Addiction: A Complex Disorder with Various Origins
Addiction is a complex disorder which can have many origins whether social, biological, environmental or economic factors which are all an integral part of people’s path to addiction. Addiction can be termed as a condition that occurs out of continuous ingestion of substances such as drugs, or excessive engagement in activities or behaviors such as video games, eating, gambling among others. Such activities or consumption of substances may not be harmful but persistent of excessive consumption and practices of the activities becomes obsessive resulting to impediment with responsibilities of normal life such as relationships, health and work. This paper argues that every person has an addiction to something whether a substance, behavior or an activity which can be healthy or harmful.
The Complex Relationship Between Experiences and Addiction
Certain experiences make people feel good, but they do not automatically result in addiction. Therefore, it is essential for people to find out what makes some particular habits or substances become an addiction hence propelling them to seek such experiences regardless of their cost or even detrimental effects to their health as well as relationships (American Addiction Center). Addiction is thus a bio-psychosocial disorder, a combination of a person’s genetics, their neurobiology and overall interaction with social and psychological factors. Since addiction is something frequently done, it is therefore not only preventable but also treatable and can potentially last for a lifetime if left untreated (Pickett 12).
The Similarities Between Physical and Psychological Addictions
Some researchers indicate the existence of similarities between physical addictions to many substances such as heroin and psychological reliance involved in various activities such as sex, exercise, or eating disorders. Various addictive behaviors have common characteristics including an obsession with the substance or activity, and one will always do anything to seek it out. One may engage in that certain activity over and over even when they do not want to. Withdrawal of that substance or activity always results to craving, symptoms of irritability, and restlessness (American Addiction Center). Therefore, some people are addicted to something even without them realizing it.
Understanding Addiction Beyond the Substance
Furthermore, a proper indication of addiction may not necessarily be what a person might be addicted to since people can get addicted to almost anything. But instead the motive behind a person’s reliance on something, particularly the desire to avoid encountering the contents of their mind counts. Addiction of whatever nature results to changes in the brain which requires and takes a good deal of work to get the brain into its normal state (Hellman 3).
The Changing Concept of Substance Addictions
Traditionally, application of the term addiction was in excessive ingestion of substances resulting in physical dependency characterized by tolerance and withdrawal. Uncontrollable engagement in activities such as eating certain food was never considered a true addiction since the motivation to take part in these behaviors was mostly regarded as psychological. However, there are various changes in the conceptual model of substance addictions with more stressing on the behavior of substance usage rather than substance chemical properties themselves. Consequently, involvement in many behaviors repeatedly may result in the brain’s physiological changes that are likened to those that occur in drug dependent persons (Hellman 6). Therefore, addiction as a syndrome may be expressed through various specific behaviors such as gambling, eating among others.
The Path to Addiction and Different Motivations
Every person had their different path to addiction including learnt behaviors from relatives or peers, trying out behavior such as taking drugs out of curiosity. However, it is a common stunning ability for addictions of all kinds to increase the levels of the vital chemical in the brain called dopamine. The chemical is responsible for ferrying messages across the brain providing people with the feeling of pleasure while reinforcing behaviors critical for survival such as eating. Undoubtedly, the human brain is undeniably an addict prone system (Hellman). But the question remains whether one is addicted to damaging substances or behaviors or something healthy. Healthy addictions may include some practices such as some form of sports and knitting among others of which many people do not consider as addictions. Regardless, these forms of practices or habits lead to some brain-boosting just like addicts acquire from other adverse addictions (American Addiction Center).
The Reality of Addiction for Many Individuals
Throughout the world, every individual has lots of things to do, but they lack time to get them done. Mainly, they may not have interest hence the few things they get involved or engaged in becoming their addictions. Those things give them pleasure in some way as well as some peace from the hectic world away from their imaginations. Many people are in denial of addiction, or they are not aware that they are addicted (American Addiction Center). For instance, one may spend hours on social media every day without even realizing it’s an addiction. Nearly any behavior has the potential for addiction. Many people do not admit to their addiction thus if behaviors were to be taken seriously as potential addictions, then there would be more social pressure for the addict to change their behavior. Addiction is, therefore, more of the set behaviors than it is a specific substance (Hellman 4).
The Power of Addiction and the Struggle for Change
Every individual develops ways to enable them to cope with life’s situations. However, some ideas may be worthwhile, but others are not. A person may innocently begin using some substance or engage in some behaviors which then take over them becoming addictions. At first, it may seem enjoyable, help with relaxation or cover up a bad feeling. With time, one finds they need to do or take more of the thing to have the same effect (Hellman 4). Accordingly, one can become addicted, reliant on, or compulsively fanatical with anything. Every individual has something that they cannot stop doing. While some that have serious addiction problems deny it, others claim to be addicted for every random thing they enjoy or like. It is possible for one to become an addict of anything although some addictions are more damaging than others (American Addiction Center). An addicted person cannot control their use of what they are addicted to or need to get through their everyday life.
The Challenges of Accepting Addiction
However, some people argue that beliefs that everyone has some addiction make it seem perfectly reasonable, ordinary and barely worth taking any action about it. In most cases, various forms of addictive behavior start with the need to repress or compensate something else. For instance, drug addiction is associated with trying to escape from reality hence claiming normality of addiction as a universal and prevalent factor in every person makes it difficult to assist the addicts in coping and overcoming their addiction (American Addiction Center). Overcoming addiction is challenging, takes time, and it’s a struggle. Therefore, acknowledging it’s a usual problem with every person makes it difficult for people who require help to accept it due to the reduction of one’s will to acceptance of addiction as a serious problem.
The Importance of Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Also, some individuals may acquire various coping strategies hence do not have to rely on substances to help manage sadness, the stress of emotional pain. Such people can process and utilize healthy ways of dealing with traumas (Pickett 12). Indeed, behavior defines addiction, but not acting out, or substance of how much, frequency, when or where one uses them. While people may be addicted through behaviors such as internet use, shopping, social media, exercise, and substances like alcohol, some individuals are grounded and capable of coping with any whatever the world throws at them. Therefore, not every person has an addiction. Most of the individuals have the potential nonetheless to make choices of different paths.
The Freedom to Choose Healthy Alternatives
The choice of whether to use or act in a particular behavior is always available. At times it may not be easy due to social groups, environment or even family origins but people may healthily choose coping measures instead of going for what is available, easily accessible or compulsive (Hellman 6). While addiction remains extremely common, many people throughout the world are healthy individuals therefore not every person is addicted to something. In many cases, people mistake liking something for addiction. It becomes an addiction when one’s body demands a substance to feel good.
Conclusion
Any behavior, substance, activity or object which becomes the main focus of a life of an individual to the exclusion of other undertakings, or harms that particular person or others mentally, physically or socially may be considered as an addictive behavior. Hence, a person may become compulsively obsessed, addicted or dependent on anything. Everyone has some addiction whether they have accepted it or are in denial. The addictions could be of a healthy lifestyle or one that is damaging to the health, relationships and even works.
Works Cited
American Addiction Center. Behavioral Addictions. 2018. 2018 .
Hellman, Matilda. "The Epistemic Project of the Addicted Brain: Towards a Socio-historical Understanding." Nordin Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, vol.35,no.1
(2018): 3-8.
Pickett, Janet. "Understanding Addiction." American Journal of Nursing, vol.113, no.1 (2013): 12.
