Be Efficient In Your Time Management

Addiction is much larger in scope than dependence on alcohol or drugs.

In addition to substance use addictions such as alcoholism, prescription pill, and controlled substances, there are process addictions. Compulsive behaviors can be addictions also for example: eating disorders, gambling, and shopping. Being active in addiction not only hurts the user, but also those associated with them such as friends and family. Questions arise. What actually is addiction? When does it start and how? It is hard to discern when a pattern of behavior moves into addiction?

A lot of people can participate in substance use or engage in certain behaviors and not have it develop into full-blown addiction. Those engaged in addiction have lost the ability to control or stop their use. Social position, economic status, race or religion does not matter when it comes to addiction.

There is not a standard addict profile. There is no poster child. Despite a lot of effort and intensive study no one can seem to agree on the causes or cures of addiction. The part of addiction and that is the most confusing and confounding is the emotional part of it. It is not uncommon to see addiction being fed by the quest to gain relief from emotional distress. It is a strange twist of fate that engaging in the behavior actually creates more negative emotions that require even more relief.

While addiction manifests itself in different people in different ways, here are the most common signs and symptoms of addiction:

Symptom 1 - Unable to meet responsibilities of relationships or at home, school or work.

Symptom 2 - Compulsive preoccupation, meaning one spends a great deal of time thinking about the substance or behavior

Symptom 3 - Has tried but failed to stop using the substance or end the behavior. Things spin out of control.

Symptom 4 - Engages in the behavior or substance use knowing it is dangerous or in dangerous situations such as driving.

Symptom 5 - Because of the addiction, one stops activities or hobbies that were fun or enjoyable.

Symptom 6 - There is a need to increase the amount and frequency of the behavior or substance to achieve the desired felling or affect.

Symptom 7 - Ones life has become centered around the addiction, isolation from others occurs.

Get some help if any of those danger warning signs are occurring. Everyone agrees that addiction is a progressive disease. If you eat addiction untreated, it will progress.

There is more information available here on addiction treatment.

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