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Often we ourselves create obstacles for ourselves on the way to a happy life. One of them is dependencies. Getting attached to something, even seemingly harmless, is easy, but quitting an addiction is an extremely difficult task. What addictions most often lead to serious problems? We deal with a psychotherapist.
How is any form of addiction formed?
Addiction (dependence) appears when a person begins to experience an irresistible craving for some substance, action or object that brings him a feeling of happiness.
At the same time, with regular access to a source of pleasure, the body’s tolerance increases – that is, it stops responding to the usual dose. In order to get pleasant sensations again, it is necessary to increase the volume of consumption.
A simple example: after drinking 100 ml of cognac, a person’s mood improves, anxiety decreases, and the body relaxes. If you drink 100 ml of cognac on a regular basis, over time the body stops responding to alcohol in the right way, and to achieve the same effect it will need 200 ml, and in the future even more. A person will be forced to constantly increase the dose, until sooner or later it reaches a critical one.
5 common addictions that are the hardest to deal with
All addictions can be divided into two categories: chemical (on substances) and non-chemical (behavioral disorders).
Substance addiction – alcohol, tobacco, drugs
It is extremely difficult to defeat such types of addiction – you need a strong desire, an inner core and a huge support from the environment.
The fact is that attachment to substances, as a rule, has a social basis. The use of alcohol and nicotine is often one of the ways to maintain relationships in a company, which makes it really hard to give up.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that any relationship is built on mutual interests. And if a person is connected with friends only by a craving for psychotropic substances and intoxication, then it is worth thinking about the need to maintain such contacts.
Dependence on sedative and hypnotic drugs
Addiction to drugs develops imperceptibly and at first does not seem to be something terrible. After all, most often we start taking such pills on the recommendation of a doctor, a pharmacist in a pharmacy or acquaintances.
However, gradually sleeping pills become an integral part of life, and stop taking them is not an easy task. Thus, addiction to drugs is a huge problem in the West, because there the sale of serious painkillers and sleeping pills is open and legal, and their use is socially approved.
It is important to remember: before taking drugs from the presented groups, you should consult a psychiatrist. Only a specialist will be able to choose the right treatment regimen that will not lead to negative consequences.
Gambling addiction, in particular bookmakers
Ludomania, or addiction to gambling, is considered a complex non-chemical addiction, because its causes are related to the psychological state of a person. It is believed that men are more likely to suffer from gambling, but at the same time, it is more difficult for women to work with it and achieve remission.
Addiction to computer games
The obsession with virtual worlds is characteristic of young, fragile minds and is especially dangerous for this. Children and adolescents go through a complex process of social adaptation and escape from problems in computer games. As a result, an important period of formation of adequate behavior in society is missed, and it becomes difficult to return to reality without normal communication patterns.
At the same time, adults also become addicted to computer games. They resort to virtual reality to relax, switch from life’s difficulties and escape from problems.
Impulse Buying Addiction
Oniomania, or shopaholism, is a socially approved and actively encouraged media addiction. For example, we see the heroines of our favorite series lowering their salaries for new shoes, and we imitate their behavior. Indeed, getting rid of the obsessive desire to make a purchase can be difficult, because we live in a capitalist consumer society, where we are tempted to buy something from all sides.
Why are addictions so dangerous?
Any addiction in the acute stage causes a violation of social adaptation – a person loses the ability to be a productive member of society, cannot study, work, build relationships. The whole life turns into a “servicing” of addiction, and the main resources are spent on getting a new portion of pleasure. A person falls out of normal social communications, loses ties with loved ones and is left alone with his illness, giving it his whole life.
Can you deal with addiction on your own?
No, the help of a specialist is always needed. Addiction is a disease, therefore, it is necessary to contact a psychiatrist-narcologist and immediately begin treatment.
Independent attempts to restore a normal life can lead to even more severe disruptions, cause great harm to health, and completely destroy careers and relationships. Therapy should be under the supervision of a physician.
At the same time, the environment in which the patient is located is critical. Often the aggravation of addictions occurs due to complex relationships in the family or with a partner, an unfavorable environment and a social microclimate. Therefore, patients with a severe form of addiction are recommended to be treated in specialized clinics, where they are under the round-the-clock supervision of medical personnel and enter an environment conducive to positive changes in life.
Addiction treatment is a complex and lengthy process that requires the work of a large number of qualified specialists. Russians can receive free medical care in psycho-neurological or narcological dispensaries at their place of residence, as well as in state hospitals.
Veronica Sysoeva
Psychiatrist, narcologist, psychotherapist, candidate of medical sciences.