Addictions

What is addiction?

The term addiction is used when a person becomes dependent on something which severely begins to affect their behaviour and life in general. Common addictions are alcohol, nicotine, drugs, gambling and food, though a person can become addicted to just about anything. If any of the below apply to someone then they would be considered dependent:

• Regularly have a strong desire do something which varies in intensity from strong to severe.
• Has withdrawal symptoms if they try to stop.
• Has failed repeatedly to stop.
• Begins to spend more and more time on the subject in question.
• The use of the subject in question begins to severely affect the persons day to day living.
• The person continues to do the subject in question even though they see or feel adverse affects from it.

Addictions

Young children can get very confused of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, they are seen and used widely on TV in movies, the use of alcohol and marijuana is made to look cool in music videos. Then we tell them that alcohol and drugs can be dangerous so how are we to get the message over to them of why they are dangerous and explain what they see on TV is fiction.

Studies have shown that it is never too early to begin teaching your child about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, studies have recently shown that more and more children are trying alcohol and some form of drug at ages as young as 11.

So what can we do as parents to make sure our children realise the dangers, the answer is simple sit and talk with your child. When children feel they can comfortably talk with their parents then the chances are that they will be more open and ask questions regarding drugs and alcohol. Here are some more ways you can interact with your child and help them realise the dangers: