Emotional intelligence in getting rid of addictions

As has been shown in numerous scientific studies, there is no direct relationship between IQ and success in life. High rational faculties do not equal full human development or guarantee a satisfactory life course.

In fact, there are professionally successful people who turn out to be a mess when it comes to managing their emotional lives. Furthermore, Goleman (1998) affirms that the level of emotional intelligence may be more decisive than the level of IQ, as it determines the degree of skill that we will achieve in all our other faculties.

A collation we point towards Gardner's multiple intelligences and the capacity that the educational system must have, among others, to promote, in addition to the development of academic intelligence, other intelligences that have a more personal character, such as intelligence emotional.

Although there are multiple theoretical models that encompass the emotional intelligence construct, in this article it is presented in accordance with the initial approach of Salovey and Mayer (1990): it is

the ability to recognize, differentiate and appropriately handle one's own and other's emotions. The set of emotional competencies into which emotional intelligence is decomposed varies according to the theoretical approach. We take as a reference that of Bisquerra and Pérez (2007) which identifies nine: emotional awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, emotional communication, self-efficacy, autonomy, prosocial behavior, assertiveness and optimism.

The development of all these competences is a sine quan on condition for personal and social well-being and consequently for having a more satisfactory life.

• Related article: "The 14 most important types of addictions"

The relationship between addictions and emotional intelligence

Researchers Kun and Demetrovics (2010) conducted a systematic review to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and addictions. After analyzing about 36 studies, they concluded that two EI competencies, decoding and differentiation of emotions and regulation of emotions, play a key role with respect to substance use and addictions. Also poor mood regulation. On the same line Orlando et.al. (2001) state that substance use is enhanced when the consumer is unable to cope with unpleasant emotional experiences and uses consumption as a form of evasion.

Our socio-educational and psychological experience in the Llaurant La Llum therapeutic community coincides at an empirical level with the findings of the previous scientific references. Regarding emotional management competencies, in general terms, community users present difficulties in identifying, regulating and expressing their emotions. In addition, they require emotional reeducation, as they associate emotions with displeasure and lack of control..

They move between emotional hyperreaction, oversizing their emotions, and emotional anesthesia, which they achieve through consumption or toxic activity. It is difficult for them to make an emotional repair and therefore they have difficulty producing changes in their mood.

With regard to other emotional components such as self-concept, self-esteem and self-image, they generally present a distortion. These three components are affected by a negative self-image, based more on failure than on successes, as well as actions that they took in the past motivated by their addiction and of which they they regret it.

This sometimes leads to a constant search for the approval of others, hypersensitivity to how others see them and a desire to please. It is necessary to promote a process of self-knowledge focused on resources, strengths and therefore on the development of a healthy self-esteem.

Their self-efficacy is also affected, that is, the ability they believe they have to achieve the results they want. Relapses affect this component, seeing the user immersed in a process of starting over, a feeling of failure and low personal expectations. In relation to this, the self-motivation component is also affected since the impulsiveness that characterizes addictive behavior makes them need to see immediate results of their actions.

The job here is to learn to set short, medium and long term goals and to be able to generate resources to stay motivated. Likewise, the motivation towards change is sometimes extrinsic and it is necessary to lead the user towards intrinsic motivation.

• You may be interested: "What is emotional intelligence?"

Keys to the intervention

In the same way that the socio-educational area intervenes in the change of habits, the establishment of a new social network or the improvement of family relationships, it is evident the need to intervene on the dimension emotional.

This intervention must be structured around the issues mentioned in the previous section, where some have already been advanced. First, it is convenient for the user to understand the functionality of emotions and become aware that he has the ability to handle them, although that takes effort and time. He needs to learn to handle unpleasant emotional states, as well as to find non-toxic ways to indulge in pleasant emotional states.

One of the keys to intervention in the emotional dimension must be to promote introspection processes in order for the user to grow emotionally. It is about opening spaces to meet, accept and define those personal characteristics that are susceptible to improvement and that are directly related to addictive behavior, along with other variables.

A concrete example could be to develop the ability to say no to situations that the user does not want to do. This implies that you acquire greater self-confidence and unconditional self-esteem, since you feel responsible for her decisions and does not take actions that he does not want to do or that may even harm.

On the other hand, it is appropriate that you develop the ability to set objectives according to the phase in which you are and, therefore, from what you are able to give. In this way, short-term goals are established that progressively lead to personal evolution and improvement.

Conclusions

Every person should develop their emotional intelligence to achieve a satisfactory life trajectory. But, as far as we are concerned, it becomes evident the need for intervention in the emotional area of ​​users who perform addictive behavior cessation treatments. This article presents a battery of socio-emotional intervention needs and various approaches to address them.

Professional help for addiction treatment

If you need professional help, either for yourself or for a family member or close friend, you can contact Llaurant La Llum. Our multidisciplinary team will advise and help you to overcome any type of addiction. Whether you need outpatient treatment, or need admission to a residential center, our team of specialists in addictive behaviors will help you overcome your problem. You can see all our contact information at this page.

Bibliographic references:

• Orlando M, Ellickson PL, Jinnett K. The temporal relationship between emotional distress and cigarette smoking during adolescence and young adulthood. J Consult Clin Psychol 2001; 69: 959-70.
• Goleman, D. (1996). The practice of emotional intelligence. Barcelona: Kairós