Addiction

Overview

What is Addiction?

An addiction can be defined as a chronic dysfunction of the brain system. It involves a cycle of reward, motivation, and memory. An individual's body craves a substance or behavior when it evokes a neurotic or obsessive quest for "reward" combined with a lack of concern over consequences.

An individual experiencing addiction finds it almost impossible to stay away from the substance. They are unable to stop the addictive behavior despite knowing about the consequences. They lack self-control and display an uncontrollable desire for the substance. An individual does not want to believe or dismiss the negative consequences of the substance or behavior.

With time, addictions can seriously affect your daily life. Individuals with addiction can fall into cycles of relapse and remission. Addictions will typically worsen over time. They can lead to permanent health complications and severe consequences like bankruptcy. Hence, an addicted individual must seek professional help.

Stages of Addiction

Addiction shows one's impaired ability to retain self-control. It includes the following changes:

Social Changes: Maintaining Secrecy

Health Changes: Insomnia/Memory Loss

Personality Changes: No control over substance use despite knowing the consequences.

Emotional Changes: Unrealistic or poor evaluation of the negative consequences of using substances or behaviors. These individuals blame others (people/situations) for the problems in their life. Other signs include depression, increased anxiety and gloom, severe reactions to stress, increased sensitivity, and difficulty identifying emotions.

Types of Addiction

Addiction is a disorder that can come in numerous forms. Most addictions can fit within the following categories:

Behavioral Addiction: It is possible to get addicted to specific behaviors such as video gaming, shopping, sex, and gambling. The person gets a rush or high similar a substance use after giving into compulsive behavior.

Substance Addiction: It involves developing a physical dependence on a specific chemical such as prescription medication, alcoholism, drugs, etc.

Impulse Addiction: Impulse control disorder is characterized by an individual's constant struggle to cope with their emotions and actions. One may become prone to theft, destructive behavior, or emotional outbursts. Behaviors developed from impulse control disorders can become addictive. The condition may intersect with other mental health issues.

Some specific types of addiction disorders include Alcoholism, Tobacco Addiction, Sex Addiction, Drug Addiction, Video Game Addiction, Internet Addiction, Shopping Addiction, Gambling Addiction, and Food Addiction.

Symptoms of Addiction

• Inability to stop using drugs
• Continue using and abusing substances despite health problems
• Taking drugs to deal with problems
• Obsession with a substance
• Taking risks to obtain the substance
• Engaging in behavior
• Taking larger doses
• Sacrificing activities a person previously enjoyed, especially if the substance is unavailable.
• Dropping hobbies and activities
• Maintaining a dangerously good supply of drugs/alcohol
• Secrecy and solitude
• Denial of having a problem
• Excess consumption or abuse of substances
• Having small stocks of a substance at different parts of the house or other places to avoid detection
• Legal issues due to impairment of judgment
• Serious Financial difficulties due to addiction to an expensive substance
• Withdrawal symptoms such as diarrhea, excess cravings, sweats, constipation, seizures, trembling, and abnormal behavior (such as violence)
• Drastic changes in appetite
• Damage or disease from using a substance
• Sleeplessness
• A drastic change in appearance (the person starts appearing more unkempt, tired, and exhausted

Causes of Addiction

There are several reasons behind a person's inclinations and an irresistible quest for addictive substances and behaviors. One of the primary reasons is that it creates a pleasurable "high." It can be either physical, psychological, or both. The individual will start using more substances or engage in behaviors longer to achieve a similar high all over again. Over time, the addiction becomes difficult to stop.

Some individuals try a substance or behavior once and never repeat it. However, they become addicted. The brain's frontal lobe is partially responsible for this difference in behavior. This lobe is responsible for delaying feelings of reward or gratification. In the case of addiction, the malfunctions and gratification in the frontal lobe are instant. Other areas of the brain, such as the anterior cingulate cortex and the nucleus accumbens, are also responsible for addiction. These areas are associated with pleasurable sensations, which can increase the response of an individual to exposure to addictive substances and behaviors.

Other potential causes of addiction include:

• Mental disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
• Chemical imbalances in the brain
• Repeated and early exposure to addictive substances and behaviors
• Genetics
• Environment and Culture
• Lack of disruption of the social support system
• Traumatic experiences

Frequently Asked Questions