed in the same or similar ways. Good emotion management facilitatescoping with cravings and vice versa. Specific procedures are discussed in more detail other literature (Nešpor, 2017, 2013). In order to use them, the addict must, however, be aware of the risky mental state. The aim of our work is to point out possible connections between alexithymia and alcohol addiction. Another aim of our work is also to briefly define the referenceareas of the related emotional schemes and practical recommendations for improving awareness of one’s own emotions and incipient craving.

Published: October 1, 2019  Show citation

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Procházka R, Nešpor K. Emotional Life of People with Addictive Disease. Cogn. Remediat. J. 2019;8(2):1-4. doi: 10.5507/crj.2019.002.
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