Addiction: what is it?
Addiction is a widespread issue, but assistance is accessible. Addiction is characterised by a lack of control over engaging in, consuming, or utilising something to the extent that it may be detrimental to your well-being. Addiction is often linked to gambling, drugs, alcohol, and smoking, but one can become addicted to nearly anything, including:
- work – some individuals become so engrossed in their jobs that they reach a point of physical exhaustion; if your relationships, family, and social life suffer and you never take vacations, you might be addicted to work.s
- internet – with the rise in computer and mobile phone usage, internet and computer addictions have also surged; people may spend countless hours each day and night browsing the web or gaming, neglecting other important areas of their lives.
- solvents – volatile substance abuse occurs when individuals inhale substances like glue, aerosols, gasoline, or lighter fluid to experience a sense of intoxication.
- shopping – shopping turns into an addiction when you purchase items you neither need nor want to feel a thrill; this is often followed by feelings of guilt, shame, or despair.
- sex – sex addiction manifests when your sexual behaviour feels uncontrollable, causes distress to you or others, or impacts your life and relationships.
What triggers addiction?
There are numerous factors that can lead to the onset of addictions. For drugs, alcohol, and nicotine, these substances influence your feelings, both physically and mentally. These sensations can be pleasurable and create a strong desire to use the substances repeatedly. Call 07811 606 606 for help and advice.
Often, an addiction spirals out of control as you find yourself needing more and more to fulfil a craving and reach that “high”.
How addiction can impact you
The pressure of dealing with an addiction can significantly harm your professional life and personal relationships. When it comes to substance abuse (like drugs and alcohol), an addiction can lead to severe psychological and physical consequences. Research indicates that a person’s likelihood of developing an addiction may have a genetic component, but environmental influences, such as being surrounded by others who have addictions, are also believed to heighten the risk. Behaviours like substance abuse can serve as a means to escape from challenging problems. Factors such as unemployment and poverty can trigger addiction, along with stress and emotional or work-related pressures.
Addiction can result in early death
- It serves as both a consequence and a trigger for various physical and mental issues.
- It negatively affects the brain’s neural chemistry.
- Typically, it appears alongside other disorders.
- Ultimately, it devastates individuals, families, and communities.
- It impacts all types of cultures, social classes, and ethnic backgrounds.
- Recovering from addiction alone is extremely challenging.
BUT… Recovery is achievable. Individuals who have faced the brink of destruction due to addiction have discovered a path to a renewed life.
Are drugs and alcohol running your life?
We, the team at Free Rehab, understand the immense challenges you are facing. You might be feeling overwhelmed by the flood of thoughts and emotions that bombard you. You have indeed lost control of your life. Stopping the use of your preferred substance or halting the self-destructive patterns seems impossible. If you persist with this behaviour, you sense that your life will spiral out of control. You find yourself indifferent to everything you once enjoyed. Your sole focus has become obtaining drugs and engaging in self-destructive actions, whether you desire to or not. The fixation on alcohol, drugs, shopping, or video games has led your life to a standstill. This situation pulls you into a pit from which escape feels impossible. In the process, you are losing sight of who you used to be, while your loved ones are filled with anxiety, fearing that something terrible might happen to you. However, before too long, that dreadful feeling you experience prior to using comes back, pulling you back into your personal hell, and you realise that a relapse is imminent.
Why can’t I quit drugs
One of the most exasperating parts of addiction is the struggle to stop using or to avoid falling back into harmful behaviours. On one side, you yearn to escape the relentless cycle of addiction, yet on the other, all you crave is to use. By the end of this cycle, you often feel more alone and isolated, as well as neglected and rejected by those you care about. It’s an incredibly tough situation, and only those who have experienced it can truly understand. It’s completely normal for you to feel confused. It’s perfectly natural to have these feelings. There’s nothing strange, inappropriate, or wrong about you. You simply don’t have the right tools to navigate this situation and reclaim your essential purpose to stop using and lead a joyful, fulfilling life in recovery. Millions have achieved this, and you can too, if you truly desire it. All you need to do is take that first step.
obsession with consumption
If you are using drugs, do you spend your days scheming on how to acquire more money for your next fix? Or perhaps you are caught in a shopping addiction, and your family and friends no longer trust you to borrow money? You might have even taken money from a family member without their knowledge, or spent the savings they worked tirelessly to accumulate. To persuade someone to lend you money, it’s likely that you’ve had to deceive those closest to you, your spouse, parents, or children. Your loved ones feel helpless to assist and have stopped asking what’s wrong, where you’ve been, or if you’re using again. They understand that you will probably just lie once more.
Guilt and shame
Every time you use drugs or fall back into compulsive behaviours (like bulimia, sexual addiction, gambling, etc.), you let down your loved ones once again. Guilt and shame wash over you, and in a fleeting moment of regret, you promise yourself that you will change and that you won’t repeat these actions.
Seeking help
Addiction is a condition that can be treated. No matter what the addiction is, there are numerous ways to seek assistance. You might consider visiting your GP for guidance or reaching out to an organisation that focuses on helping individuals with addictions.
You can utilise the following online directories to locate addiction treatment services in your vicinity:
- alcohol addiction support services
- drug addiction support
- stop smoking clinics (smoking cessation)
If you wish to talk to someone anonymously about any kind of addiction, you can call 07811 606 606.