Different Types of Addiction

In our fast paced society where constant demand is around us, some people are driven to the edge. People can start depending on other means to forget their problems rather than facing them – and they get addicted as a result. People also have more choices now. With the advancement of technology people have more things to obsess about. This can also alter their behaviour and later lead them to addiction.

Addicts become physically dependent on a substance or psychologically dependent on an activity. Addiction can be described as an obsession and compulsion for something. It can range from mild to severe; people start needing a regular dose of a specific substance or activity to function normally. There are also varied types of addiction, and some may not even be identified yet.

Addiction is no longer just drug addiction. Nowadays there are more things that people can get addicted to, not just because they have problems but also due to constant exposure to a barrage of advertisements about products that promise instant gratification. People can be addicted to a lot of things apart from alcohol and substance abuse. People can also get addicted to engage in specific activities even if they actually pose a risk to their mental health or their social lives and often prove to be destructive. This type of addiction may not be evident at first, but as physical and psychological dependency emerges it will soon turn into an addiction. Addiction can therefore refer to a lot of types: addiction to prescription drugs, addiction to shopping, addiction to food, etc.

Well-Known Types of Addiction

Drug Addiction

Most of us are well aware of what this is. Traditionally, it referred to addiction to illegal drugs like cocaine. These illegal drugs are obviously not sold in pharmacies; typically they are smuggled in or manufactured in an obscure factory and sold in the streets – thus the term street drugs. Now, however, drug addiction can just as easily be applied to addiction to prescribed medication. Some therapeutic drugs like Vicodin are highly addictive. These drugs are legal and therefore dispensed in pharmacies, but they are meant for controlled use and they require prescription.

A person is considered to be physically dependent on a drug if he develops withdrawal symptoms upon stopping use.

Use usually starts with simple experimentation. With constant use, however, drug addiction (manifested by reliance and dependence on the substance) ensues. Why would anyone start using or experimenting on something that is well known to be addictive? Several reasons come to mind.

It may be simple peer pressure. This is especially true in the case of addiction to illegal drugs. Someone does not want to be thought cowardly or labeled as a wet blanket by his friends so he tries drugs to prove that he’s none of the above. Naturally, he’ll have to do this again and again while he’s with his friends or he will lose his friends’ regard. Sooner or later, he will be using drugs not because he wants to please his friends but because he is already addicted to the substance.

It may also be a legitimate medical condition. This is especially applicable in the case of addiction to prescription drugs. Someone who has been given Vicodin for pain relief may feel that his dosage is insufficient and start taking more than the prescribed number of pills. Dependence sets in and the patient will soon be inventing more pain symptoms to get more of the same medication.

There is a wide array of drugs that a person can be addicted to apart from illegal drugs. There are also prescription and over-the-counter drugs. These include stimulants, sedatives, pain relief medication, hypnotics, and opiate analgesics. Particularly addictive are drugs that promote feelings of well being and euphoria.

Withdrawal symptoms can also vary from one person to another. The most common are anxiety, depression and craving. These withdrawal symptoms make stopping drug use almost physically impossible for some people.

Alcohol Addiction

Most adults drink alcohol. It is always present at parties and social gatherings. Wine is perfect for cocktails, during dinner and after dinner. Beer is perfect for weekend ballgames and card games. Unfortunately, frequent use can lead to dependence on alcohol; genetics can also make someone more vulnerable to alcoholism.

Alcoholics can drink unbelievable amounts of alcohol without any noticeable impact; they usually end a binge when they pass out. They cannot resist its lure even if drinking will cause health problems (e.g. cirrhosis of the liver) and risk to life and limb (e.g. driving under the influence is a major cause of vehicular accidents). Drinking becomes a compulsion – either they drink or they suffer withdrawal symptoms.

There are many alcohol withdrawal symptoms. They vary according to the severity of alcoholism. They depend on how long the person has been addicted to alcohol, on the degree of alcohol intake and on the person’s age. Mild symptoms include anxiety and sleep disturbances. In severe cases the individual may experience hallucinations, delirium and convulsions which can be life threatening.

Other Types of Addiction

Nicotine Addiction

Smoking is one the leading vices today. Individuals are not addicted to the habit of smoking but to nicotine which tobacco cigarettes and cigars contain. Smoking causes various health problems and puts smokers at risk for an even greater variety of medical problems.

Caffeine Addiction

Most of us at work cannot live without coffee. Coffee shops at every corner and coffee vending machines at every office building have made drinking coffee a very convenient habit. In result, some people become addicted to caffeine. They feel down and lethargic and they cannot function without it.

Apart from coffee there are also different caffeine products such as chocolate, cola and energy drinks. These products induce effects similar to psychoactive drugs such as alcohol and cocaine.

Caffeine addiction levels can differ depending on intake. Some are content with a couple of cups of coffee but others cannot survive without cans of energy drink or liters of cola.

Internet Addiction

Internet addiction is especially evident among young people. It is also accompanied by Online Compulsive Disorder or, in slang term, Screen Sucking. Symptoms include setting aside important work for trivial things such as chatting, surfing the web, watching internet videos, responding to unimportant emails, and checking membership profiles at various social networking sites. This addiction can make one vulnerable to cyber crimes and can lead to other forms of addiction such as addiction to online gambling or online gaming.

PC, Video and Arcade Game Addiction

Games online and offline are visually engaging and entertaining; they can also be very addictive. Just like internet addicts, game addicts spend all their waking hours in front of a video monitor to hunt goblins or shoot terrorists. They lead very dysfunctional lives.

Shopping Addiction

Some women refer to this as retail therapy. Buying items that you need is essential but splurging on things that you don’t really need – and won’t even use – is a different story. Shopping addicts usually clear out all of their old things – even things which have just been bought recently – to make way for the new things they will be buying. It is not possession or ownership that those addicted to shopping enjoy – it is the act of shopping itself. Effects usually include a lot of clutter and a lot of debt.

Sex Addiction

People who have sexual compulsion are fixated on the sexual act. They cannot think about anything else and they are always focused on where and how they can get it next. Their obsession with sex reaches a point where they are no longer productive at work. They cannot stop their compulsive behavior even at the risk of contracting STD and losing their family, work and standing in the community.