What is addiction?
An addiction is an inability of an individual to be able to stop themselves from either consuming a substance or engaging in behaviour that is causing them psychological or physical harm in their everyday life. Addiction is not only substance based with illegal drugs but there are many forms of addiction that people struggle with on a daily basis whether it’d be gambling, sex, shopping and more.
Addiction is a treatable chronic medical disease which involves many complicated interactions that take place among brain circuits and there are many additional factors that can further someone’s addiction such as the environment they are placed in or life experiences that they’ve suffered from previously that have turned them into addiction. No one sets out to become an addict but they will start engaging in activities or taking substances as a way to escape voluntary as time goes on they will continue doing the activity leading to a full-blown addiction.
People that suffer from addiction are highly prone to cycles of relapse, many people with addiction will try to stop but unfortunately do not have all the knowledge on addiction and slip back into old habits. It will take a lot of self-disciple and determination for you to overcome whatever addiction you have. Addictions will usually get worse over time if left untreated to the point where you could suffer from permanent health conditions or bankruptcy. That’s why it’s highly important that you seek out treatment as soon as possible to avoid this.
Common signs & symptoms of Addiction
Due to there being many different types of addiction, there is a massive range of signs & symptoms that a person can display in their everyday behaviour but there are a lot of common signs that you could see which include:
- Suffering from physical & mental health problems
- Defensive attitude
- Stopped taking care of their appearance
- Money problems
- Moodswings
- Refuse to take responsibility
Many people realise the actions they are taking are bad but will refuse to stop their behaviour due to their addiction which can lead to them being angry suddenly or shifting their problems onto close loved ones which can put a massive strain on their relationships with loved ones and families.
Common misconceptions of Addiction
There is a massive misconception that people choose to be an addict. That is not true the first time they may have taken part in misusing a substance or behaviour voluntary, the way that your brain reacts to the act isn’t.
Another one is believing that you can quit your addiction anytime that you like, addiction is a disease that is extremely multi-layered and complicated and willpower alone can not help you quit. People will suffer from physical and psychological damage that adds to their addiction which can only be treated through professional help, especially people who are suffering from substance abuse as they will need to undergo professional detox and medical treatment from specialists.
It’s key that if you are struggling with an addiction that is seriously affecting your everyday life and putting strain on your relationships with your family and loved ones you seek treatment as early as possible.
What causes addiction?
Substances and activities that are known for being highly addictive can give individuals a certain pleasurable ‘high’ both physical and psychological that can help them ‘function’ throughout everyday life. People who are addicted to something will usually begin to up their substance or behaviour in order to achieve the same highs that they got the first time they did it. Meaning over time, it can come become seriously difficult to stop an addiction.
Many people will try a substance or perform in behaviour and never do it again while other people can become hooked. One of the main reasons for this is because of the brain’s frontal lobes. The brain’s frontal lobe allows an individual to delay the feelings of reward and gratification plus the frontal lobe malfunctions and the feeling of gratification is at once.
There are also other areas of the brain that can cause addiction such as the anterior cingulate cortex and the nucleus accumbens. These two are closely associated with pleasurable sensations and they will increase when exposed to certain addictive behaviours and substances.
Another reason someone may be suffering from addiction is from a chemical imbalance in the brain and mental disorders such as bipolar. Many people turn to addiction as a way to cope with their disorder.
Research from experts have shown that individuals that are exposed to addictive substances or addictive behaviour from an early age are more likely to become an addict further in life. Genetics do play a part in addiction and there is a further chance if it runs in your family then you could become addicted but that is not set in stone just because of their addiction in your family doesn’t mean that you will become one.
A big part of addiction is the environment and culture that you surround yourself in can lead to substance abuse or damaging addictive behaviour. You can also turn to addiction if you have suffered a traumatic experience in your life as a way to cope.
Addiction treatment options
No matter what addiction you suffer from, there is always a silver lining as all addictions can be treated with many different forms of treatment that can be tailored to you. Addiction treatment can help you learn more about yourself and help find ways for you to stop seeking out addictive destructive behaviours.
Some of the most common treatments that have helped many beat their addiction include:
- Psychotherapy such as group therapy sessions and one-on-ones.
- Medical services help people detox correctly if suffering from substance abuse.
- Self-help and support groups.
- Medication for those suffering from mental disorders.
Our highly experienced psychiatrists here at Psychiatry Today will be able to listen to your current situation and work with you on finding the ideal treatment so that you can beat your addiction.