Addiction is a long-lasting disease that causes people to want to use drugs or do things that involve drugs even when they know they will hurt themselves.
Your relationships with other people, your general quality of life, and your health can all be greatly affected by addiction. It’s important to go to therapy as soon as you notice any signs of habit.
Is addiction a sickness or not?
Addiction is a long-term illness that is treated like a sickness. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) says that addiction is a long-term brain condition. Obsession isn’t caused by not having enough drive or making enough decisions. The way the brain works changes naturally because of addiction.
What kinds of addiction?
Addiction can be broken down into two main groups:
Problems with using drugs or being addicted to them.
These are habits that aren’t caused by drugs (behavioural addictions).
Drug and alcohol addiction
- According to doctors, addiction to drugs is now called substance use disorder. This is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which was made by the American Psychiatric Association. It has specific criteria for diagnosing drug use disorders.
Substances are drugs that can lead to addiction. They include the following drugs, which can be either over-the-counter or prescribed by a doctor: - Breath.
- Caffeine.
- Cannabis (also called weed).
- Psychedelics, like LSD and PCP.
- Hypnotics, sedatives and anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs), such as sleeping pills, benzodiazepines and barbiturates.
- Inhalants, like paint thinners, aerosol sprays, gases, and nitrites (poppers).
- Opioids, like codeine, oxycodone, and heroin, both legal and over-the-counter.
- Stimulants, like Adderall®, coke, and methamphetamine, both under and over the counter.
- Tobacco and nicotine, like rolling cigarettes and using electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or vaping).
Even though these chemicals are very different, they all make you feel very happy and turn on the brain’s reward centre. There are times when using certain drugs can lead to substance use disorders (SUDs), but not always. There are three stages of how bad an SUD is. Addiction is the most dangerous form of drug abuse sickness.
Addictions to behaviours
Behavioural addictions can happen with any action that sets off your brain’s reward system. Some illnesses that are marked by compulsive behaviour, like bulimia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are like and different from behavioural addictions. Behavioural scientists are still studying these similarities and differences.
The DSM-5 only lists “non-substance-related disorders” under “substance-related and addictive disorders.” At the moment, gambling disorder is the only type of behavioural addiction that can be diagnosed.
Other types of behavioural addictions are not in the DSM-5 yet because not enough study has been done on them. But if you let a habit or hobby take over your life and stop you from doing the things you need to do, it can hurt your mental, social, and physical health, and in some cases, your income too.
• Taking in food.
• Working out or dieting.
• Buying things.
• Shoplifting and going to dangerous places.
• Having sexual relations.
• Being shown explicit stuff.
• Video games (disorder linked to playing games online).
• Connecting to the internet on a computer or phone.
Signs of addiction and how it starts
Signs of addiction
The signs of addiction are different for each person and depend on the drug or activity. In a broad sense, signs include:
• Inability to stop: Some people can’t stop using drugs or doing dangerous addictive habits, no matter how hard they try. They may have tried many times but failed to cut down on their drug use or bad behaviour. They might also try to hide it or tell their loved ones lies about it.
• Building up a tolerance: Over time, they might need more of the exercise or substance to feel the same high levels of happiness.
• Obsession with the substance or activity that is harmful: addicts are very focused on the substance or activity. People who are addicted may feel like the addiction has taken over their lives when they need, get, and think about the problem of the addiction more and more.
• Not being able to control your actions or drug use: Many people feel helpless and think they have lost control over their lives. They may often feel guilty, hopeless, or exhausted because of their addiction and how much it has changed their lives.
• Personal and health problems: Their addiction affects every part of their lives, such as their mental and physical health, their relationships, and their job. Because they use drugs or do the activity, they might have trouble meeting their obligations at work, school, or home. To say it again, they know that their habits are hurting them, but they can’t stop.
• Withdrawal: When someone who is addicted stops using, they may have physical and emotional withdrawal signs. Some physical signs are shaking, sweating, or throwing up. They might also feel worried or angry.
What leads to addiction
For some reason, addiction is not just one thing. It’s a very complicated illness. Changing the chemicals in your brain is a big part of how addiction starts and grows.
Some things and actions can change your brain, especially the part that makes you feel good.
People are naturally driven to look for rewards. Most of the time, these benefits come from doing good things. Your body releases a chemical called dopamine when you eat a tasty meal or spend time with someone you care about. This chemical makes you feel good. It turns into a cycle: you look for these things because they make you feel good.
You can also get huge amounts of dopamine from drugs and from doing certain things, like having sex or spending money. But having so much dopamine in your body can make you think, feel, and act in ways that are harmful, rather than encouraging you to do the things you need to do to stay alive, like eat, work, and spend time with your loved ones.
This can make you want to get more pleasure from the drug or activity and less from things that are better for you.
The drugs or activities change the chemistry of your brain over time, and you stop feeling their affects as much. After that, you need more to get the same result.
When you stop using some drugs, like opioids, the withdrawal effects are so bad that they make you want to use them even more.
The following are some other things that can lead to addiction:
• Genetics: Studies have shown that genetics account for 40% to 60% of the risk of developing any SUD. If you have a biological sibling or parent who has a substance abuse problem, you are more likely to also develop one. Scientists are trying to find the genes that might make this vulnerability worse.
Health problems with your mind: There is a strong link between addiction and mental health problems like bipolar disorder, PTSD, and sadness. About half of the people who have a mental illness will also have a substance abuse problem (SUD), and the same is true for the other way around.
• Things in the environment: One of the most important environmental risk factors is easy access to drugs. Being around people who use drugs, like family members or friends, and being given drugs that can be abused, like opioids or stimulants, can make you more exposed to them and more likely to start using yourself. ACEs, or bad events in childhood, also play a part. Events that cause stress or pain in childhood are called ACEs. ACEs have a strong link to a lot of different health issues that people have over the course of their lives, including addiction.
How to Diagnose and Test
Your doctor may send you to a therapist, psychologist, or drug and alcohol counsellor to get an official diagnosis of addiction. Your provider will ask you (and maybe even people close to you) about how often you use drugs or do other bad things.
Your doctor may want to check your vital signs and order blood and urine tests. Your doctor can learn about your general health from these tests. They may also help rule out other health problems.
How to Manage and Treat
It’s possible that your doctor will suggest a mix of treatments, such as:
• People in charge of hospitals: Withdrawal from some drugs can be dangerous. There are special hospital units that offer therapy and monitoring to help you while you go through withdrawal from drugs.
• Medications: Some medicines can help lower cravings, urges, and long-term withdrawal symptoms. If you have another mental illness, like bipolar disorder or depression, your doctor may also give you medicine to treat that.
• Rehabilitating: This is also known as “sober living” or “residential treatment.” While someone is in rehab, they get structured counselling, education, support, and encouragement. You can stay at a rehab centre full-time (inpatient rehab) or just go there for sessions on a regular basis (outpatient rehab). The main goal of rehab is to help you deal with your addiction and live a healthier life.
• Therapy: Different kinds of therapy can help addicts see things in a new way and change how they act. Talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy or group therapy, may be suggested by your doctor.
• Support groups: A lot of people deal with their addictions with the help of a support group, like Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. Families and friends of people with substance use disorders can get help from groups like Al-Anon. These groups give people a way to talk about their problems and get ongoing help.
Safety First
Here are some things you can do to lower your chances of becoming addicted:
• Avoiding or limiting substances that have addiction potential: Try to avoid or limit your use of non-medical substances, and always follow your provider’s orders for prescription medication use. If you feel like you’re developing a dependence on prescription medication, contact your provider immediately.
• Knowing your family history: If you have a family history of substance use disorders or behavioral addictions, you may be more vulnerable. Talk to your healthcare provider about ways to lower your risk.
• Healthily managing stress: The risk of substance use increases greatly during times of stress and change. It’s important to turn to healthy coping mechanisms during these times, such as exercising, meditating or learning a new hobby. Consider seeing a mental health professional if you’re having issues managing your stress.
Outlook / Prognosis
With treatment, many people manage addiction and live full, healthy lives. But recovering from substance use disorders and behavioral addictions isn’t easy. Supportive friends, family members and healthcare providers play an essential role in effective treatment as well.
Without treatment, addiction can cause serious health issues, even death. It can damage personal relationships, lead to financial difficulties and cause legal problems. Untreated addiction also harms family members, and the effects can last for generations.
Living With an addiction
It can be very challenging and stressful to learn that someone you love may have a behavioral addiction or substance use disorder. Here are some tips to help your loved one and yourself:
• Speak up sooner rather than later: The earlier a person with addiction receives treatment, the better. Address your concerns and help them find treatment as soon as possible. Suggest calling a helpline, talking to a healthcare provider or mental health professional, joining a treatment program or going to a 12-step program. Offer your help and support without being critical.
• Practice empathy: Even when you don’t agree with your loved one, listen carefully to them. The more your loved one feels heard, the more they’ll see you as someone they can trust.
• Be patient: Don’t expect a single conversation or move to fix your loved one’s addiction. Substance abuse disorders and behavioral addictions are complex chronic conditions, and there’s no quick fix to overcoming them.
• Take care of yourself: The friends and family members of people with addiction often experience stress, sadness, grief and isolation. It’s important to take care of your mental health and seek help if you’re having these symptoms. Consider joining a support group or organization in your neighborhood.
When should I see my healthcare provider about addiction?
Addiction is a dangerous disease. If you or someone you care about may have a problem, talk to your provider right away. Treatments and support groups can help.
A sticky note from Reprospot
If you or someone you know is addicted, you might feel like you have no power over your life. But there is hope. Addictions can be cured. Millions of people with substance use disorders and behavioral addictions have been able to beat their problems and live happy, healthy lives with the help of professional medical care and dedication. Talk to your doctor or nurse about a treatment plan that will work for you. If you run into problems along the way, don’t give up. You can get through this, and you’re not the only one.
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