Are you suffering from addiction?
Or are you wondering if someone you love has addiction issues?
There is no clear-cut way to determine if a person is addicted just by observing that person’s behavior alone. The best way is to still be communicative and ask in the kindest, most gentle, and direct way possible. If you or anyone you know may be suffering from addiction though, it is best that you’re aware of the issues that you or your loved one can encounter. This post will discuss such issues.
Whatever it is you’re going through though, one thing that you simply need to know is the fact that help is available. There are numerous institutions that offer substance abuse group therapy and other addiction-related group therapies. They are all within reach. You are not alone.
Things That People Can Be Addicted To
There are numerous things that people can get addicted to. The most common misconception is that it only happens when drugs and alcohol are involved. Such is not the case. The following can also lead to addiction issues:
- gambling
- prescription drugs
- nicotine
- work
- solvents
- computers
- shopping
- sex
- food
There is addiction if a person can’t control their use or participation in an activity. So much so that they rely on such substances or activities to get through their daily life.
8 Issues That People With Addiction Deal With
People suffering from addiction will encounter the following issues:
- Urge to steal or sell things to support the addiction
Addiction will make you do things that you didn’t think you’d ever do. Most people who suffer from it suffer from having massive debts. Some even end up losing their car, house, and other properties. This is because addiction convinces you that the only thing that is important is the thing that you’re addicted to. This leads to you hurting others (you may end up stealing items from family members or borrow for money and fail to pay them back) and ultimately hurting yourself.
- Doing repetitive behaviour that interferes with their life
Addiction will remove your capacity to understand things clearly. You will end up doing things again and again without fully understanding that such behaviour is not good at all. Your logical brain will be dominated by your pang to give in to your addiction. There will be almost no active parts of your brain that will actively instruct you to do the right thing.
- Being violent, angry, depressed, or moody
You will end up being very angry, violent, depressed, or moody at all times. This is because your body will be failing to function properly. This is because its sole focus will be to give in to the addiction. All parts of you will solely aim to get your addiction satisfied. All your hormones and regular bodily functions will be compromised. Your mental health will be at its worst. You will be very hard to deal with. People will have a hard time when you’re around because you will already have a hard time composing yourself.
- Losing interest in other aspects of life
As your sole focus will be your object of addiction, you will cease to lose interest in other aspects of your life. This is especially heartbreaking for your family members. This will be all the more tragic if you have kids. You will cease to see them as the special angels that they are. You will no longer want to be with them. You will no longer feel inspired to be your best self in order to protect, support, and love your family. Your sole focus will be your addiction alone, and all other aspects of your life will slowly start to crumble and deteriorate. You will overcome your addiction with rehab.
- Feeling shaky or sick at the thought or onset of quitting
You will have lucid intervals where you will figure out that you have gotten too deep and you need to stop. However, this by itself will be a struggle. You will feel shaky and sick with just the thought of it. This is because your body has become so used to your addiction that anything opposite of it is seen as harmful and damaging. Which, in truth, is not the case at all.
- Big changes in sleeping habits, eating habits, or weight
You will also encounter health issues as your eating habits and sleeping habits will massively change. You will fail to stick to your routine and maintain a well-balanced life. You could either lose weight or gain weight in an apparent manner. People will notice these changes.
- Social stigma
You will have to deal with the social stigma. Some people will see you differently once they know that you’re suffering from alcohol addiction. Some of your friends who will be too scared to help you will start avoiding you. The good thing with this though is that you’d be able to see who your true friends are. They will never leave your side and will help you every step of the way. If things get so bad, you may even lose your job.
- Alienation
You will feel alienated. This is something that will naturally take place because you wouldn’t want to deal with people who would have something to say about your addiction. You would feel alone because you would make an effort to be alone just so you could satisfy your addiction without other people’s judgment. People will not alienate you by themselves, you will trigger the alienation yourself.
Help is available
If you or your loved one is already suffering from any of the following issues, it’s time to do something. Take a pause, contemplate, and make an intention to decide. Help is available. You just have to reach out. You can get through this.
