Addiction
Find out how to recognise addiction and how to get help if you have an addiction.
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What is it ?
- We all need a buzz in a life. It can help with anything from stress to boredom. Whatever turns us on, everyone feels the desire to indulge themselves sometimes and to take a break from reality. Anything from shopping to gambling or drink can provide that buzz. But you can have too much of a good thing and sadly, many don't realise this until its too late to quit. By then, the buzz has become a way of life: an addiction.
- An addiction is a compulsion to use substances or persist with certain behaviour in order to feel good or to avoid feeling bad. It can dominate your mind and keep you coming back for more, while some habits can also create a constant craving in your body.
- When something stops being fun or enjoyable, and instead you start taking or doing it because you NEED to, then you have an addiction.
- Addiction is different for everyone, depending on what you are addicted to and the type of person you are. There are many different types of addiction: sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling, exercise and shopping are some that are often talked about. Addiction can be physical or psychological or both.
- If there is a history of addiction in the family, you are more at risk of becoming addicted.
Physical addiction
Being physically addicted to something means that your body has developed a need or dependency for the substance and craves more of it. This dependency happens through repeated use of a drug that changes your body’s chemistry- alcohol, cigarettes, heroin and tranquillisers all cause physical addiction.
Withdrawal symptoms such as feeling shaky, shivers, cramps, sweating a lot, headaches, flu-like symptoms or sickness can occur if you are physically addicted and you stop taking the addictive substance. The withdrawal symtoms are different for each drug.
When you are physically addicted it also means that your body gets used to the substance (builds tolerance) and you need larger amounts to get the same effects.
Psychological addiction
If you repeatedly take a drug or do something in a certain way, you can feel as if you can’t live without it. This addiction is emotional. You can become psychologically addicted to any drug or anything. This includes shopping, gambling, exercise, cannabis, ecstasy, computer games or the Internet. Your mind becomes dependant on the way something makes you feel. For example, if someone has a gambling addiction, their mind might be addicted to the thrill of betting.
What are the signs?
Addiction doesn't happen overnight. It takes time to face the fact you may have lost control Think of your number one vice, be it boozing or cruising the net, then ask yourself the following questions: It is an important part of your life? Do you spend most of the day doing it? Do you indulge to change the way you're feeling? Have you ever done it in secret? Does the prospect of quitting unsettle you? Do you react badly when people suggest it's a problem? If you've answered yes to any of the above, perhaps it's time you asked yourself whether you control your habit or whether it controls you.
What about addiction in others?
Sometimes it is clear that someone close to you has developed a habit they can't break. Their behaviour may change, often adopting a particular pattern as the addiction assumes importance in their life. Often, however, an addict will take great steps to hide their habit from others. Even if you know someone who has an addiction problem, you cannot control their habit or stop them unless they want your help. An addict has to recognise he or she has a problem before you can help them take steps to get them over it. Until then, all you can do to make them aware that you are prepared to offer your support when they're ready.
Find out about getting help for addiction.
See the help section for supportive information and contacts details of support organisations.
Some content thanks to YouthHealthNE authors.
