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.

Will an addict be an addict for life?

In the case of less serious forms of addiction, the addiction can be only temporary while more severe forms of addiction can have longer lasting effects. In any form of addiction the goal is to quit and there are several programmes which are available to addicts to help them do this.

However the longer the person has suffered from the addiction the more chances are that relapses will occur but if the person is determined and has the best possible help then there is no reason to believe that a person cannot eventually live free of addiction.

How can you get off drugs?

If you have been using drugs for a long time then the best way to try and give them up is with help from your Doctor, more often than not your Doctor will suggest that you reduce the amount taken under medical supervision. You should never just try to quit taking drugs on your own, people who have tried this have found that they very rarely succeed and often relapse.

What kind of people use drugs?

People from all walks of life can become addicted to drugs, people don’t just take drugs to voluntary become addicted to them and some take legal drugs that are prescribed for a medical condition such as anxiety and depression without being given adequate information that those drugs can be addictive.

Other people turn to drugs for many reasons; the most widely used excuse is to escape from everyday problems in their life. Taking drugs however only causes other problems and in most cases makes the problem they were trying to escape in the first place a whole lot worse.

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:

Make a game of it

You can show your child different scenarios involving drugs and alcohol by using role play. A scenario could be, telling them to imagine that they were at a friend’s house and one of his friends found alcohol in the refrigerator. You could play out what may happen if the children decided to drink it, pointing out how ill it could make them and the feelings that alcohol would give them.

Or try asking them what they would do in this situation if it arose, if your child gives a suitable answer then praise them, if they don’t then explain to them why it is a bad thing for them to drink.

Only tell your child what information is appropriate for their age

When you talk with your child only talk with them about things that are appropriate for their age and that they will understand. Examples if this are, if you have a 6 year old then when they are brushing their teeth talk to them about how important it is for them to take care of their body.

Then explain to them that are also some things that are harmful to our body and we shouldn’t do such as smoking or drinking. If you have a 9 year old and something such as marijuana is mentioned on TV then you could ask them if they know what that is.

You could then explain that it is a bad substance and if your child wants to talk more about it or ask questions then answer them truthfully. An older child could be told more specific information on the dangers of the drug; a little common sense should be used as to how much information your child is able to take in.

Make sure you set boundaries

It is important that boundaries are set from an early age so that your child understands clearly what is and is not allowed. For example make sure they know that drugs and alcohol won’t be tolerated, stating that the only drugs which are safe to take are the ones you give them when they are ill.

Set a good example

If you like a drink in the home as a way of relaxing every now and again then try not to drink in front of your child, this often confuse a young child if you are telling them that alcohol is bad then they see you reaching for a drink the minute you get home from work.

Also try not to let your child see you taking over the counter medicines often this can also confuse a young child and may lead them to believe that if their mum or dad is taking medication on a regular basis then it must be safe for them too.

What to do if you suspect a problem with your child

It is very rare for a child under the age of 12 to develop an addiction, but it occasionally does happen.

Signs to watch for in your child are

• The onset of poor results in school
• Your child turns extremely moody
• Your child becomes withdrawn
• Medicine or alcohol starts disappearing from home

If you suspect your child may have a problem then first talk with your child, then visit your Doctor who will give them a through check up and determine how bad the problem is and what type of treatment if any is needed. If nothing else your Doctor will probably ask that you attend family counselling.