Addiction: Symtoms, Possible Causes and Cure

"Addiction" is utilized more frequently today than any other time in recent memory.  We hear it connected to the even the most amiable practices, similar to a most loved TV appear or nibble nourishment. However, the term can likewise allude to a risky infection. Genuine compulsion is more than a negative behaviour pattern. It is a fixation on a self-dangerous substance or conduct.

According to Psychology Today, Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (e.g., alcohol, cocaine, nicotine) or engages in an activity (e.g., gambling, sex, shopping) that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health. 

It is characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences. Users may not be aware that their behaviour is out of control and causing problems for themselves and others.

People with an addiction do not have control over what they are doing, taking or using. Their addiction may reach a point at which it is harmful.  The subject matter of addiction is questionable.  As a result of this, it's not difficult to see why the truth of addiction stays unclear. Is addiction a physical problem? How does it come to stay? Is it genetic? Can it be cured? These are habitual inquiries that frequently have complex answers, but the lack of concrete resolution does not prevent successful cure.

When a person is addicted to something they cannot control how they use it, and become dependent on it to cope with daily life.  It is also noted that some habits eventually leads to addiction.  Habits are controlled but addiction takes control of you.  

At the point when referring to any sort of addiction, recognize that it is not just a quest for delight and that addiction has nothing to do with one's ethical quality or quality of character.

There are different types of addictions.  According to Stedman’s Medical Dictionary “habitual psychological or physiological dependence on a substance or practice that is beyond voluntary control,” An individual can be addicted to a number of things; some may be more dangerous compared to the others.  The following are common addictions, they include:

 

1. Drug or Alcohol Addiction
2. Tobacco Addiction
3. Sex Addiction
4. Food Addiction
5. Gambling Addiction
6. Caffeine Addiction
7. Shopping Addiction
8. Exercise  Addiction
9. Tanning Addiction

Addiction is usually destructive in nature and often gets worse with time.

How do we know the symptoms of Addiction?

The symptoms of addiction may vary from person to person.  Though, most addictions have a set of features that may arise either unexpectedly or over a phase of time and they may include:

1. increased use of or obsession with the substance
2. change of lifestyle, social activities, or friendships in order to accommodate use or behavior
3. loss of interest in hobbies, goals, or activities that used to bring joy
4. pushing away close family members and friends who may be able to detect a problem
5. loss of employment or other negative work-related problems
6. extreme changes in personality—someone who was once outgoing and social may become withdrawn, or vice versa
7. loss of control over frequency or quantity of use
8. repeated failed attempts to control or stop the addiction

This is just to mention a few.  Addicts become expert at hiding their behaviour which allows them to maintain access to their addiction without discovery. As a result, it’s not always easy to spot addiction from the outside.

What Causes Addiction?

Science has revealed that an addicted person’s brain follows certain patterns that can cause both a physiological and psychological dependence.

Most addiction experts also agree, conversely, that addiction is typically caused not just by physiological responses in the brain. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), factors like heredity, environment, mental health, and diet may also play a role in the onset and development of addiction. In fact, several factors are usually involved, which can make addiction a complex condition both to prevent and treat.

Treatment / Cure for Addiction

Since addiction is a mental and physical problem, it is commonly regarded with customary strategies, for example, drug therapy and counseling.  Rehabilitation centre with effective programs are the way forward for many addicts.  Most doctors utilize support groups led by addicts to assist other addicts which they call the 12-step program.  

When it comes to drug addiction and other related substance, some medications are available to treat drug addictions which are strictly to be taken under the supervision of the doctor.   Other non traditional method may include brain simulations therapies that are targeted to people with more than one disorder like drug addiction and depression.

Finally, professionals believe addiction cannot be cured but can only be managed. Recovery from addiction is an ongoing process; therefore it may take a lifetime for a chronic addict to recover from such habit.   According to Health Line, for best results, doctors usually recommend a combination of lifestyle and behaviour changes in addition to medical-based therapies.  Also, an addict must be willing to change his or her behaviour, stop using drugs or engaging in the addictive behaviour, and seek help before the process of recovery can even begin.