Addiction and Cravings are different topics, although they are interrelated.
Addiction is a condition where a person feels compelled to consume a particular thing (substance addiction) or engage in a specific activity (behavioural addiction). They sense and seek reward or gratification from the process despite negative impact to their general health and/or lifestyle.
A person is diagnosed as addicted when the attraction to the subject becomes incontrollable and interferes with their daily life. They have lost the ability to moderate or cease participation in the said subject. They begin to participate alone and/or at times or places which would be deemed inappropriate or abnormal. An example of this might be drinking a glass of wine before going to work in the morning or rushing to a casino during the lunch-break.
They will generally lose interest in things that were of interest previously. They will start to engage in new interests that surround the addiction. They may possibly start to neglect their own self-care and hygiene. They will also start to behave in ways that are designed to hide the addiction.
There are various subjects of addiction, but the patterns attached to them are similar, as are the negative repercussions. Drugs and alcohol are the obvious culprits but the rise of the internet has also brought new players to the scene. In our modern lifestyle we have access to things much easier than ever, and also marketing targets us with laser-style precision.
Social Media is now becoming a new subject on the addiction list. Just consider these questions:
– How soon do you check your phone when you wake up?
– Do you check it if you wake up in the night?
– What is your immediate thought/dialogue if you leave home and realise that you forgot your phone?
There is mounting evidence that points towards anxiety in the youth of today which is soothed by craving ‘Likes’ on their social media posts and pictures – which serves as a form of social validation.
In some cases there may be more than one addiction, and often there is a case of cross-sensitisation – meaning that once engaged in one, the desire for the other increases.
Here is a list of common addiction subjects:
- Alcohol
- Drugs (prescribed and recreational)
- Food (specific)
- Gambling
- Gaming
- Pornography
- Shopping
- Social media
- Sex
What causes addictions?
Half of people with a mental related disorder of some kind also suffer with an addiction. There is ongoing debate as to whether mental health disorders lead to addictions or if addictions are the cause of further mental health disorders (a bit like the ‘chicken and the egg’ question).
There is evidence that people with addictions in the family history are more susceptible to addiction themselves. There is also strong evidence that exposure to an addicted parent when young gives much more probability of the child falling into an addiction when they are older. My opinion is that the exposure theory is mostly due to the natural phenomena of how we learn as children; by seeing and learning/copying our parent’s behaviour – whether it be good or bad.
Addictions are serious conditions and so it is of no surprise that they can lead to other emotional/mental health disorders. My personal view is that addictions initially start from emotional problems, which do not necessarily have to be extreme or intense. Just a feeling of low self-esteem or a needing to fit in and be liked/accepted will entice a teenager to try a drug under a bit of pressure from their peers. Once this happens and they gain a sense of feeling ‘better’ then repeated use is almost guaranteed as a form of self-medicating until eventually the full pattern of addiction develops.
Here are some general examples of causes of addictions:
- Abuse
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Low self-esteem/confidence
- Needing to feel accepted and/or liked
- Stressful situations
- Trauma
What are triggers?
Dopamine is the primary neuro-transmitter for the reward system in the brain. All substances that are commonly associated with addictions release dopamine into the brain, which creates a feeling of pleasure and reward to the recipient. The brain recognises specific environmental and/or paraphernalia cues associated with the substance and can even start to release dopamine just on exposure to these. These are called triggers which work by sparking the heightened desire to source the substance or engage in the behaviour upon exposure to these stimuli.
Triggers can be ‘internal’ which means that an inner emotion or thought leads to the action.
Other triggers are ‘external’ which means outside of the person – like places or other people.
Some examples of triggers are:
- Events like holidays, parties, weddings or funerals (induce certain emotions)
- People that use or engage in the same substance or behaviour.
- Places where the substance or behaviour is common, like a pub or a gaming arcade.
- Reminders which may be certain objects or even a certain smell etc.
- Stress in relationships or work.
- Traumatic situations.
- Withdrawal – the brain recognises the change in chemicals and so sends messages to obtain more of the substance or repeat engagement in the behaviour.
After some time, it can develop that the actual substance itself is not the actual attraction. Many addicts will tell you that after time, the substance or behaviour itself does not really give them any pleasure at all. More often it is the associated paraphernalia or activity surrounding the actual consumption that delivers the pleasures. This can make sense as the brain naturally associates such things with previous pleasant experiences and delivers similar recollections just through the use of memory and recollection.
This is why cravings can sometimes still be experienced even years after the actual substance or behaviour has been absent from the person’s daily life.
What are cravings?
Most of have experience of an urge or craving for something, but we also know that in a short time these feelings pass. However, an addicted person does not appreciate the same process. These cravings may creep up on them as a pattern of events or just strike with immediate effect. Once the craving strikes, an addicted person feels an intense sensation that they need the gratification ASAP.
Note that I say need and not want. This is because when a craving is felt, the desire or need is so strong that the person will do or say anything they have to in order to satisfy the craving. They will literally do whatever it takes and usually at whatever cost. Examples of this are driving to the 24 hour gas station to buy some specific brand of donuts in the middle of the night, or stealing money or jewellery from friends or family to be able to score a wrap of cocaine.
Even as the negative consequences of the cravings begin to escalate, the addicted person will continue to engage regardless, even though they may be aware of their situation. Often they will begin to produce excuses to justify the behaviour to themselves and others. In fact, the addicted person may well become very defensive and/or hostile about the subject when it’s pointed out and cautioned by others around them.
Sadly, as things develop, the addiction usually starts to affect other people around the person. There will inevitably be financial and/or emotional damage. Expenditure on the subject increases and takes priority over other things. Relationships will be put under pressure as the damage ripples through to the family, friends, and other things like work etc. Indeed, the consequences of severe addictions can reach out to society in general.
Withdrawal
Even when the person is willing and successful to stop engaging, then there are issues surrounding the withdrawal. The addicted substance or behaviour has been producing quick and easy methods to feel good and happier, which is the result of dopamine and serotonin being released into the brain. The bad news is that once this happens over time, the body will stop producing these chemicals naturally and/or simply cannot make enough of them to replace the amount that they have been getting and are now used to (tolerance). The person has become dependant upon the substance or behaviour to feel ok.
Therefore, once the withdrawal process starts, there can be severe consequences that the person has to endure. These can be both physical (hallucinations, headaches, nausea, sweating, tremors, etc.) and emotional (anxiety, depression, mood swings, panics). Treatment for some drug addictions include substituting for similar controlled drugs and then weening the patient down gradually. There are other drugs being developed now which block the receptors in the brain; the theory being that if the substance produces no sensation of reward, then the engagement will also fade and the addiction will diminish. Other medicated assisted treatments are those that are associated with anxiety disorders.
Help is Here
There is no denying that the treatment of addiction is not an easy process. I do advocate that in virtually all cases there should be some form of medication prescribed. However, I also feel that long term this method alone is not ideal as there are always associated side effects. Furthermore, as my view on addiction is that it is formed from the initial self-medication of underlying issues and consequential anxieties, then until these are addressed, the risk of addiction remains high.
The treatment of addiction is highly personalised. It is extremely hard to succeed alone and usually includes some participation and support from the person’s family or community. Addicts usually posses feelings of guilt, shame and depression throughout the healing process and these need to be attended to.
In my approach to addiction treatment I use a blend of various applications to explore and treat the underlying causes and we also identify the triggers and focus on coping skills for cravings with strategies not found in conventional treatments. Lifestyle change is a key factor and so we have provision to consider these which may also include attention to diet and inclusion of exercise, which is known to be very successful as part of a treatment program and also a strong deterrent against relapse.
Addiction recovery takes time and needs the required support. I am here to offer help in the early stages of rehabilitation and also consider my coaching services as a good option as part of an integrated approach in the ongoing after care program of other primary treatments.
Moreover, successful recovering addicts often find general life coaching extremely beneficial in helping them to build a new life that turns out even better than anyone ever expected it could be.
If you or somebody you care about is suffering from some form of addiction, then please connect with me to find out more about how I can help.