Addiction could be harder to treat than any other, more visible, illnesses and, therefore, often went undetected, clinical psychologist Matthew Berry told Foundation for Social Welfare Services staff last week.

Dr Berry was speaking during a training session that focused on ways to help those with addictions.

The psychologist, who has conducted workshops on addiction for professionals from around the globe, insisted that the main problem with treating addiction was that it was adequately diagnosed when symptoms started showing.

Dr Berry said some addictions were easier to spot than others, pointing to the internet as one form of addiction that could not be as straightforward to spot as alcoholism, for instance.

“Is the internet addictive? We do see a lot of addictive-type behaviour among internet users, as evident with teens, for instance, where the worst punishment is taking away their phone,” Dr Berry said.

He warned that such a punishment could only serve to further encourage teens to spend more time on their phones.

Other addictions, he continued, had become more prevalent. This included sex addiction, which has become more common in recent years as access to pornography became easier.

“Over the past five to 10 years, there have been massive changes in sex addictions, with the increase in popularity of porn. In the past, it was harder to maintain a sex addiction. It was very limited, hard work.

“Generally, sex addicts were very motivated. Now, you go to your phone and it’s there,” Dr Berry said.

Opening the three-day event, Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon said such training was considered a priority, especially since it was the foundation staff members themselves who had requested it.