Dr. Greenfield, who led this program, has passed away, and it is no longer offered. Read a retrospective on his life and work, or find care now.
Understanding the Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program (IOTP) at CITA
In today’s increasingly busy world, it is difficult to make time for ourselves as we would like to. When confronted with psychological issues that need attention, the challenge of scheduling weekly long term therapy may not be an option for our patients, especially those not local to The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction.
We understand this at CITA and have developed an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program to address the demanding schedules of our patients and their families, offering months worth of therapy in a much shorter period.
Patients usually opt for the five day (20 hour) IOTP, but Dr. Greenfield has also developed a two day IOTP, that requires the patient to attend ten hours per each day. This program has served high level professionals who have very limited scheduling time due to career demands.
We recommend the five day program for young adults and students, as well as adults. We recommend the two day for adults with high time constraints on their schedules.
WHO DOES INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM HELP?
Our Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program, an accelerated drive/fly-in treatment option, is suited for teens, students, and adults. During the Intensive, each participant works on a one-to-one basis with Dr. David Greenfield to address their compulsive and addictive behaviors.
The IOTP serves patients dealing with any number of issues included but not limited to:
Technology Compulsion, Abuse, Addiction
Relationship Issues including infidelity or issues stemming from the other categories here
Online Porn Compulsion, Abuse, Addiction
We often recommend close family involvement with parents, spouses’ or significant others, as we recognize the involvement and impact an addiction can have on your family and intimate relationships.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Our Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program uses both established psychotherapy models and cutting-edge treatment protocols such as EMDR and IMAGO Therapy, aiming to assist in accelerated rehabilitation and recovery.
A sample of an IOTP session would involve the following (this one is based on Technology Addiction)
- Assess/diagnose use and specifically review computer and internet use patterns.
- Establish an overall analysis of virtual addictions (computer and internet) behavior.
- Evaluate psychosocial, educational and medical history.
- Address underlying and concomitant psychological and psychiatric issues that might be contributing to the addiction cycle, e.g. ADD/ADHD.
- Evaluation of other addictive and compulsive behavior patterns, e.g. substances, alcohol, food, gambling, shopping, pornography, etc.
- Assessment
- Understand established emotional and physical triggers for use and abuse found in the addictive pattern.
- Assessment of guilt and shame repetition patterns in the addiction cycle.
- Address the negative social, educational and interpersonal consequences of technology addiction.
- Insight/Therapy
- Develop an understanding of the basic hormonal and neurochemical contributions to addiction and pleasure seeking behavior; learn how the Amygdala in the brain and the neurotransmitter dopamine operate to facilitate this addictive cycle.
- Understand the role of stress as a trigger and how elevated levels of the neurohormone cortisol can increase addictive behavior.
- Develop an understanding of the neurobiology of addiction in order to create changes in the deep patterns of behavior and neural habits through the use of EMDR® technology.
- Re-train the cycle of urges and cravings. Learn how to manage emotional disequilibrium and re-gain homeostasis (balance) without the internet. Learn to manage emotions and metabolize triggers such as boredom, anxiety, fear, frustrations, ease–of-access, peer pressure, feelings of accomplishment and mastery, anger, family discord and ADD/ADHD issues.
- Desensitize trigger response patterns using various psychological, physiological and EMDR® strategies.
- Examine and understand how psychobiological factors (operant conditioning and dopamine) impact computer and internet addiction and how to manage, limit and control the impact of desire and use patterns.
- Learn concepts of people, places and things and a deeper understanding of unconscious trigger patterns and how to changes those patterns that feed the addictive cycle.
- Promote/Support
- Identify community resources and supports; include various 12-step and other support options; options for professional follow-up and therapy.
- Develop a relapse prevention plan and develop support strategies and crisis techniques to prevent or address relapse.
- Address and develop plans for impacted social, vocational and marital/family relationships.
- Develop computer/smartphone and other technology blocks/filters/monitors to help limit access to computer and internet use.
- The use of the Real-Time 100 list: you identity 100 non-tech things you can do and attempt to try as many as possible during or after the treatment program.
- Learn to develop healthy conscious attitude toward self, family and social relationships.
