What is addiction?

Addiction is the compulsive need to absorb oneself in an activity or to use  a substance.  This absorption creates a feeling of euphoria or termed “High”.  On one side the addiction is physical, meaning to get high, and on the other side, it is psychological, meaning a need to cope with life.   When someone who is addicted is deprived of the substance or activity, an intense anxiety sets in and they have to have it to function even though they know it is against their best interest.

From society’s view point, addiction is a failure whereas from the medical establishment’s point of view, it is a disease. Losing control of all aspect of life is the main criteria of addiction, an addicted person will reach a point where they are not able to control how much or how often they engage themselves in an activity or use a substance.  Depression is present when an addicted person stop using a substance or stop engaging in an activity, therefore, addiction is considered progressive which means that the use and consequences will continue to rise until the addicted person seeks treatment or dies.

Since there are two components to addiction, physical and psychological, it is difficult to establish the main cause of addiction; many factors contribute to the risk of addiction.  Certain drugs have a higher tolerance than others, drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine could make someone have an immediate addiction to it.   Activities such as eating, shopping, and sex only become addictive to some people.

The following factors may contribute to addiction: Genetics, environment, abuse, emotional disorder, substance and low frustration tolerance.

Where genetics are concerned, some alcoholic addiction could be inherited.

Environment: growing up around certain substance abuse or behaviors

Abuse: someone who has experienced sexual, psychological, emotional or physical abuse is very likely to become addicted due to low self esteem and possible flashbacks

Emotional disorder: Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, people with emotional disorders use substances as a way to self medicate themselves to escape the original disorder.

The substance: Certain drugs have the ability to create dependence after a few uses, such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, you can become addicted almost immediately.

Low frustration tolerance: Common among all types of addiction, an addicted person often has distress at low level of frustration, meaning, they can get easily upset at the slightest thing.

People can also develop addiction to things such as behavior or activities along with substances.

Research has shown that without physical dependence, there could be a diagnosis of addiction, now it is know that psychological dependence has much more to do with this equation than originally thought.

Alcohol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, shopping, exercise, overeating, under eating, sex, work and even internet surfing have people becoming physically and or psychologically dependent on these substances and activities.

The reason why behaviors and activities can become addictive is that they may create chemical changes in the brain that will cause cravings, and when you crave something, you are having an obsession, a compulsion or losing control and despite its negative consequences, you have to go and get it.  Sugar, for example, can be addictive, because you crave for it.

In short, when an activity or behavior begins to produce negative consequences and you continue with it, then it becomes an addiction.

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