Addiction is a dependence on a substance, object or activity that yields reward or pleasure, alleviates withdrawal symptoms and/or satisfies cravings. The term addiction is sometimes used a bit loosely. To a person who is dependent on chemical substances like narcotic drugs, painkillers, alcohol or even tobacco, this type of dependence is considered as a ‘true’ or palpable addiction. Failure to satisfy the cravings can lead to physical symptoms of withdrawal. It also leads to the need to constantly seek the substance thereby disrupting one’s personal relationships, academic commitments and career objectives.

Addictions to certain types of activities, for example a sex addiction, on the other hand may seem less like a dependence and more like a psychological problem. However, all types of addictions appear to have certain common points in the addict – a low self worth, seeking acceptance, depression and/or as a means of distraction from activities in one’s life. There may be other aspects, both psychological and social, at play in addiction, as well as physiological factors.

Is it possible to overcome an addiction?

Any addiction can be overcome but not every addict can recover. There is no single addiction, whether on substances or activities, that a combination of psychotherapy, rehabilitation and ongoing support cannot treat. Often this works hand in hand with concurrent medical treatment. Despite successfully overcoming the withdrawal symptoms and even the cravings, a person is sometimes unable to continue a life without an addiction. In this regard, the person may return to a life of addiction, either the same addiction or substitute it for another. It is therefore common to hear among people with a history of addiction and in support groups that recovery is neverending in the life of an addict.

Are addicts aware of their addiction?

Addicts are usually fully aware of their dependence. Some may wish to overcome it while other’s don’t. Addicts are also aware of the impact of their addiction on others, particularly their loved ones. However, the nature of addiction is such that even though an addict admits that their addiction hurts other and may even show remorse, this quickly overlooked to feed the addiction. In this regard addicts appear to be disingenuous and often are, but not due to a lack of compassion but rather due to being driven by the addiction.

Will an addict recover fully?

Recovery from addiction involves multiple aspects. As mentioned above, many believe that an addict never fully recovers but recovery is ongoing for life. Support groups and psychotherapy are often essential to maintain this recovery. However, this should not detract from those with an addiction who have successfully given up their dependence and are able to continue life without support groups and psychotherapy. These individuals, however, are few in number compared to most addicts.

Sometimes recovery involves overcoming the physiological and psychological effects of the addiction, particularly with substance abuse. There may be personality changes, mental dysfunction and physical impairment from the addiction, usually long term addiction. Each case has to be assessed individually in this regard and monitored an ongoing basis by mental health and medical professionals.

Overcoming addiction is hard and relapse unfortunately is very common among addicts, addiction can be a lifelong problem and people who are addicted to a certain drug are at higher risk of becoming dependent on a different type of drug also.

The whole aim of treating an addict successfully is to protect their mental and physical health and hopefully minimize the effects the addiction is having on the family as a whole. There are several different methods used in the treatment of addiction and these include:

Controlling the amount used

It is thought that by slowly reducing the amount of substance the addict uses can lead to them eventually kicking the habit altogether, however unfortunately this isn’t always so. Very few addicts will have the will power needed to break the pattern of their habit this way and more often than not the addict will lose the ability to control the amount they take.

In the short term this theory works for obviously the less they use the better it is for them but in the long run most addicts will eventually return to using the same amount they were before.

Abstinence or cold turkey

Addicts will very rarely even consider this method and it can be a very frightening, painful and even a dangerous way of quitting an addiction. Most addicts who have kicked the habit this way have done so with a lot of support from friends and family and support groups or rehabilitation centres that specialise in drug recovery programmes.

Substitutions

People who are addicted to drugs such as heroin may be given substitute medication to help them withdraw from the drug, however these drugs are addictive too and many heroin users will take the substitute and still carry on using heroin at the same time. Substitute medication however has been proven to lower the death and infection rate of heroin users.

Withdrawal under supervision

People who have been addicted to drugs for many years are more likely to develop severe complications when they try quitting, they will usually need to attend a medically supervised withdrawal programme, or detoxification.

The severity of withdrawal problems will depend on the type of drug used and the person using it, common withdrawal problems include severe cravings for the drug, severe anxiety and depression, insomnia and vomiting. Medically supervised withdrawal will usually be provided in a community or residential setting depending on the availability of services.

Addiction is a very complex problem which affects an individual in many different ways including their physical and mental health and if left over any period of time it can have a dire effect on their social life and cause problems in any relationships and family.

Addictions are impossible to control

When people become addicted to something they will tell you that it is impossible to control the addiction, take smoking for example, anyone who has smoked will know how hard it is to give up and resist lighting up that first cigarette in the morning. You will also know how you crave for one during the times when you cannot smoke such as in an aeroplane or at the theatre.

Becoming dependant

Dependency towards something can happen in many different ways and with varying degrees of intensity, some people for example who are addicted to alcohol or substances over a prolonged period of time may experience very few problems while others find that they cannot control how much of the substance or alcohol they need and dependency quickly escalates.

The different stages of addiction

All addictions no matter what it is will take time to develop into a habit and to become dependant on, no one will purposely set out to become addicted to something and a lot of the time addiction and dependency will creep up on the unsuspecting individual. Nearly all addictions will go through three main stages until reaching total dependency on something. These stages are:

• Emotional addiction – The person will feel they need “something” for emotional or social comfort or excitement, and will rely on “something” to bring them that feeling. The person will feel better for a time but then when they get in an uncomfortable position again they begin to rely on that “something” e.g. alcohol, cigarettes, substances to bring them relief again.
• The mental addiction – Within a very short time the person becomes hooked on getting relief in certain situations which then expands into daily routine, before long even the smallest upset in daily life will have the person scurrying back to the thing they have come to rely on.
• The physical addiction – As the body and mind become addicted to the act, it becomes a physical and mental necessity. Over a gradual period of time the body will become used to the act and more is needed to get the same effect it used to. Tolerance will develop as our body and mind becomes used to the small doses it receives and then greater doses are needed on a much more frequent level to get the same effect.

At this stage a person can feel guilty about what they are doing and the fact that they cannot control it and then the whole process starts over again as they turn to the act to alleviate the guilt they feel, they will then go round and round in a vicious circle.

Addictions and addictive behaviours

Addictions can be anything besides the most common of smoking, drinking and drugs. Increasingly people are becoming addicted to chocolate, food, computer games, chat rooms, pornography and sex. You can become addicted to anything if you come to rely on it as part of your everyday life and it begins to expand and take up more and more of your daily routine.