Addiction and Psychology
Although not based on the psychological changes that take place in the body, addiction is psychological. Addiction can be described as a behavior of seeking to be relieved from discomfort by relying on things we crave for such as drugs, alcohol, food and many other things.
Failure to access these things results in withdrawal symptoms, physical dependence, reduced productivity and more. These leads to increased physiological as well as psychological dependence on substances one craves for such as alcohol, drugs, and others of which if the addict can’t access, he or she can’t lead a normal life.
Dependence on a few things we need to live our lives isn’t bad. It is the excessive dependence that makes it an issue. For example, it would be good if we have some types of food most of the time, but we should be able to live without them especially if they are scarce. If we can’t, then it is an addiction.
Dealing with addiction early enough is important because it can save the addicts life before it reaches a point beyond repair. It may lead to anti-social behavior or crime that may make it harder for the addict to survive what the society requires of him.
What causes addiction?
Studies have shown that people who end up being addicts are more vulnerable to mental illnesses. This is because addiction is related to mood, obsessive, anxiety and many other psychological disorders.
Addiction is simply a habit of needing to repeat something more often in an unusual manner that often leads to depression. The habit is often influenced by doing something that gives you a short term pleasure forcing you to want to do it again and again.
As humans, we are fond of things that give us pleasure. Addicts end up wanting these pleasures more often, and if they can’t get it, they’ll resort to behaviors that either ruins them physically or psychologically. But not only that. Even the good things we need to live may become toxic to our bodies when taken in larger amounts and all the time.
How to control and stop addiction
Controlling and preventing any addiction can be a big task especially for serious situations, but this does not mean that it isn’t stoppable. With the right type of counseling and guidance, any addict despite the seriousness of the situation can recover.
Among the most effective strategies is called diversion. Diversion aims to provide the addicts with substitutes for either activities or substances they crave for. For example, those who are fond of watching television too much can be encouraged to engage in habits that are more constructive.
Another example is, a person who is addicted to taking wine can be encouraged to take a drink with the same taste as wine, but without alcohol.
If he or she can stick to that drink, then chances that he or she will forget what used to give him pleasure before are high. The best way to do this is to introduce the person to a drug that tastes almost the same but has small doses. For better result, these doses are supposed to reduce with time. The main purpose of doing this is to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Lastly, it is important to get some counseling that may encourage the addict to change his or her behavior.
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