Addiction is seen as a psychological or physical obsession over certain behaviors or intake of substances without care as to what might be the resultant consequence. Addictions are generally characterized by an irresistible attraction to substance or behavior.
How to Identify an Addiction
Usually, people suffering from addiction are unaware of their attachment to what they suffer from. The following are signals to addictive traits and tendencies. People experiencing addiction may:
- Be unable to abstain from the substance or behavior they suffer from
- Display lackadaisical attitude to the consequences of their actions though they are harmful
- Exhibit total lack of self-control
- Portray need for secrecy, self-isolation or even detach themselves from social and family responsibilities
- Spend excessively on these urges even when they can afford it
Types of Addiction
Addiction is broadly divided into two, behavioral and substance. Behavioral addictions may involve obsessive engagement towards gambling, sex, food, anger, technology, work, etc.
Substance addiction is described as the overwhelming urge for the use of legal and illegal drugs, medications, and other substances. Common substances may include cocaine, marijuana, heroin, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, tobacco, etc.
Tips to Defeat Addiction
- Identify and acknowledge your addiction: for a person to abstain from a thing, the person must have the understanding and acknowledge that such a thing exists. Acknowledging and being fully aware of one’s situation is germane to accelerate the transformation process.
- Take responsibility and take a quick self-evaluation: after accepting your addition, you will need to stop making excuses and looking for ways to justify your actions. People suffering from addiction must ensure that they self-evaluate their actions to know the cause of their addiction.
- Develop a new behavior: They must deliberately and intentionally create a new path in which they want to follow after they must have identified the problem at hand. They must ensure that the desired change becomes their new behavior.
- Seek medical and professional counsel: addicts should seek advice and therapy sessions with professionals as regards their situation.
- Stay through the withdrawal symptoms: withdrawing from an addiction will have adverse effects at inception. However, staying through it has a great reward.