What is addiction?

Addiction is a word that is often associated with negative connotations. And what’s wrong in it? We are usually addicted to things like gambling, porn, sex, alcohol, smoking and what not and here’s what they say, excess of everything is bad for you. So, yes, Addiction is as bad as it may sound. But what really is it? And how do you know that you are addicted to something?

Well, from my personal experience, I can tell you addiction is something that is hard to identify at first but once you learn about the signs and symptoms, it’s very difficult to overcome it. So, it wasn’t me, but a very near one who was addicted to alcohol. In the initial days, it was all about ‘oh you know, you drink too much’ but later one, when they tried to control it, even then they drank like a fish. We had even admitted them to a rehab, thinking that would help but rehab only put his signs in hibernation mode.  And when the signs re-appeared, they were stronger and more regressive in nature. From then, the story of never-ending control came into picture. We did everything, from putting them under house arrest to checking each and every person that came to meet them, but none helped us. Eventually, we lost the person, and mind you he was young, to liver cirrhosis, all because he could not overcome his addiction.

Addictions are lethal and no one can overcome it till they don’t want to. It’s only your inner voice that can curb you to leave the thing you are addicted to, nothing and nobody else can be of any influence. It’s a bad force and may no one fall victim to it!

Addiction can be considered as an activity which is done for your pleasure life sex, shopping, or gambling or you ingest any substance (Alcohol, nicotine, cocaine) which you can’t give up very easily like smoking, drinking or taking drugs. These works are done in such a frequency that they become a necessary part of your life. This is the time when the habit turns into an addiction. When you develop an addiction towards something, it becomes uncontrollable something to give up those habits. Your behavior and normal gestures can also be affected by an addiction. There are physical, biological and mental additions that can happen to people. I believe an addiction can create problems to others and more importantly to themselves. The most addictive behavior is not related to physical control; it is rather related to controlling yourself mentally. An addiction can never be positive I believe.

I believe that addiction is when you know something is bad for you and you still cannot give it up. You lose the control over your senses and cannot help yourself from being lured into the same cycle that you have been trying so hard to avoid. You know that you are going to get hurt but still go on the same path.
People have their own addictions and I believe that everybody in this world are addicted to something or the other. For instance, a child may be addicted to television. Whenever he returns from school, he has to watch TV or he cannot do anything else. Or for that matter, one could be addicted to candies and feel uneasy when he or she has not had one for a long time.
The most common one we see in today’s world is the smartphone addiction and no matter how much you try to convince yourself that it is not an addiction and you can get over it whenever you wish to, you end up being a victim of it. I will admit, the same is the case with me. I cannot stay too long without checking my phone and that is wrong.
It is a wrong notion that you can only get addicted to drugs or by consuming some sort of chemicals. Television can result in chemical reactions in our brains, and so can love. And we do have people who are addicted to love, the idea of love or a person in their life. So, that is addiction for you.

Hello Reader,

Thank you for sharing your doubts with us. Addiction is a term we hear in our daily lives, and hence it is important that we know what exactly an addiction is. We hope we are able to help you with our answer.

What Is Addiction?

Addiction is a condition or a psychological disorder which is a result of a person indulging in the consumption of a substance or any activity that is pleasurable. Continuation of the same becomes compulsive and interferes with your ordinary chores and responsibilities at work, in your relationships and adversely affects your health too. The worst part is that the people who develop an addiction are not even aware of their behavior and are later found out of control causing problems for others and themselves.

Addiction can be used in several different ways. One definition describes it as a physical addiction. It is a biological state in which the body adapts to the company of a drug which with time loses its effect on the body and makes it tolerable. Another form of physical addiction is the phenomenon of overreaction by the brain to drugs. An alcoholic when walks into a bar feel an extra pull to have a drink because he’s addicted to drinking.

However, the most addictive behavior is not related to physical tolerance or exposure to cues. People’s compulsive usage of drugs, alcohol, or even compulsive shopping is a reaction to being stressed, irrespective of them having a physical addiction.

These psychologically based addictions are not necessarily based on drug or brain effects and they can account for why people habitually switch their addictive actions from one drug to another or even to a completely non-drug behavior. The focus of the addiction isn't what matters; it's the need to take action against the stress that has caused the addiction.

How To Treat An Addiction?

Treating an addiction requires an understanding of how it works psychologically.

When dealing with any kind of addiction, it is important to recognize that its cause cannot be simply a search for pleasure and that your addiction has nothing to do with your morality or character.

Here are some ways to get free from addiction:

#1. Leave All Kinds Of Substance Abuse

First and foremost, you need to abandon the use of substance or other addictive drugs that has worsened your situation. And by abandon, we mean to completely eradicate it from your system.

#2. Make Up Your Mind & Stay Strong

Once you have decided to stay away from substance abuse, practice all means to motivate yourself to live a life, free from addiction. You need to keep your mind strong and focused and ensure that you do not resume your habits of substance abuse and revisit the old days of addiction.

#3. Keep Yourself Busy

The best to stay motivated and away from such harmful substances is to keep yourself busy. Try adopting some work or engage in some other tasks to keep your mind occupied and use your energy in productive ways. An empty mind is the home of a devil, hence do not let the devil in you overpower the positive actions you take to beat addiction.

#4. Practice Self-Talk

If god-forbid, you experience a trigger that compels you to indulge in such activities, try practicing self-talk. It will not only help you distract your mind but also remind of the reason why you are abandoning the use of drugs and are happily signing up for a healthier life.

In The End!

Debates have been conducted on whether an addiction is a disease or a true mental illness, or whether a drug dependence and addiction implies the same thing. While answers remain uncertain, one thing is for sure! Addiction is a bad habit that needs to be removed from the roots.

We hope the information provided was useful and beneficial. Keep posting your query to us at http://bit.ly/2sdAbQU. We would love to help you!

Thanking You,

Team AskOpinion

(Image Courtesy: 1. Dalal Kourtesy, 2. The Achiever's Book, 3. Driftwood Therapy, 4. Drug Abuse)