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Addiction
you have to breakdown before you can break through
Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences. It is a state of psychological or physical dependence (or both) on the use of alcohol or other drugs. The term is often used as an equivalent term for substance dependence and sometimes applied to behavioral disorders, such as sexual, internet, and gambling addictions. It is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behaviour that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences.
The four factors that are found in every addict are
· Compulsion
· Craving
· Consequences
· Control.
Addiction is a disease: Yes, addiction is a disease — it’s a chronic condition. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) defines addiction as a chronic brain disorder. Addiction doesn’t happen from having a lack of willpower or as a result of making bad decisions. Your brain chemistry changes with addiction.
Symptoms of Addiction
Symptoms of addiction vary from person to person and based on the substance or activity. In general, signs include:
· Incapacity to stop: Despite their best efforts, some people are unable to give up using drugs or engaging in dangerous addictive behaviors. They could have made several unsuccessful attempts to cut back on their substance usage or behavior. They could also attempt to conceal it or lie about it to their loved ones.
· Increased Tolerance: As time goes on, individuals could require more of the drug or activity to experience the same high levels of pleasure.
· Severe obsession with the substance or activity: Addicts develop a pathological fixation on the substance or activity. When individuals find themselves needing, acquiring, and thinking about the issue of the addiction more and more, they might feel as though the addiction has taken over their lives.
· Lack of control: People frequently feel powerless and may believe they have lost all control over their substance use or behavior. Their addiction and the extent to which it has affected their life may frequently cause them to feel guilty, despondent, or overwhelmed.
· Personal concerns and health issues: Addiction affects a person's physical and emotional well-being as well as their relationships, profession, and personal relationships. They could struggle to complete tasks at home, at school, or at work because of their substance abuse or the activity. Again, they recognize the harm their addictions are causing to them, yet they are unable to give them up.
· Withdrawal: People with addiction may experience emotional and physical withdrawal symptoms when they stop using. Physical symptoms include shaking, sweating, or vomiting. They may also become anxious or irritable.
type of Addiction
Stay Drug-Free and Reach for the Stars.
Types of Addictions:
1. Substance addiction
A. Alcohol Addiction
B. Caffeine Addiction
C. Cannabis Addiction
D. Inhalants Addiction
E. Tobacco/ Nicotine Addiction
2. Non Substance Addiction
A. Gambling Addiction
B. Eating Addiction
C. Exercising and Dieting Addiction
D. Shopping Addiction
E. Shoplifting Addiction
F. Sex Addiction
G. Pornography Addiction
H. Video game Addiction
I. Internet Addiction
Alcohalism
Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness.
Alcohol use disorder is a pattern of alcohol consumption that includes issues with self-control, alcohol obsession, or abstaining from alcohol even after it becomes problematic. In addition, drinking more to have the same impact or experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you abruptly cut back or stop drinking are other aspects of this illness.
Any alcohol usage that endangers your health or safety or results in further alcohol-related issues is considered unhealthy alcohol use. It also includes binge drinking, which is defined as a pattern of drinking in which a woman consumes at least four drinks in a two-hour period, or five drinks or more in a male's two-hour period. There are serious hazards to one's health and safety while binge drinking.
You probably have an alcohol use disorder if your drinking habits cause you to experience severe discomfort on a regular basis and interfere with your ability to function in everyday life. It could be minor or serious. However, early treatment is crucial since even a modest illness has the potential to worsen and cause major issues.
Symptoms:
1 Being unable to limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
2. Wanting to cut down on how much you drink or making unsuccessful attempts to do so.
3. Spending a lot of time drinking, getting alcohol, or recovering from alcohol use.
4. Feeling a strong craving or urge to drink alcohol.
5. Failing to fulfill major obligations at work, school or home due to repeated alcohol use.
6. Continuing to drink alcohol even though you know it's causing physical, social, work or relationship problems.
7. Giving up or reducing social and work activities and hobbies to use alcohol.
8. Using alcohol in situations where it's not safe, such as when driving or swimming.
9. Developing a tolerance to alcohol so you need more to feel its effect, or you have a reduced effect from the same amount.
10. Experiencing withdrawal symptoms — such as nausea, sweating and shaking — when you don't drink, or drinking to avoid these symptoms.
Caffeine addiction
I'ts not just a cup of coffee !!!
Caffeine addiction is the excessive and harmful use of caffeine. Caffeine addiction develops when a person consumes a large amount of caffeine (coffee, energy drinks, etc.) over a long period of time. They might become dependent on caffeine to feel alert or focused. Some might refer to caffeine addiction as a behavioral addiction, however, this is inaccurate. Behavioral addiction refers to an addiction to unhealthy non-drug-related behaviors or habits. However, regularly drinking caffeine, which is considered a stimulant drug, could promote a behavioral addiction.
Symptoms:
1. Dizziness
2. Feeling shaky
3. Headaches
4. Increased blood pressure
5. Nervousness
6. Racing heart or other heartbeat abnormalities
7. Sleep issues
Cannabis addiction
Drugs are like a knife which kills your entire life
Also commonly referred to as 'marijuana', 'grass' and 'weed', cannabis is a mixture of dried leaves, flowers and stems from the cannabis sativa plant. Cannabis is typically smoked, either in a cigarette form or via a pipe, while the drug may also be misused by brewing it in tea or cooking it in certain foods.
Cannabis affects your central nervous system to produce sensations including relaxation, mild euphoria, increased appetite, and difficulties perceiving space and time. Many people mistakenly believe that cannabis is a safe or harmless substance, although if you misuse cannabis, you expose yourself to both immediate harm and long-term damage, including the development of an addiction.
Symptoms:
Behavioral symptoms:
1. Frequent, unexplained absences from work or school.
2. Declining performance at work or in school.
3. Losing interest in activities or events that were previously significant.
4. Lying, secrecy or other forms of deception involving whereabouts and/or activities.
5. Possessing rolling papers, water pipes and other paraphernalia.
6. Trying but being incapable of stopping or reducing your cannabis use.
7. Using cannabis when it is clearly dangerous to do so, such as prior to driving a car.
Physical symptoms of cannabis addiction:
1. Bloodshot eyes.
2. Dry mouth.
3. Increased appetite.
4. Fatigue and lethargy.
5. Excessive sleepiness.
6. Impaired balance.
7. Poor co-ordination.
8. Lack of attention to grooming and hygiene.
Psychological symptoms:
1. Problems concentrating or focusing.
2. Delayed responsiveness.
3. Poor judgement.
4. Impaired ability to track the passage of time.
5. Indecisiveness.
6. Dramatic mood swings.
7. Agitation.
8. Irritability.
9. Paranoia.
Social symptoms:
1. Withdrawing from family and friends.
2. Associating with new peers.
3. Struggling to keep up with workload and focusing on tasks.
4. More likely to lose motivation and drop out of school or quit your job.
5. Problems with finances due to regularly paying for the drug
6. Loss of interest in hobbies you previously enjoyed
7. Reduced desire to engage with partners or friends.
Inalants addiction
Life is Precious, Don't Waste It with Inhalants
Inhalants, such as paint thinners, aerosol sprays, gases, and nitrites (poppers): Inhalants are chemicals found in certain household and workplace products that produce chemical vapors. These vapors can be inhaled to induce mind-altering effects. Inhaled substances are rapidly absorbed into the brain to produce a quick high. Chronic abuse of inhalants can result in irreversible side effects, such as coma and even death.
Volatile solvents - Volatile solvents are liquids that vaporize at room temperature. They are used for household and industrial purposes. Examples of volatile solvents are Paint thinners, Paint removers, Degreasers, Gasoline, Rubber cement, Lighter fluid, Glues, Nail polish removers, Dry cleaning fluids, Correction fluids, Felt tip markers. Aerosols - Aerosols are sprays that contain propellants and solvents. Examples of aerosols are Spray paints, Spray deodorant, Hair spray, Vegetable oil spray, Fabric protector spray. Gases- Gases include medical anesthetics as well as gases used in household or commercial products. Medical anesthetics include chloroform, halothane, and nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Nitrous oxide is the most abused of these gases and can be found in whipped cream dispensers and propellant canisters (often referred to as “whippets”). Nitrous oxide can also be found in products that boost octane levels in racing cars. Other household products containing gas are butane lighters, propane tanks and refrigerants. Nitrites- Nitrites are chemical compounds found in leather cleaner, liquid aroma, and room deodorizers. Nitrites act directly on the central nervous system. They dilate blood vessels and relax smooth muscles. The ability of nitrites to relax smooth muscle has made their use popular for sexual enhancement. Nitrites include cyclohexyl nitrite, isoamyl (amyl) nitrite, and isobutyl (butyl) nitrite. They are commonly known as "poppers" or "snappers."
Symptoms:
1. Chemical odors on the breath or clothes.
2. Paint or other stains on hands, fingers or clothes.
3. Changes in behavior including apathy (lack of interest).
4. Significant decrease in appetite and weight loss.
5. Sudden change in friends and hobbies.
6. Rapid decline in school performance.
7. Poor hygiene and grooming habits.
8. Slurred speech.
9. Runny nose or nosebleeds.
10. Tiredness.
11. Ulcers or irritation around the nose and mouth.
12. Confusion.
13. Poor concentration.
14. Depression.
15. Irritability.
16. Hostility.
17. Paranoia.
tobbaco/ nicotine addiction
Take a stand, not a puff!
Nicotine/ Tobacco dependence occurs when you need nicotine and can't stop using it. Nicotine is the chemical in tobacco that makes it hard to quit. Nicotine produces pleasing effects in your brain, but these effects are temporary. So, you reach for another cigarette. The more you smoke, the more nicotine you need to feel good. When you try to stop, you experience unpleasant mental and physical changes.
Symptoms:
1. You can't stop smoking. You've made one or more serious, but unsuccessful, attempts to stop.
2. You have withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop. Your attempts at stopping have caused physical and mood-related symptoms, such as strong cravings, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, depressed mood, frustration, anger, increased hunger, insomnia, constipation or diarrhea.
3. You keep smoking despite health problems. Even though you've developed health problems with your lungs or your heart, you haven't been able to stop.
4. You give up social activities. You may stop going to smoke-free restaurants or stop socializing with family or friends because you can't smoke in these situations.
While these substances are very different from each other, they all strongly activate the reward center of your brain and produce feelings of pleasure. Use of these substances can lead to substance use disorders (SUDs) — but not always. SUDs can be mild, moderate, or severe. Addiction is the most severe form of a substance abuse disorder.
gambling addiction
The only way to beat the odds is to be smart and disciplined.
The insatiable need to continue gambling despite the negative effects it has on your life is known as compulsive gambling, often known as gambling disorder. When you gamble, you are putting something valuable at risk in the hopes of winning something even more valuable.
Like drugs or alcohol, gambling may activate the brain's reward system and cause addiction. If you suffer from compulsive gambling, you could pursue bets all the time that wind up losing money, depleting savings, and piling debt. To feed your addiction, you can conceal your actions and even resort to fraud or theft.
Symptoms:
1) Being preoccupied with gambling like constantly planning gambling and how to get more money.
2) Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the same thrill.
3) Trying to control, cut back or stop gambling, without success.
4) Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut down on gambling.
5) Gambling to escape problems or relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression.
6) Trying to get back lost money by gambling more (chasing losses).
7) Lying to family members or others to hide the extent of your gambling.
8) Risking important relationships, a job, or school or work opportunities because of gambling.
9) Asking others to bail you out of financial trouble because you gambled money away.
eating addiction
Don’t regret but just notice what you ate.
Highly appealing foods—which are frequently heavy in fat, sugar, and/or salt—cause chemical responses in the brain that result in emotions of pleasure and satisfaction for both men and women who suffer from food addictions. Because it triggers the same brain reward region as addiction, this behavior has been compared to the way an addict reacts to their drug of choice.
Food addicts develop an addiction to the "good" emotions they get from eating particular foods, which frequently fuels their need to eat even when they're not hungry. There is a vicious loop created by these actions. The food addict frequently overindulges and consumes more food than is necessary for appropriate nutrition and satiety as they continue to binge on items that make them feel good. This can lead to several physical, emotional, and social consequences, such as digestive issues, heart disease, obesity, low-self-esteem, depression, and isolation. A food addict will often re-engage in these destructive behaviors, even amidst undesired consequences, due to the need for induced feelings of pleasure.
Symptoms:
1) Gorging in more food than one can physically tolerate.
2) Eating to the point of feeling ill.
3) Going out of your way to obtain certain foods.
4) Continuing to eat certain foods even if no longer hungry.
5) Eating in secret, isolation.
6) Avoiding social interactions, relationships, or functions to spend time eating certain foods.
7) Difficulty function in a career or job due to decreased efficiency.
8) Spending a significant amount of money on buying certain foods for bingeing purposes.
9) Decreased energy, chronic fatigue.
10) Difficulty concentrating.
11) Sleep disorders, such as insomnia or oversleeping.
12) Restlessness.
13) Irritability.
14) Headaches.
15) Digestive disorders.
16) Suicidal ideations.
exercising or dieting addiction
The real workout starts when you want to stop.
Exercise addiction is a controversial phrase. On one hand, some people experience symptoms related to excessive exercising that may be considered similar to those of substance use disorder and other addictions. On the other hand, the official handbook used by most U.S. mental health professionals does not recognize such a diagnosis.
Exercise addiction as an excessive behavioral pattern or behavioral addiction. The manual also explains the phrase “exercise addiction” isn’t included formally because there is not enough evidence that shows excessive exercising as a mental health disorder or a list of characteristic signs and symptoms.
Symptoms:
1) persistent and intense exercising habits that lead to impairment or distress.
2) unsuccessful attempts to reduce the intensity or frequency of exercising.
3) irritability or other mood changes when not able to work out.
4) recurrent preoccupation (persistent thoughts) related to working out.
5) tendency to lean on exercise to manage stress and other emotional states.
6) relationships, school, work, or self-care are often in jeopardy because of exercise-related habits.
7) inability or difficulty reducing or stopping exercise despite negative experiences or consequences like sports injuries or muscular pain.
8) hiding frequency or intensity of exercise habits or events from others.
shopping addiction
Shopping feeds on the illusion that buying more will make you happier
Similar to drug addiction, shopping addiction is a chronic illness in which sufferers have little control over their obsession and compulsive behavior. impulses of buying and spending money consume addicts frequently, but they keep these impulses to themselves.
Since many people feel ashamed or embarrassed when they shop in front of people who are not interested in the same things they are, the behaviors generally occurs when the person is by themselves. Addicts who disguise their buying binges and find other ways to justify their spending are common behaviors.
Symptoms:
1) Shopping or spending money as a result of negative emotions like anger or sadness.
2) Thinking obsessively about money.
3) Buying certain items to improve low self-esteem.
4) Feeling a rush or euphoria when spending.
5) Buying items on credit, rather than with cash.
6) Feeling guilty, ashamed, or embarrassed after a spending spree.
7) Lying about or hiding how much money you spent.
8) Spending a lot of time juggling accounts or bills to accommodate spending habits.
9) Arguing with others about one’s shopping habits.
Types of shopping addiction:
Compulsive Shopping
Addicts of this type of shopping often use it to escape negative feelings. A compulsive shopper may go on a planned shopping spree after a bad day or to combat feelings of anxiety or depression. While they may plan their trip to the mall or online shopping session, very little of the experience is actually within their control. For instance, an addict may feel upset after a difficult day and resort to excessive shopping to forget those negative emotions.
Impulse Buying
Impulsive buying typically occurs as a spur-of-the-moment reaction to seeing something you want in a shop. These instances usually aren’t planned, and the desire to buy the item can come on suddenly. The fear of missing out or never seeing the item again can often be the driving force behind buying it. Price means nothing to impulsive shoppers; the decision to buy happens instantly, regardless of the financial consequences.
Bulimic Shopping
“Shopping bulimia” has recently begun making the rounds to describe this type of shopping. Bulimic shopping occurs when someone becomes overwhelmed by the desire to buy something, but once the initial high wears off, they quickly return their purchases. Sometimes people engaging in bulimic shopping will lie or intentionally damage products to get retailers to accept these returns. The constant binging and purging of buying and returning can create financial problems for businesses. It can also create issues for shopping addicts if a retailer refuses to accept the return.
Bargain-Hunting
Shopping addicts who are bargain hunters will frequently buy products they don’t need just because they’re on sale. Sometimes it’s less about the act of buying and more about the rush associated with finding the deal. This behavior can be hazardous, as it may seem the person is saving money, but they are ultimately wasting money by amassing items they’ll never use.
Collectors
When it comes to collecting compulsions, there can be a fair amount of overlap with other known issues like hoarding. However, collecting can bleed into a shopping addiction when the desire for every piece of a set or a rare item overrides financial concerns. Often collectors will want to purchase multiple versions of the same thing, whether it be every color, size, or style.
For example, a collector of limited edition dishware may spend excessive money and time buying every color and size to complete their set. This desire to complete a collection can be compelling and hard to resist.
Online Shopping Addiction
With so many online stores, shopping addicts can be tempted to overspend from the privacy of their homes. Between the convenience of just clicking or tapping “Complete Purchase” and the saturation of ad-targeting across social media platforms, online shopping addiction can be challenging to treat.
Ever notice that, after visiting a website, you begin seeing ads while scrolling on Facebook or checking the news? Websites track who visits, and if users fail to make a purchase, the business will target you with ads hoping to tempt you repeatedly. These remarketing techniques can turn an addict’s successful resistance to buying into failure when they’re followed around the internet by these targeted ads.
shop lifting addiction
Say no to illegal profits.
Kleptomania, pronounced "klep-toe-MAY-nee-uh," is a mental illness characterized by recurrent episodes of inability to control impulses to take things that you usually don't need. The stolen goods are frequently of little worth, and you might afford to purchase them. Though uncommon, kleptomania can be a dangerous disorder.
Many kleptomaniacs lead lives of hidden shame as a result of their fear of receiving mental health care. Kleptomania has no known cure, however medication or skill-building therapy that addresses impulse management may be able to break the cycle of obsessive stealing.
Symptoms:
1) Inability to resist powerful urges to steal items that you don't need.
2) Feeling increased tension, anxiety or arousal leading up to the theft.
3) Feeling pleasure, relief or satisfaction while stealing.
4) Feeling terrible guilt, remorse, self-loathing, shame, or fear of arrest after the theft.
5) Return of the urges and a repetition of the kleptomania cycle.
sex addiction
Focus your energy into something valuable put that into work ethics
Persistent, intense sexual urges and hard-to-control sexual behavior are two of the most common symptoms of what some call ‘sex addiction.’ Sexual addiction is an intense focus on sexual fantasies, urges or activities that can’t be controlled and cause distress or harm your health, relationships, career, or other aspects of your life. Sexual addiction is the most commonly used lay term. You may hear healthcare professionals call this compulsive sexual behavior, problematic sexual behavior, hypersexuality, hypersexuality disorder, sexual compulsivity, or sexual impulsivity.
Although sex addiction involves activities that can be common to a sex life — such as masturbation, pornography, phone sex, cybersex, multiple partners and more — it’s when your sexual thoughts and activities consume your life that you may be considered to have a sexual addiction.
Symptoms:
1) You’re obsessed with sex. You spend a lot of time fantasizing about your sexual urges and engaging in sexual behavior.
2) You masturbate often (once to several times daily).
3) You frequently view pornography. Sources include videos, adult magazines, the internet (websites, webcams). You often masturbate while viewing pornography.
4) You spend an excessive amount of time planning sexual activity. You spend a lot of time figuring out where and how you’ll get your next sexual “high.”
5) You frequently use sexual services. This is a step up, in that your activities now involve human interaction. Behaviors could include phone sex, connections made through internet chat rooms, paying for sexual encounters, visits to strip clubs, having multiple partners or frequent one-night stands.
6) Your behavior escalates to reckless sexual activity. You may add substance abuse to your sexual activity or add sexual aggression or dangerous sexual activity (such as autoerotic asphyxiation) to your behaviors.
7) You engage in sexual behaviors that go against your personal values, religious beliefs or what society deems appropriate.
8) You frequently engage in paraphilia. These are sexual behaviors that involve another person’s psychological distress, injury or death. Examples include exhibitionism (exposing genitals to strangers), voyeurism (watching or engaging in sexual activities with others), sadomasochism (sexual pleasure from inflicting pain or humiliation on others) and pedophilia (sexual feelings toward children).
9) You can’t stop your sexual behavior despite negative consequences to your finances, relationships, health or emotions.
In other words, sex addiction often refers to a persistent and intense urge to engage in sexual behaviors and fantasies, despite any negative consequences that these may cause you or the little satisfaction they offer you.
pornography addiction
Empower yourself by saying NO to pornography.
People may be addicted to pornographic material if they constantly crave erotic displays despite attempts to reduce their urges. This person may also find other areas of life like work, academics, and social interactions limited by the constant need to consume porn. Watching porn may also take over any other interests.
A person with an addiction can be so overtaken with the need to consume porn, and they may begin to watch it in public spaces like at work or on public transit.
Symptoms:
1) Excessive spending on pornographic material, sometimes at the expense of necessities.
2) Engagement in risky sexual behaviors.
3) The use of porn to cope with difficult emotions like pain, anxiety, and sadness.
4) Consuming porn at risky times and moments.
5) Feeling anger at being advised to reduce porn consumption.
6) An inability to quit porn despite efforts to.
7) Experiencing shame following porn use but being unable to stop the habit.
8) Progressing to more extreme forms of pornography to find pleasure.
9) Finding sexual intercourse to be less satisfying.
10) Hiding porn habits from sexual partners and others.
video game addiction
Don't game, go to meetings, ask for help.
Video game addiction, sometimes known as internet gaming disorder, is a disorder marked by a marked loss of control over gaming behaviors. It can have detrimental effects on relationships, self-care, education, and employment, among other areas of one's life.
Although gaming on the internet or any other electronic device can be a part of this disease, most persons who have serious gaming-related problems mostly play online. Researchers disagree on whether addiction to the internet and video games can be considered a mental disease or an addiction. Many academics view video game addiction as a behavioral addiction akin to gambling illness, wherein the primary motivation for playing is the thrill of winning.
Others think this comparison to gambling is flawed because there may not be financial, or material losses involved with playing video games. In addition, winning a video game may require cognitive skills and sharp reflexes, while winning at gambling is mainly a matter of chance.
Symptoms:
1) Poor performance at school, work, or household responsibilities as a result of excessive video game playing.
2) Withdrawal symptoms, such as sadness, anxiety, or irritability, when games are taken away
3) A need to spend more and more time playing video games to get the same level of enjoyment.
4) Giving up other previously enjoyed activities and/or social relationships due to gaming.
5) Being unable to reduce playing time and having unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming.
6) Lying to family members or others about the amount of time spent playing video games.
7) A decline in personal hygiene or grooming due to excessive video gaming.
8) Using video games as a way to escape stressful situations at work or school or home.
9) Using video games to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness.
internet addiction
Don't Get Sucked Into the Web
Spending a lot of time shopping, browsing, or playing games on the internet can cause a dopamine surge, just like any other obsessive habit like gambling. This produces a feeling akin to a drug-induced euphoria, which may serve as a trigger for the onset of internet addiction symptoms.
This kind of experience may cause you to develop a tolerance, requiring you to log in for longer periods of time to get the same results. A problem with internet usage is typically indicated by excessive use of social media, gaming, or even online shopping. It can be challenging to escape the negative loop of excessive internet use, which eventually affects other parts of your life.
Symptoms:
1) No longer engaging in activities that were once enjoyed
2) Spending most waking hours online
3) Anger or agitation if you are asked to step away from your device of choice
4) Lying about your internet use
5) Concealing your internet use
6) Fatigue
7) Insomnia
8) Aches and pains from lack of movement
9) Digestive problems
10) Change in physical appearance/no longer paying attention to grooming or hygiene
11) Unintended weight loss or weight gain
12) Poor concentration capabilities
13) Trouble distinguishing reality from fantasy
14) Memory impairment
15) Irritable mood
16) Social isolation
17) Employment problems
18) Strained interpersonal relationships
19) Academic difficulty
Addiction
Life is a series of relapses and recoveries.
Cause of Addiction
There’s not a single cause of addiction — it’s a very complex condition. A significant part of how addiction develops is through changes in your brain chemistry.
Your brain is affected by substances and activities, particularly by the reward center. The desire for rewards is innate in human nature. These benefits frequently result from positive actions. Your body releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that causes pleasure, when you eat a tasty meal or spend time with a loved one. It turns into a vicious cycle where you look for these encounters because they make you feel wonderful. Both drugs and specific behaviors, such as spending money or having sex, cause your brain to spike with dopamine. But instead of motivating you to do the things you need to do to survive (eat, work and spend time with loved ones), such massive dopamine levels can have damaging effects on your thoughts, feelings and behavior. This can create an unhealthy drive to seek more pleasure from the substance or activity and less from healthier activities. Over time, the substances or activities change your brain chemistry, and you become desensitized to their effects. You then need more to produce the same effect. For some substances, such as opioids, the withdrawal symptoms are so severe that they create significant motivation to continue using them.
Other factors that contribute to the development of addictions include:
Genetics: Studies show that genetic factors are responsible for 40% to 60% of the vulnerability to any SUD. If you have a first-degree relative (biological sibling or parent) with a substance abuse disorder, you’re more likely to develop one. Scientists are working to locate specific genes that may contribute to this vulnerability.
Mental health conditions: There’s a strong link between addiction and mental health conditions, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder. About half of the people who experience a mental health condition will also experience a substance abuse disorder SUD and vice versa.
Environmental factors: Access to substances is a particularly significant environmental risk factor. Factors that increase the extent of exposure and the opportunity for substance use include the use of substances by a member of your household or your peers and being prescribed medications that can be misused, such as opioids or stimulants. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) also play a role. ACEs are stressful or traumatic events during childhood. ACEs are strongly related to the development of a wide range of health problems throughout a person’s lifespan, including addiction.
Stages of Addiction
The addictive potential of some drugs may be so strong that what seems to be an immediate addiction may develop. However, for the vast majority of people struggling with addiction, there are stages of substance use or abuse that lead to the circumstances resulting in the person becoming addicted. In general, these stages include:
1. Initial use: There are several reasons why someone who develops an addiction may have used the drug first. It can be as obviously harmless as receiving a prescription to treat pain or a mental health condition, as culturally conventional as attempting alcohol for the first time at age 21, or as sneaky as feeling forced to take illegal substances by friends or family. No matter how the first use takes place, it is the beginning of the end for addiction.
2. Abuse: The line between regular use and risky use/abuse is a very thin one, but is usually defined as continued use of drugs in spite of severe social and legal consequences. What might have begun as a temporary form of escape can quickly lead to more serious problems. This is the stage where the warning signs of addiction will begin to appear: craving, preoccupation with the drug, and symptoms of depression, irritability and fatigue if the drug is not used.
3. Tolerance: A person who has been abusing substances or using prescription drugs for an extended period of time may experience changes in their brain that lead to tolerance, which is defined by Merck Manuals as the inability to get the same physical or mental effects from the substance at the original dosage or use. In an attempt to get the desired outcome again, the drug user may decide to up the dosage or frequency of usage. It may function like way for a while. Subsequently, the individual develops a tolerance to the increased dosage over time and goes on to misuse heavier drugs.
4. Dependence: The body or brain eventually grows reliant on the chemical in order to operate normally. An individual with long-term cocaine or meth use, for instance, may develop anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure without the substance. It could be a form of dependency that progresses to addiction, though, if the person has been taking the medicine to treat another illness and grows reliant on it for feelings of well-being unrelated to the ailment being treated.
5. Addiction: Physical dependence on a drug is often intertwined with addiction. Characteristics of dependence and drug addiction include withdrawal symptoms and compulsive use of the drug despite severe negative consequences to his or her relationships, physical and mental health, personal finances, job security and criminal record.
6. Relapse: A relapse occurs when an individual resumes their prior levels of alcohol or drug usage after losing motivation to cut back or refrain from using these substances. This is not the same as a lapse, which is a brief deviation from a person's objectives for alcohol and other drugs, followed by a return to those objectives.
Treatment
Your healthcare provider may recommend a combination of treatment options, including:
· Rehabilitation (rehab): This is also called “sober living” or “residential treatment.” Providers offer structured counseling, education, support and encouragement during rehab. You may live at a rehab facility (inpatient rehab) or visit one for scheduled sessions (outpatient rehab). Rehab services focus on helping you manage addiction long-term and live a healthier life.
· Therapy: Several types of therapy help people with addiction gain new perspectives and change their behavior. Your provider may recommend types of psychotherapy (talk therapy), like cognitive behavioral therapy or group therapy.
· Support groups: Many people manage addiction with the help of a support group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Groups like Al-Anon support family members and friends of people with substance use disorders. These groups offer people the opportunity to share experiences and find ongoing support.
Prevention
You may take some actions to lower your chance of being addicted, such as:
· Avoiding or reducing the use of drugs that have the potential to become addictive: Make an effort to avoid or reduce the use of non-medical substances, and always abide by your doctor's instructions while using prescription medications. Get in touch with your doctor right away if you think you may be becoming dependent on prescription drugs.
· Being aware of your family's past: You can be more susceptible if there is a family history of behavioral addictions or drug use problems. Consult your healthcare practitioner about risk reduction measures.
· Stress management in a healthy way: Stress and transition are two major factors that raise the likelihood of drug use. It's crucial to use constructive coping techniques during these periods, such working out, practicing meditation, or picking up a new hobby. Consider seeing a mental health professional if you’re having issues managing your stress.
How can I help someone with an addiction?
Finding out that a loved one may be suffering from a behavioral addiction or drug use disorder may be extremely difficult and distressing. The following advice will benefit both you and your loved one:
· Speak out as soon as possible: Treatment for addiction should begin as soon as possible for those who need it. As soon as you can, let them know you are worried and assist in getting them treated. Make recommendations such as contacting a hotline, speaking with a medical practitioner or mental health specialist, enrolling in a treatment program, or attending a 12-step group. Be supportive and helpful without passing judgement.
· Empathy is the ability to listen carefully to someone you love, even if you disagree with them. Your loved one will see you as someone they can trust more if they feel like they've been heard.
· Be patient: Your loved one's addiction won't be fixed by a single discussion or action. There is no short cut to recovering from behavioral addictions and substance abuse disorders; these are complicated, long-term illnesses.
· Observe self-care: Friends and family members of addicts frequently deal with stress, despair, bereavement, and loneliness. It's critical to look after your mental health and get assistance if you're having these problems. Think about becoming a member of a local organization or support group.