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Addictions



Definition of Addiction

The word “addiction” is now used so commonly that it has taken on a number of different meanings. Some people will use it to refer to anything that they like to do – so you will have people who love to travel the world refers to themselves as “travel addicts.” This person will probably be very different from the person who is addicted to alcohol or heroin, so this can lead to confusion as to what addiction actually means.

The problem is that nowadays people will use the word addiction in positive as well as negative ways. Strictly speaking, though, the word addiction is used to refer to a negative type of behaviour. One way of defining it would be to say that addiction means doing something repeatedly even though the person knows that it is harming them. The individual who has falling into addiction is not behaving in this way out of love but because they feel unable to stop.

If you are worried that you might have an addiction that is negatively affecting your life, you can call us here on 0800 140 4820 (+44 203 1511488 for those outside the UK) and we will be happy to discuss the situation with you.

The Common Addictions

The most well known of all the addictive behaviours, would be the ones that involve the use of alcohol and drugs. With this type of addiction, the individual will develop a physical as well as a psychological dependence. The physical dependence means that the person develops uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms should they try to stop and it also means that they have developed a tolerance for the substance (this means that they need to keep on taking more of it to get the same effect). Psychological dependence means that the individual will experience cravings, and they will feel unable to cope with the substance.

The Other Addictions

The other addictions will usually not involve physical dependence, but this does not necessarily mean that they are easier to deal with than alcohol or drug addiction. These other self-destructive behaviours can trap the person in a downward spiral that may eventually kill them. Just like drug addiction, the individual will need to change their behaviour permanently in order to escape the downward trajectory that their life is taking.

Some of the other addictions can be more complicated to treat than drug addiction because abstinence might not be an option. If the affected person is dealing with some type of eating disorder, it will not be an option for them to just never eat again. It would also be unreasonable to expect a person addicted to sex to give up this type of intimacy forever. With some of these other addictions, the individual will need to learn how to change their relationship to the object of their obsession. These days there are many approaches that will help the person do just that.

Examples of Other Addictions

Here are some examples of these other addictions that can destroy a person’s life:

  • Gambling addiction
  • Eating disorders
  • Internet addiction
  • Pornography addiction
  • Shopping addiction
  • Gaming addiction
  • Computer addiction
  • Sex addiction
  • Love addiction
  • Co dependency
  • Work addiction
  • Exercise addiction
  • High risk behaviour addiction

These are just some of the addictions that do not fall under the category of alcohol or drugs. Any behaviour that is causing problems for the individual, and they feel unable to stop, can be classified as an addiction. If you are unsure about whether or not you are dealing with addiction, please call us here.

How to Get Help for Other Addictions

There are now plenty of treatment options available for people who are dealing with these other types of addiction. Many residential rehab programmes will be familiar with dealing with clients who have this type of problem. If you wish to find out more about the help available to you in your local area (or further afield) you can just call us directly, or text “help” to 66777 and we will get right back to you. There is almost certainly going to be help available that will allow you to break away from this addictive behaviour.

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