An addiction is a dysfunction in the brain which affects our reward, motivation and memory. Addiction is when the body craves a particular substance or behaviour. It can cause an obsessive and compulsive want for a reward, with a lack of concern over the consequences of doing it. People with addictions often end up in rehab, for example people with alcohol addiction will need to go to alcohol rehab.
Someone experiencing addiction will experience the following:
- An inability to stay away from the thing they are addicted to.
- A lack of self-control when it comes to addiction.
- An increased desire for the substance or behaviour.
- Not realising or caring about how their actions might be causing problems.
- Lacking an emotional response.
What types of addictions are there?
According to ‘Action on Addiction’, a charity based in the UK, up to 1 in 3 people across the world have an addiction of some form. You can be addicted to any substance or behaviour. The most well known are drug and alcohol addiction. Almost 1 in 10 Americans are experiencing addictions to both. Two-thirds of people who abuse drugs also abuse alcohol.
The most common drug addictions are:
- Nicotine that is found in tobacco and cigarettes
- THC in Marijuana
- Painkillers such as opioids
- Cocaine
Other addictions beside these which are the most common include:
- Coffee or caffeine
- Gambling
- Anger (which is used as a coping strategy)
- Food
- Technology
- Sex
- Work
The last three; technology, sex, and work are not usually recognised addictions. Some habits like these work like addictions, as a person will react negatively if they don’t get their ‘reward’ from it. For example, a lot of people are addicted to the caffeine in coffee, and can actually experience physical and mental withdrawal such as headaches and irritability.
What are the signs?
To recognise addiction, you can spot signs which are related to one’s ability to maintain self-control. This could include some changes to their life and personality such as seeking situations where they can socially partake in using a substance or behaviour, increased secrecy, health-related issues like insomnia and memory loss, or personality changes such as mood swings.
Someone who is addicted will not stop even if they notice that their addiction is causing issues.
