What an addiction specialist is
An addiction specialist is a mental health professional with specific training in programs for substance addictions and behavioral addictions. Their work goes far beyond "talking to someone about their problems": they apply evidence-based interventions to change the patterns of thinking, behavior and emotional regulation directly linked to the addiction.
Specialization matters because addictions have their own specific neurobiology, call for particular techniques (motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, managing triggers) and frequently come with comorbidities —anxiety, depression, trauma— that a non-specialized professional may not be equipped to address in an integrated way.
How they differ from a general professional
A general professional works with a wide variety of problems: phobias, relationship issues, grief, work stress, mood difficulties. They can be highly competent in those areas and still not have sufficient training in addiction.
The main differences when working with addiction are:
- A deep understanding of the neurobiology of craving: knowing what happens in the brain when the urge appears and how to interrupt that cycle is essential for designing effective strategies.
- Working with ambivalence: people with an addiction often have mixed feelings about change. Motivational interviewing is a specific technique for working with that ambivalence without counterproductive confrontation.
- Working with relapse: in addiction, relapses are common and part of the process. A specialist knows how to work with a lapse so it doesn't turn into a full relapse, and how to use that information to strengthen the program.
- Knowledge of the wider context: family, partner, work, peer group. Addictions happen within a context, and the program needs to take it into account.
What techniques an addiction specialist uses
Motivational interviewing (MI)
Developed by Miller and Rollnick in the 1980s, it is the intervention with the strongest empirical support in the early stages of the program. It works with the participant's ambivalence —"I want to stop, but I don't want to stop using"— helping to clarify personal values and the gap between those values and current behavior. It doesn't confront, judge or push: it accompanies the inner process of change.
Cognitive-behavioral support (CBT)
The first-line intervention in addiction support. It works on three levels: the situational triggers that precede use, the automatic thoughts that justify or facilitate it, and alternative coping strategies. CBT provides concrete tools, not just understanding.
Relapse prevention (Marlatt)
A specific model for identifying high-risk situations, early warning signs and concrete coping strategies before a relapse happens. It includes work on the "abstinence violation effect": how to respond to a lapse so it doesn't turn into abandoning the process altogether.
Acceptance and commitment support (ACT)
Especially useful when there is underlying anxiety, depression or trauma. It works on the relationship with emotional distress through acceptance rather than avoidance, reducing the role of substance use as an emotional regulator.
What the Charlas Adictivas team is like
At Charlas Adictivas the program is led by Ruy Arroyo Ozores, a specialist in addiction-related problems with more than a decade of professional experience. The community team includes Salva Rivero, an expert addiction companion, and Rocío León, a professional specializing in mental health and addiction.
We work from an integrative approach that combines evidence with a warm, non-judgmental human touch. We believe the person behind the addiction matters more than the initial assessment.
Your first conversation at Charlas Adictivas is free. No waiting lists, no red tape. Call 660 81 56 54 today.
Questions to ask yourself before choosing an addiction professional
- Do they have specific training in addiction, or in general mental health?
- What techniques do they use, and what evidence supports them?
- How do they work with relapses?
- Do they include the family environment in the program when it's relevant?
- Do they offer an online option as well as in person?
- How do they measure the program's progress?
A serious professional answers these questions clearly in the first conversation, without dogmatism and without promising you results they cannot guarantee.