What is Addiction
Addiction is described as a chronic disorder that occurs due to
number of factors including genetic heritage,
biological/pharmacological behaviors, and social environment.
Addiction is classified by the repetitive use of substances
and/or behaviors despite the clear evidence of the detrimental
effects not only to the individual but to those surrounding the
individual as well, subsequent of the substance abuse or
behavior.
An addiction does not necessarily mean an addiction to a drug or
alcohol, but can also be uncontrolled behaviors such as
pornographic addiction, sex addiction, gambling addiction, or
other behaviors that are uncontrollable regardless of their
negative consequences. An addiction will generally take over
aspects of an individual’s life, and in some cases, can be the
sole focus of one’s life.
Increased Risk for Addiction
When you become addicted to any substance, whether it be alcohol
or other drugs, your brain function and chemical make-up
actually changes in certain ways. Someone who is considered to
be addicted uses drugs without thinking of the consequences,
such as problems with health, money, relationships and their
performance at work or at school.
Any individual can develop an addiction, even if it does not run
in their family. An addiction can be illegal drugs, such as
marijuana, cocaine, crack, heroin, or methamphetamine. People
can also develop addictions to prescription drugs through
excessive doses and too frequent of doses. Addictions can even
occur to substances that you may not consider to be a drug.
Coffee contains caffeine, and your body can develop an addiction
to it, the nicotine in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, and of
course the more well-known legal substance considered to be a
drug, alcohol.
Addiction Warning Signs
If you feel yourself or someone you know may have an addiction
to a substance, there are a few warning signs you can identify
to determine whether or not there is potentially an addiction
problem.
- If the individual continues to abuse a substance, even after
doing so has caused problems financially, in school or work,
health-wise, or in their relationships with family, friends or
their significant other, odds are that they probably have an
addiction problem.
- If it’s yourself that you are questioning about an addiction,
you can think about your drug use habits, and whether or not you
have developed a higher tolerance to the drug or substance that
you are using. A higher tolerance means that more of the drug or
substance is needed than in the beginning of the drug use in
order to achieve the same effects, or high.
Physical warning signs of addiction include:
- Changes in appetite, either an increase or decrease, changes
in eating habits, unexplained sudden weight loss or gain
- Slowed pace, staggering when walking, overall poor physical
coordination
- Sleeplessness, awaking at abnormal times, abnormal laziness.
- Red or teary eyes, dilated pupils, blank stares
- Cold or sweaty palms, shaky hands
- Unusual puffiness, blushing or paleness in the face
- The scent of an unusual substance on the breath, body or
clothing
- Excessive hyperactivity or being excessively talkative
- Development of a runny nose or a hacking cough
- Signs of needle marks on lower arm, leg, or feet
- Unusual or unexplained nausea, vomiting or unwarranted
sweating
- Tremors
- Irregular heartbeat
- Changes in appearance, lacking care for how they look
- Actually finding the person in possession of drug
paraphernalia
If you do notice any of the previous signs, remember that they
do not necessarily mean that the person definitely has a problem
with addiction. Any one or a combination of these signs can mean
there is potentially an addiction to a substance, but it’s
important not to immediately jump to conclusions or attack the
person who may be in trouble with addiction. This could
infuriate them, and cause them to stop talking to you, or pull
away even farther, allowing them to be dragged even deeper into
the depths of addiction.
Can Addiction Be Treated?
So, you ask, can addiction be treated? The answer is yes, but
addiction is a persistent, relapsing disease that currently has
no definitive cure. Some individuals, who have decided they’ve
had enough of the addiction controlling their lives and seek out
addiction treatment, have unfortunately not been able to kick
the addiction on the first attempt. It may take several attempts
for a person to remain addiction free.
Identifying, accepting, and admitting that you have an addiction
is the first step in beating and treating the addiction. The
second step is understanding that you can take control over your
life back, away from the grasps of addiction. Addiction, though
it may have started during traumatic or stressful times in your
life, cannot make you forget about the things you can’t control.
You can only control you, and how you want to handle addiction.
Don’t let an addiction control you anymore.
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