On why addiction is largely a state of the mind so addicts are more addicted to their addiction, the temporary feeling of pleasure, rather than the drugs...
Addiction is primarily psychological although addiction is defined agreeing to the physiological changes in the body, and addiction continues to be carefully as a social, cultural, genetic and experiential process as well. Addictive behaviour could be explained as any behaviour that gives temporary or short term satisfaction and also provides relief from discomfort although there may be long term adverse effects.
Addiction is generally described as dependence on any drug and results from substance abuse. Any drug or alcohol can produce addiction as can other things such as the internet, gaming, gadgets, chocolates etc. Any way the corporal and psychological effects of drugs and alcohol are detrimental and literally result in loss of productivity, seclusion and corporal dependence and lack of attention and such other conditions. The traditional feature of addiction is dependence as an private shows increased psychological and physiological dependence on the substance he is addicted to and without the addictive substance the person is unable to return to normal life.
Dependence on anything may not be too bad and some estimate of social dependence is predicted of us as social beings. Any way when there is excessive dependence with inability to live without the substance in question, then seclusion symptoms result and there are physiological changes in the body along with pain and in some cases medical attention is required. Addiction is an ultimate dependence and can cause people to lose sense of reality as people become cripple without the substance they are addicted to. Addiction leads to crime and anti-social behaviour as addicts can resort to violent behaviour, to stealing, to murder plainly to attain what they want. Addiction to a substance could be separated from salutary use of the substance such as some estimate of alcohol is carefully thorough and salutary in a social setting but being thoroughly dependent on alcohol to that which amounts to addiction can have adverse social and personal implications for the individual. Some of the tasteless addictive drugs and substances are opium, alcohol, nicotine and barbiturates. Giving up any addiction, requires drive and this is largely the drive of the mind that aids in stopping any addictive behaviour. Thus if addiction is a disease, the cure of addiction or even its prevention is largely a psychological process suggesting that the 'mind' is responsible for the addiction, the starting of it and also the end of it.
Using addictive substances stimulate and release the satisfaction inducing neurotransmitters in the brain and the dependence on this feeling of satisfaction leads to more such satisfaction seeking behaviour and this can spiral out of control and doesn't remain within the control of the private who then is thoroughly controlled by his addiction rather than the other way round. seclusion or abstinence symptoms of an addictive substance could contain anxiety, depression, craving, irritability, restlessness or even thoughts of suicide with fatal consequences. Craving, irritability, depression, anxiety are all psychological seclusion symptoms of addiction although intimately associated to the corporal seclusion symptoms. So addiction is largely in the mind and if a person wants, he or she can overcome this ultimate dependence on an performance or a substance through self control and with better understanding into his condition.
Why do people produce addiction?
People who produce addiction are more prone to thinking illnesses as addiction has been associated to mood or affective disorders, to neurotic illnesses and obsessive disorders, to anxiety disorders and many other psychological problems. Addiction is largely akin to obligation or the need to repeat any single behaviour in an abnormal dependent manner and addiction like obligation is an abnormal dependence. Addicts are obsessed with the substance or objects or performance that they are addicted to and show an abnormal dependence on the substance or activity. Individuals with mood disorders or people prone to frequent depression are prone to addiction as any addictive substance or drug or even performance such as sex that gives short term satisfaction can cause the addict to return to this performance or substance again and again so that the depression is forgotten for a while. This need for short term satisfaction leads to repeated satisfaction seeking behaviour and thus creates addiction.
All human beings are necessarily satisfaction seekers, we all like to touch that is good or beautiful or provides a occasion of happiness but addicts are in turn addicted to this satisfaction as well. In fact addicts are addicted to the satisfaction and not to the drugs, which are plainly catalysts to provide them this pleasure. The drugs and the objects as also the activities that they repeatedly engage in provide them a solace that they feel they would not find in other options. There are of procedure chemical changes in the body so there are substantive proofs that addicts do get short term pleasure. Thus a drug addict repeated uses drug because it provides a single form of satisfaction that he will not get by say watching films and a sex addict repeatedly seeks sex because the satisfaction from sex agreeing to her may not be found in other activities such as travelling or reading. Any way this is only a confidence that the addict has and is not necessarily true. In fact there is a sort of fixation of want, and an obsession with the object of want so an addict repeatedly thinks about this want and convinces himself that without the addictive substance he will not be able to survive. When love becomes an addiction, it can lead to suicide or fatal consequences when the object of desire is not attained.
Addicts are thus obsessed and largely depressed individuals who sometimes use the obsession against the depression or to overcome the depression. They are socially withdrawn although they may apparently have a huge circle of friends with whom they may not be able to recapitulate at all levels. Addicts are also susceptible to suggestion and they are vulnerable to opinions of other people. Strange that it may sound, it is easy to mould or convert addicts and also easy to hypnotize them as they are very impressionable and literally affected by what people and community have to say about them. This infirmity of addicts is also their drive as both negative and confident influences can act equally well on addicts and the right guidance would be significant to show them what is good for them and what is bad.
How is addiction controlled and stopped?
Stopping or overcoming any addiction could be a challenge but as addicts are changeable and affected easily, it may be relatively easy to bring them back to normal life provided they have the right type of guidance and counselling.
One of the strategies that could be used to cure addictive behaviour would be 'diversion', providing alternative substances/activities or shifting their attention or interest into something other than the addictive substance or object. As a Tv addict could be encouraged to produce more constructive habits of reading for instance.
'Substitution' would be someone else method and a person addicted to alcohol could be encouraged to take a drink that tastes like wine but does not contain alcohol.
'Eradication' or faultless unavailability of the addictive substance or object can moderately lead to forgetting the satisfaction giving substance and interests in other activities. The faultless unavailability of a drug, even a sleeping pill can lead to lessening of addiction for that drug and help the addict to produce other interests, although this should not be done instantly as physiological and psychological symptoms of seclusion may result. So if person is addicted to a definite treatment or pill, the doses could be moderately reduced before thoroughly stopping intake of the drug.
Finally 'suggestion' or counselling to convert behaviour highlighting the bad effects of a drug or an obsessive performance could be effective at a later stage after seclusion from the drug or performance has been attempted as when in need of any substance, addicts lose all sense of reality and may not even want to listen to advice. So, only when their dependence reduces to an extent with the help of the other methods of substitution, eradication or diversion, counselling could help them to show more inexpensive and socially responsible behaviour and forestall added conditions of relapse.
