Identify your addiction

Addictive behaviours and the addictive process

Any activity, substance, object or behaviour that become the major focus of a person’s life to the exclusion of other activities or that has begun to harm the individual or others physically, mentally, or socially is considered an addictive behaviour.  A person can become addicted, dependent or compulsively obsessed with anything. Some researches imply that there are similarities between physical addiction to various chemicals, such as alcohol and heroin, and psychological dependence to activities such as compulsive gambling, sex, work, running, shipping, or eating disorders.

 

It is thought that these behaviour activities may produce beta-endorphins in the brain, which makes the person feel ‘high’. Some experts suggest that if a person continues to engage in the activity to achieve this feeling of well-being and euphoria, he or she may get into an addictive cycle. In so doing he/she becomes physically addicted to his/her own brain chemicals, thus leading to continuation of the behaviour even though it may have negative health or social consequences. Others feel that these are just bad habits. It isn’t. This is a full blown addiction.

Most physical addictions to substance such as alcohol, heroin or barbiturates also have a psychological component.  For example an alcoholic who has not used alcohol for years may still crave a drink. Thus some researches feel that we need to look at both physical and psychological dependencies upon a variety of substance, activities and behaviours as an addictive process and as addictive behaviours.  They suggest that all of these behaviours have a host of commonalities that make them even more similar than different from each other and that they should not be divided into separate categories or problems.

 Common Characteristics among addictive behaviours.

Identify your addiction:

There are many common characteristics among the various addictive behaviours:

·     The person becomes obsessed (constantly thinks of) the object, activity or substance

·    They will seek it out or engage in the behaviour even though it is causing harm (physical problems, poor work or study performance, problems with friends, family, loved ones, fellow workers)

·    The person will compulsively engage in the activity - that is do the activity over and over even if she/he does not want to and find it difficult to stop.

·    Upon ending the activity, withdrawal symptoms often occur. These can include irritability, craving, restlessness or depression.

·    The person does not appear to have control as to when, how long, or how much he or she will continue the behaviour (you now have lost control). (They drink 6 beers when they only wanted one, buy 8 pairs of shoes when they only needed a belt, ate the whole box of cookies, eventually get caught up in homosexuality or child pornography when they only wanted to look at a few naked pictures).

·    He/she often denies problems resulting from his/her engagement in the behaviour, even though others can the negative effects.

·    Person hides the behaviour after family or close friends have mentioned their concern (hide food under beds, alcohol bottles in closets, doesn’t show spouse credit card bills, passwords on websites and personal profiles, etc.)

·    Many individuals with addictive behaviours report a blackout for the time they were engaging in the behaviour (don’t remember how much or what they bought, how much they lost gambling, how many miles they ran on a sore foot, what they did at the party when drinking etc.)

·    Depression is common in individuals with addictive behaviours.  That is why it is important to find out what is going on.

·    Individuals with addictive behaviours often have I low self-esteem, feel anxious if they do not have control over their environment and comes from psychologically or physically abusive families.

      Addictive persons often becomes violent themselves towards loved ones, express road rage and are highly irritable with those around them.  This often is the result of suppressing their cravings for their addiction or when they want to hide the matter at hand.