is a difficult thing for anyone to deal with.
Even if you’re not experiencing the signs yourself, you might be witnessing someone that you love going through things like or prescription dependence.
Contrary to popular opinion, isn’t necessarily a sign of poor coping skills. Sometimes, comes from mental disorders or trauma that has led to dependence. Just like with any issue, to any requires the right .
If you have an issue with or , getting the right support from a provider can help you overcome your , and avoid a relapse. The first step to success is finding the right source of support.
What is ?
is often difficult to understand. It often begins with compulsive behavior or addictive behaviors that perpetuate an issue. Some people suffer from cravings, while others experience issues with depression that harm their coping skills and make them feel as though they need to rely on substances for support. It’s is about how you crave a certain or behavior, particularly if it creates a “reward,” and a lack of concern over consequences.
What are some examples of addictive behaviors?
Someone experience or issues with will often:
- Display a lack of self-control
- Be unable to stay away from the
- Have an increased desire for the behavior or
- Dismiss the way that their behavior is causing problems
- Lack of an emotional response
Over time, addictions can significantly interfere with your life. People who are experiencing may often cycle between mild and intense use of their . Despite these cycles, addictions often worsen over time, leading to permanent health issues, problems with relationships, and more.
What are the Types of ?
If you’re addicted to , drugs, or medications, you may be experiencing a kind of . According to the Action on Group, 1 in 3 people around the world has shows addictive behaviors.
Instead, can also arise with behaviors. Some people who attempt to stop their addictive behaviors even experience . This is often the case for and .
Some people are addicted to THC, which is found in marijuana, while others have an use that comes from prescription medications. Recovery starts with figuring out the source of your , from heroin to , and finding a solution.
Other substances and behaviors that might trigger an addictive behaviors can also include porn, gambling, caffeine, food, technology, work, and sex. Currently, although the American Psychiatric Association doesn’t recognize sex, technology, and work addictions, they are often treated by psychologists.
What are the Signs of ?
Most signs of relate to a person’s inability to control themselves. This could include social behaviors that involve seeking out situations that will expose them to more of a or behavior. People with addictions change their behaviors, using things like increased secrecy to hide their cravings.
The addicted person won’t stop their behavior, even if they recognize the problems the issue is causing. In some cases, this also means that these people display a lack of control, using more of a than necessary.
Some people blame other factors for their problems, and experience increased levels of anxiety, depression, and sadness. They have trouble identifying feelings, trouble telling the difference between feelings and physical sensations, and unrealistic assessments of the consequences of using addictive substances.
What Causes ?
Addictive substances and behaviors sometimes create a pleasurable “high” that’s both psychological and physical. You’ll typically engage in more behaviors for longer over time to achieve the same high in the future. Eventually, the or behavior becomes difficult to stop.
Some people might try a or behavior, and they never approach it or need it again. Others will approach that behavior once or twice in the future, but there won’t be any cravings or of withdrawal without it. Other people become addicted, partly because of the frontal lobes of the brain. The front lobe allows people to delay feelings of reward or gratification. However, the frontal lobe doesn’t work properly with the addicted person, and gratification is instant.
Other parts of the brain can play a role. The nucleus accumbens and the cingulate cortex can change the way you respond to addictive behaviors and substances. Other possible causes of can include chemical imbalances in the brain. Some people have disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar that can lead to coping strategies that become addictions.
Experts sometimes believe that repeated and regular exposure to addictive behaviors and substances often play a role. Sometimes, even genetics might increase the likelihood of by as much as 50%, according to the American Society for .
Environment or culture can also play a role in how people respond to behaviors and substances. A lack of social support systems might lead to behavioral or . Traumatic experiences that affect coping options can also prompt more addictive behaviors in the future.
Stages and Programs
usually plays out in stages. The body and brain’s reactions to a or behavior at the early stages are different from reactions during the later stages. The initial stages of start with experimentation. After that, you might use behavior or regularly, often in social situations.
It begins to become a more significant problem when people use or engage in a behavior in a way that disregards consequences. You might find that you begin to use the behavior daily, or several times each day, despite the possible consequences.
The good news is that no matter how bad your or is, all types of are treatable. The best plans for will be comprehensive. can affect many areas of life. Treatments focus on helping you stop seeking and engaging in their .
Common therapies will include medications for disorders like depression, psychotherapy, and behavioral, talk, or self-help groups. Medical services to help treat serious complications of addictions might be necessary, too, like withdrawal during detox.
There’s also inpatient available, and the option to work with a case manager to coordinate ongoing .
Getting the Right
Outpatient and inpatient are both available. The definition of can often be hard to define for a lot of people. It doesn’t always lead to or rehab. Sometimes, alcoholism and starts with outpatient conversations.
Within the early stages of , doctors might recommend initial medication and therapy. During later stages of , when a risk of overdose deaths and is more significant, your doctor might suggest a more controlled setting to help with .