|
|
The world’s leading addiction researchers and scientists state that addiction is a brain disease which results in changes to brain structure, function and behaviour.2
What is an Addiction? An addiction can be defined as: “A dependence on a substance or behaviour which affects physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing”. This is, in other words, a form of behaviour which is both compulsive and habit forming.3 Frequent substance or drug use over time causes these changes that unfortunately can persist after the addict has discontinued the use of substances. Once a substance has been used for a period of time it seems to alter the brain from “normal” to “addict”. The period of time during which drug use effects these changes differs from person to person.4
Addiction is a complex but treatable disease that affects brain function and behavior. The brain's structure and function is altered, resulting in changes that persist long after medication or drug use has ceased.5 Addiction is a mental disorder that convinces the afflicted that it’s everyone else who is ill, not himself. This is because of addictive denial. This is not a conscious act. In the grateful addict's new reality, he realizes that this denial is the unconscious mind's ability to completely block an addict's conscious awareness of the nature of his addictive behavior, and personality, replacing it with vivid misconceptions, created to support the addictive behavior. Positive emotions and motivations are perverted, denied, or extinguished. An individual eventually becomes almost zombie-like, and runs on automatic, very unlike his former self.6
When a person has an addiction, a person may develop a physical “need” for example, a drug, or a psychological craving for a drug. Powerless and unmanageable are the hallmarks of definition of an addiction. The addicted person will say that they are in control, that they can “handle it,” or that every other person who is watching is wrong and that only they are right.7
It is apparent that a motivation or physiological drive stronger than our conscious concerns is at work fueling our addictive behaviors. Addiction means giving up conscious control. It is impulsive, unconscious behavior. Addicts are people who have lost all control of their lives, as well as their substance use and abuse. It is also important to note that addiction is a progressive disease.8
Symptoms of Addiction:9, 10- One of the more common symptoms of addiction is the increased tolerance to the substance or a drug over time. In other words, the effect of the drug no longer kicks in as soon as it used to and the effects last shorter than before
- Another common symptom is the withdrawal that takes place when the drug is not taken. Withdrawal is the unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous, physical response that takes place.
- Increased tolerance to the drug
- Withdrawal symptoms or continued use of substance to alleviate withdrawal
- Loss of control where the person takes larger doses of the substance or over longer periods of time than they had intended
- Desire to cut back or abstain from the substance and recurring unsuccessful attempts to do so
- Inordinate amount of time spent on obtaining, using and or recovering from drug use
- Substance abuse results in other important activities being neglected, such as work, social and recreational commitments
- Continued use of drugs even when the individual realises that there are serious physical or psychological problems caused as a result of using
- Weight loss
- Poor skin health/pale skin
- Spots especially around the nose or mouth
- Red rimmed eyes
- Dull or lank hair
- Brittle or broken nails
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Palpitations
- A decline in overall health
- Nervousness and anxiety
- Poor concentration
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Lying
- Stealing/borrowing money or possessions
- Withdrawal from society
- Paranoia
- Lack of interest in other people
GP GuidanceThere is medical help available to those suffering with an addiction. This includes people who are specially trained in the area of addiction and those who cover a general range of conditions, for example, your GP. Your family doctor is often the first port of call for people with an addiction and can provide you with help and advice. He/she will be familiar with this problem and can suggest some or all of the following:
- Drug replacement, for example methadone for heroin addiction
- Counselling
- Rehab clinics and centres
- Therapists such as hypnotherapists, psychotherapists, etc.
For most of us, if we have a medical problem, then our GP is who we visit first of all and addiction is no different. He or she will not be judgemental or criticise you about your habit but is there to help you break your addiction. They can also check your general health, provide you with further information and monitor your progress.
ConclusionNot everyone becomes an addict. Certain people seem more susceptible to addiction than others and it may be due to a genetic predisposition. On the other hand, having an addict in the family definitely does not mean that future generations are condemned to a life of addiction.
The best treatment of addiction includes healing of the entire person. Medication, therapy, social services and rehabilitation are included in the treatment. The psychological causes as well as the physical consequences are dealt with.
It has often been believed that an addict needs to desire recovery in order to be treated for drug addiction; however recent findings suggest that pressure from friends, family, employers or the legal system on the addict to obtain treatment, improves their treatment outcomes.
Relapse (the falling back to substance abuse during recovery) is common to addicts with serious disorders. People who are not addicts find this very frustrating and difficult to understand. Depression, anxiety and a huge amount of shame often accompany relapse. During this time, the addict needs support and treatment to continue the process of recovery and not to give up.
To successfully treat or support addicts, the network of people around the addict need to understand that addiction is a treatable brain disorder and that the addict is not a weak character that deserves to suffer in order to ‘learn a lesson’.
|