There is no way to disguise it: Addiction is a disorder, physical or psychological, caused by different factors such as social, biological and/or genetic. This disorder promotes the use of substances or behaviors despite the negative effects they have in the person’s mind and body.
The term addiction and its meaning have been in constant modification for years. Some time ago, addiction was often considered the tolerance of a certain substance on the body and mind after repeated use. In other words, the body and mind assimilated the substance and was made part of it. The more they received the substance the more they would get used to it,. Therefore, they would require higher amounts of the substance in order to feel what they needed to feel.
Nowadays, there is a clear distinction in what an addiction is: it can be a physical dependency or a psychological addiction. Even though they are both called “addictions”, there is a visible difference in both. Nowadays, the term addiction is simply a compulsive use of something or anything. The difference lies in its effects.
Physical dependency is characterized by the withdrawal symptoms a person has when the substance is no longer in his system. Symptoms vary depending on what kind of drug or substance the body has created the tolerance to. Frequency of the usage, mount that is ingested and tolerance itself are all considered. The most common withdrawal symptoms involve continuous headaches, nausea, euphoria and constant behavioral changes, as well as lack of concentration on daily and common activities. Physical dependency can lead to psychological addiction. But the main distinction lies in the pleasure the substance creates on a routine basis. The most common substances that create physical dependency are tobacco, alcohol, and drugs which simply alter the brain’s chemical levels for some time, or “psychoactive substances.”
The term “psychological addiction” refers to the variety of behaviors or activities a person creates in order to satisfy or reward himself. This is in contrast to physical addiction, where the person needs to fulfill his bodily needs so there will not be any withdrawal symptoms. When a behavior is assimilated by the mind, every time it is performed the brain releases a substance called endorphin, which causes pleasure throughout the body, Understandably, this can become a hard-to-break routine. Common examples of psychological addiction are sex, watching pornography, exercise (which also releases endorphins throughout the body), gambling, and — although still in debate as to whether it’s a psychological addiction or physical dependency — eating.
The medical approach explains that an addiction is a disease — either psychological or physiological (this approach is the most commonly accepted although still in debate). Using this model as an approach to explain addiction, it is possible to have therapeutic sessions with the result of complete withdrawal from the substance or the behavior.
The genetic approach states that some behaviors or addictions come from genetic factors in the family bloodline. Although there are not much relevant studies or proof, this theory still receives plenty of attention. Regardless, it does explain how some behaviors can be learned and copied from family members. “I drink because my dad used to drink,” is a common misleading interpretation of how genetic traits do not affect anything in the system, other than what the person sees as “normal” from family experience.
Finally, the social/cultural approach concludes that the culture of a certain group or a specific region that determines whether a person or group of people will be “addicted” to anything around them. For example, some countries are known for their alcoholic tendencies. Common prejudicial remarks such as “he’s an alcoholic because he comes from the Caribbean,” are more of a generalization that could ultimately work as either a mean or excuse to explain an addiction. In contrast, it could also cause a person to not to be part of the “stereotype”. Because some religions condemn addiction to bodily pleasures — either psychological addiction or physiological dependency — it might fall into this category.
Some people think that an addiction is about choice, just like any personal activity which involves the decision making process. But the problem lies within being harmful to someone else’s mental and physical health. No matter what kind of addiction a person has, it will impact not only the addict’s life, but those surrounded by it.
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An addiction will impact not only the addict’s life, but those surrounded by it
There is no way to disguise it: Addiction is a disorder, physical or psychological, caused by different factors such as social, biological and/or genetic. This disorder promotes the use of substances or behaviors despite the negative effects they have in the person’s mind and body.
The term addiction and its meaning have been in constant modification for years. Some time ago, addiction was often considered the tolerance of a certain substance on the body and mind after repeated use. In other words, the body and mind assimilated the substance and was made part of it. The more they received the substance the more they would get used to it,. Therefore, they would require higher amounts of the substance in order to feel what they needed to feel.
Nowadays, there is a clear distinction in what an addiction is: it can be a physical dependency or a psychological addiction. Even though they are both called “addictions”, there is a visible difference in both. Nowadays, the term addiction is simply a compulsive use of something or anything. The difference lies in its effects.
Physical dependency is characterized by the withdrawal symptoms a person has when the substance is no longer in his system. Symptoms vary depending on what kind of drug or substance the body has created the tolerance to. Frequency of the usage, mount that is ingested and tolerance itself are all considered. The most common withdrawal symptoms involve continuous headaches, nausea, euphoria and constant behavioral changes, as well as lack of concentration on daily and common activities. Physical dependency can lead to psychological addiction. But the main distinction lies in the pleasure the substance creates on a routine basis. The most common substances that create physical dependency are tobacco, alcohol, and drugs which simply alter the brain’s chemical levels for some time, or “psychoactive substances.”
The term “psychological addiction” refers to the variety of behaviors or activities a person creates in order to satisfy or reward himself. This is in contrast to physical addiction, where the person needs to fulfill his bodily needs so there will not be any withdrawal symptoms. When a behavior is assimilated by the mind, every time it is performed the brain releases a substance called endorphin, which causes pleasure throughout the body, Understandably, this can become a hard-to-break routine. Common examples of psychological addiction are sex, watching pornography, exercise (which also releases endorphins throughout the body), gambling, and — although still in debate as to whether it’s a psychological addiction or physical dependency — eating.
The medical approach explains that an addiction is a disease — either psychological or physiological (this approach is the most commonly accepted although still in debate). Using this model as an approach to explain addiction, it is possible to have therapeutic sessions with the result of complete withdrawal from the substance or the behavior.
The genetic approach states that some behaviors or addictions come from genetic factors in the family bloodline. Although there are not much relevant studies or proof, this theory still receives plenty of attention. Regardless, it does explain how some behaviors can be learned and copied from family members. “I drink because my dad used to drink,” is a common misleading interpretation of how genetic traits do not affect anything in the system, other than what the person sees as “normal” from family experience.
Finally, the social/cultural approach concludes that the culture of a certain group or a specific region that determines whether a person or group of people will be “addicted” to anything around them. For example, some countries are known for their alcoholic tendencies. Common prejudicial remarks such as “he’s an alcoholic because he comes from the Caribbean,” are more of a generalization that could ultimately work as either a mean or excuse to explain an addiction. In contrast, it could also cause a person to not to be part of the “stereotype”. Because some religions condemn addiction to bodily pleasures — either psychological addiction or physiological dependency — it might fall into this category.
Some people think that an addiction is about choice, just like any personal activity which involves the decision making process. But the problem lies within being harmful to someone else’s mental and physical health. No matter what kind of addiction a person has, it will impact not only the addict’s life, but those surrounded by it.