Addiction

What is addiction?

When you think of addiction what immediately spring to mind are the usual suspects, drugs and alcohol. Whilst these remain serious problems, addiction can involve a whole range of things, and affects people in many different ways.

Addiction is a compulsive and uncontrollable impulse that often begins harmlessly, but which then spirals out of control, sometimes taking over a person’s life. It affects us all, either directly – it’s estimated that 1 in 3 of us suffers from some form of addiction, and this in turn directly impacts on their friends and family– or indirectly, through its effect on society. Recognition of an addiction is vitally important in overcoming it. By reading this you’re taking the first step in defeating this devastating disease.

Types of addiction

As mentioned before, addiction comes in many forms, some of which you might not even have considered. Here are just a few of the more common ones. It’s in no way a complete list.

Alcohol - Men are much more likely to become addicted to alcohol. They make up to two thirds of AA meetings. Alcohol is a depressant drug, bringing our mood down if we’re already low and causing unpredictable, sometimes violent behaviour. It can go unrecognised for a long time, especially when pressure from our peers makes it very difficult to say ‘no’. Alcohol can also complicate an underlying problem such as depression. As well as bringing down our mood, the mixture of anti-depressant drugs and alcohol can be very dangerous.
Drugs - Substance abuse includes both legal ‘over-the-counter’ drugs and illegal drugs. Like alcohol, drug dependency rates are much higher among men, and it’s something that can be the source of many other problems including alienation from loved ones, unemployment and criminality. Once the body becomes addicted to a drug, it can be very difficult to stop. Coming off drugs can be tough both physically and psychologically. Cramps, fever, headaches and goosebumps are just some of the symptoms that people experience coming off drugs. It takes a lot of mental strength. Recognising you have a problem, however, is an important step.
Gambling - Casinos, scratch cards, betting shops and lotteries are commonplace in every street, and with the internet the industry has grown rapidly. While these things may seem normal and harmless, it’s been estimated that up to 3% of the population has a gambling addiction, and most of them are men. For many, the thrill of the gamble, taking a risk, is a much greater incentive than actually winning. The effects of a gambling addiction go far beyond the financial. Depression and suicide are closely linked with gambling problems, and great financial losses can have a devastating effect on relationships with family and friends.
The internet - The internet is now so widely used it can be hard to draw the line between necessary use and addiction. But when it becomes hard to stop yourself, becomes furtive, or starts to interfere with the rest of your life by disrupting sleep patterns and normal social interaction it may be time to consider the possibility of an addiction.
Exercise - While exercise is an important aspect of keeping healthy, excessive and obsessive exercise can become problematic. This form of addiction is particularly common among men, and the problem is increasing, maybe a result of the rising pressures on men to conform to the ideal body image. Exercise addition may be a form of control, or due to vanity, but either way it can take over a person’s life, at the expense of other areas like family, relationships, a job and finances.

Why me?

Lots of research has been carried out to find out why some people and not others develop addictions, but no definitive answer has been found so far. It’s possible that a number of factors combine. Here are some possibilities:

Genes - It’s possible that some people are genetically more vulnerable to becoming addicted. Personality has also been suggested to be a factor.
Childhood and family environment - Experiences as a child may leave certain people more susceptible to addiction. Abuse in childhood has been linked to addiction later in life.
Social and cultural factors - All the addictions above are easily accessibly in society and the social acceptability of many of these things people very vulnerable to addition.

What can I do to stop?

Essentially, only the person with the addiction can help themselves. However, there are plenty of resources available to guide them along the way…

Self help – This can be in the form of self-help groups, which may provide that extra level of support and empathy to keep someone on track. There are also many books to get you started.
Professional help – in the case of drugs, physical treatments like methadone may be available to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms, but in most cases, some form of psychological treatment is also needed to help the person stop the addictive thoughts. This can be in the form of counselling or a residential treatment.

More information

First Psychology Centre, Edinburgh can help you. Contact us on 0131-668-1440 to find out more or to arrange an initial session.
Alternatively you may wish to speak to your GP who should be able to refer you to someone suitable.
See our links at www.edinburghtherapy.co.uk/links.htm for details of organisations who may be able to provide assistance or information.

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