What Is Addiction?
Addiction is a complex disease that affects the brain and behavior. It is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences.
Addiction can involve a wide range of drugs, from nicotine and alcohol to illicit drugs like cocaine or heroin. This is not an exhaustive list.
Addiction can start with one drink or one drug use, but it is a treatable disease that requires treatment to change thinking patterns and behaviors.
Types of Addiction
There are basically two types of Addiction:
Substance Abuse
Substance Abuse is a type of addiction characterized by the use of illegal drugs or the misuse of prescription drugs. This type of addiction usually leads to criminal activity in order to get money to buy drugs. Sometimes this type of addiction can also include excessive gambling or compulsive sex. This addiction can be very difficult to overcome without professional help.
Behavioral Addiction
This type of addiction is characterized by an uncontrollable urge to engage in a certain behavior, even though it may have negative consequences. This type of addiction can include problems with spending money (compulsive shopping), eating too much or too little (binge-eating/bulimia), internet use (gaming, pornography, social media), or gambling. Like substance abuse addictions, these can be very hard to overcome without professional help.
Signs That Someone Is Addicted
There are many signs that someone is addicted:
- Overuse of drugs, alcohol, or nicotine
- Loss of interest in hobbies and activities that were once pleasurable to the person
- Sneaking around in order to get a drug without others knowing about it, including lying
- Cravings for drugs even when they are no longer pleasurable. Cravings might include physical symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, mood swings, insomnia, palpitations, irritability. There also may be anxiety and depression which is why some people turn back to their drug use. This can lead them to addiction counseling.
- withdrawal symptoms when not using the drug, such as shakes, sweats, anxiety
- Continuing to use drugs even though it is causing problems in relationships, work, or school
- Spending large amounts of time and money on drugs
- Changes in appearance – looking tired and unhealthy
- Neglecting personal hygiene
- Lack of interest in friends and activities usually enjoyed. This can lead to social isolation
- Having a criminal record because of drug-related offenses.
What Causes Addiction?
The causes of addiction vary from one individual to another but there are many factors involved:
Genetics
Genetics can be a major factor in addiction. If addiction is passed down from parents or other close relatives, the risk of developing an addiction is higher.
Environment
People who are exposed to stressors such as violence, neglect, or abuse are more likely to develop addictions.
Brain Chemistry
People with chemical imbalances in their brains may be more prone to developing addictions. For example, people with low levels of serotonin (a neurotransmitter responsible for mood) may be more susceptible to drug and alcohol addiction.
Drugs Exposure
People who are exposed to addictive drugs at an early age may be more likely to develop addictions. This is because the brain is still developing and can become permanently altered by drug exposure.
Abuse
People who have been abused or neglected are more likely to develop addictions. This is because these types of trauma can cause structural changes in the brain which may make it harder for someone to control their impulses and regulate emotions, leading them into addiction.
Family
Not having strong family support often leads people into drug abuse as a way to cope with stressors they face daily. People create their own coping mechanisms when they feel overwhelmed by challenges that seem too hard to overcome on their own. Unfortunately, this isn't always effective since drugs also increase negative feelings such as anxiety, depression, self-hatred, etc.
Diagnosis of Addiction
The diagnosis of addiction is based on a number of factors, including the signs and symptoms mentioned above. A person's medical history and family history are also taken into account. If addiction is suspected, the person will likely be referred to a specialist for further evaluation.
It can be evaluated using the DSM-V. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a manual that professionals can use to diagnose psychiatric disorders, including addiction.
Another method of diagnosis is through a physical exam. This can detect abnormalities in parts of the body that have been affected by drug use, for example, lesions on the liver or lung problems caused by smoking cigarettes.
It is important to remember that addiction may be difficult to diagnose since some symptoms are similar to other disorders such as depression and anxiety. The person's history with drugs will also play an important role in diagnosis so it's best not to self-diagnose because you could get into legal trouble if your perception of reality has been skewed due to substance abuse.
Treatment For Addiction
There are many different types of treatment available for addiction, depending on the person's needs and preferences:
Inpatient Treatment
This type of treatment involves living at a rehab center where people receive 24-hour care. This is generally recommended for people with severe addictions or who have failed to get better using other treatments.
Outpatient Treatment
This type of treatment allows people to live at home while receiving regular counseling and therapy sessions. It is suitable for people with less severe addictions.
Self-Help Groups
These groups provide support and guidance from peers who have struggled with addiction in the past. They can be very helpful for some people but maybe unhelpful for those who like to deal with things on their own.
Addiction Counseling
Addiction counseling is one of the most important aspects of treatment for addiction. The counselor will work with the person to identify the triggers that lead them to drug abuse and help them develop coping mechanisms to deal with these triggers. Counseling can also help improve a person's relationships, which often suffer as a result of addiction.
Medication
In some cases, medication may be prescribed to help people overcome their addictions. This includes medications such as methadone and buprenorphine which are used to treat opioid addiction and naltrexone which is used to treat alcohol addiction.
How To Cope-Up With Addiction?
Addiction is a difficult thing to cope with. It can happen at any moment, and it could be something dangerous like drugs or alcohol, or something as harmless as gambling. When you realize that addiction has happened in your life, the first question you need to ask yourself is: “Do I want to quit?” If the answer is no, then there are ways for you to cope up with addiction. You may still struggle with it every day but knowing how to cope up will help lessen its effects on your mind and body.
There are many ways to Cope-Up With Addiction. Some of these ways are:
Avoid Publishing It
Do not share your addiction with anyone. Keep it a secret and do not tell anybody that you are addicted to something, especially if the people around you could be influenced by what happened to you. People tend to avoid those who had an addiction so they can stay away from temptation as well. Avoid places and things where there is a chance of addiction. Don't go for the attractions that you used to be addicted to.
Help Others Who Are Struggling With Addiction
Avoiding someone who is struggling with an addiction will only make things worse. You need to help them cope up and find ways on how they can get rid of it as well. A lot of people have been in your situation before so listen to their stories and learn from what happened in their lives when they were coping up with addiction themselves. They might even know some helpful tips or tricks that could help you deal better with your problem too! In fact, most religions encourage helping those who are going through difficulties just like yourself because it gives meaning to life itself which will eventually help you cope with addiction better.
Listen to what they have to say and do not judge them for their past mistakes, it happened so they can learn from it too!
Be Honest With Yourself And Accept The Situation
It is going to be very difficult when the situation that surrounds your life right now is a struggle between living with addiction or quitting altogether. It would seem like an impossible task but don't give up just yet because there are ways on how you could get over this challenge in front of you. Acknowledge that there is something wrong happening right now and confront yourself about it instead of ignoring whatever feelings arise in you whenever thoughts about having a fix come into mind.
Try To Stay Positive
It would be hard to remain positive when addiction has taken over your life, but it is important that you make an effort to do so. Positivity breeds more positivity and if you can find ways to look at the brighter side of things then eventually, it will rub off on how you feel about yourself overall. It might be difficult but with practice, you will eventually get better at it! Keep a journal and write down all the good moments in your day no matter how small they seem because those are the moments that can help you push through tough times.
Acknowledge That You Are Struggling And Seek Help
Addiction is not something that should be taken lightly. If you think that addiction has started to take over your life, then it is time to seek professional help. Addiction can be deadly if not treated correctly and there are people who are willing to help you get through this tough time in your life. There are many support groups available out there that will cater to what kind of addiction you are struggling with so do some research and find the right one for you!
Make Decision To Quit And Be Determined
There is no other way around it. You need to make a decision and stick with it if you want to get out of the vicious cycle that addiction has put you in! It would be hard but life will never improve until you take action and do something about your problem right now, so why wait? The longer that you let this situation go on for, the worse it gets. Addiction robs people of their future because once they are hooked onto whatever substance they have been using, then all hope seems lost already which only makes things harder for them when trying to cope up with addiction down the line.
