Cryptocurrency trading has become a popular form of investment, but for some, it has become a full-blown addiction. With the cryptocurrency market open 24/7, some traders find it difficult to pull away from their screens, leading to negative consequences in their personal lives. To address this growing problem, luxury rehab centers have emerged to treat crypto addiction.
The Balance, located in Majorca, Spain, is a modern residential treatment center that promises to help individuals overcome their dependence on cryptocurrencies. The four-week treatment includes therapy, massages, yoga, and bike rides, and is reported to cost at least $75,000. Another center, Paracelsus Recovery in Zurich, Switzerland, offers similar programs lasting four to six weeks at a cost of $104,000 per week. Their treatments include blood tests, diet plans, yoga, acupuncture, and medication, if necessary.
These centers see crypto addiction as similar to gambling addiction and approach treatment in the same way. Initial treatment involves abstinence from crypto trading, with the goal of resetting the brain’s reward pathways within four weeks. In the long term, individuals are encouraged to find healthier options for financial investment.
Anna Lembke, a psychiatry professor at Stanford University, states that the treatment for crypto addiction is a biopsychosocial intervention, which may include medications, individual and group therapy, changing habits and environment, or implementing healthier activities. Lia Nower, director at the Centre for Gambling Studies in Rutgers School of Social Work, also sees crypto addiction as a form of gambling and argues that the symptoms and treatment are largely the same.
Aaron Sternlicht from the New York-based Family Addiction Specialist says that the signs of crypto and gambling addiction are similar, including lying, stealing, debt, lack of sleep, and sacrificing relationships, career, and education opportunities. The difference, however, is that while some countries regulate gambling platforms and offer help for problematic gamblers, the crypto world is largely unregulated.
In conclusion, luxury rehab centers are now available to treat individuals who have become addicted to cryptocurrency trading. These centers see crypto addiction as similar to gambling addiction and approach treatment with abstinence and a focus on finding healthier options for financial investment.
