Addiction is a complex matter, it’s often misunderstood and comes with a lot of preconceived ideas which are more often than not, wildly inaccurate.
We become addicted to something when we’re compelled to carry out the activity or consume a substance over and over again. When we do try to withdraw, we experience traumatic physiological symptoms which is one of the many reasons why it’s so hard to stop.
Below we have highlighted some of the most common forms of addiction and how they affect us.
Drug addiction
Drug addiction is a chronic condition which leads to compulsive and uncontrollable substance abuse, despite its harmful consequences. Those who don’t have a drug problem can find it hard to sympathize because you question why someone doesn’t just stop taking drugs.
People underestimate the complexity of drug addiction however – it’s a condition that impacts our brains and even alters the way it works. Drug use impairs a person’s self-control, their ability to make healthy decisions and also creates an intense impulse to use. Nobody wants to develop an addiction, it’s something that happens when we no longer have control of our brains.
Because cannabis isn’t a Class A drug, we wrongly assume that it’s safer than any other substance. Marijuana addiction is just as serious as any other drug addiction however and recent data suggests that up to 30% of cannabis users have some degree of marijuana use disorder.
Alcohol addiction
Alcohol addiction is complex because you get varying degrees of dependence and they don’t always involve excessive levels of drinking. It often goes undiagnosed because we have an idea in our head that alcoholics can’t get through the day without drinking and that you wouldn’t be able to hold down a job or maintain relationships if you have a problem.
Many people are in fact functioning alcoholics. This means that they’re perfectly capable of going to work (and not drink while they’re there), paying their bills, raising a family and socialising with friends.
What’s more, an alcoholic isn’t necessarily someone who drinks excessively or even every day. Whether you find that you ‘need’ to share a bottle of wine with your partner a few times a week or you only drink once a week but when you do you get so drunk you can’t remember what happened, these are also signs of problem drinking.
Sex addiction
Possibly the most misunderstood addiction is sex addiction. Many people still think that you can’t be addicted to sex and anyone who claims to be is simply trying to justify promiscuous behavior or serial cheating. Sadly, many people won’t seek help for it either because of these attitudes.
Sex addiction develops when a person can’t control their urge to engage in frequent and risky behaviors. Their actions can have severe consequences but despite this, they still can’t stop.
For many people, sex addiction provides an escape from other undiagnosed issues and contrary to popular belief, it’s not even all about sex. It’s actually more about the compulsivity and ritual surrounding the act.
Whether you have a drug, sex, alcohol or gambling addiction, it’s still unknown exactly what causes some people to become addicted to these things and not others. Scientists and psychologists have spent many years researching and studying the possibilities however and have discovered a number of theories:
- Research suggests there could be an ‘addiction gene’ which means that addiction could be pre-determined and there’s little we can do to control or prevent it.
- Addiction is often triggered by a traumatic event such as the death of a loved one, divorce or losing a job. Naturally, stress and anxiety can make someone more likely to drink too much, take drugs or participate in risqué sexual behaviors as a coping mechanism.
- Some psychologists believe that addiction is the outcome of a set of circumstances. For example, if a parent has an addiction, you will have been exposed to it at a young age and are therefore more likely to copy these behaviors.
If you think that you or someone you know may need help with an addiction, please feel free to contact Toronto Trauma and Addiction Counselling in the strictest of confidence and we will be more than happy to help.
Marijuana statistic – https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-addictive
