I hope you enjoyed the episode 1 of ‘what you didn’t know about Addictions.’ As promised in the previous episode, I will be sharing with you the types of addictions.
Most people think of the use of substance whenever addiction comes to mind but that is not the only type of addiction. Most experts recognize two major types of addictions.
- Chemical addiction
Chemical addiction can be tricky to talk about because there is often confusion around what constitutes substance misuse, dependency, and addiction. This is partly why most recent editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) recommends using the term “substance use disorder.” This classification includes more diagnostic criteria to help healthcare professionals differentiate between mild, moderate, and severe cases. Many experts also prefer it because it avoid terms like “abuse” which can further stigmatize addiction and prevent people from seeking help.
Some common addictive substances are: alcohol, opioids (including heroine), cannabis. Nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine, methamphetamine. Chemical addictions are real and very serious because they cause so much harm to the victims. In Ghana, many youths are becoming addicted to Tramadol. Addictive substances come in two forms: stimulant and depressant. While stimulants stimulate the central nervous system, depressants do the opposite.
- Behavioral addiction
There is some disagreement around the concept of behavioral addictions as to whether they truly involve addiction. However, the DSM-5 now recognizes two behavioral addictions: Gambling and Internet gaming disorder.
While most medical experts agree that certain behavior pattern can be problematic over time, there are still debates around:
-the point when behaviors become addictions
- -specific behaviors that can become addictive
For example, some may agree that shopping, sex and food addictions exist but question the idea that people can become addicted to Facebook. The APA (American Psychological Association) chose not to include these behavior pattern in the DSM-5, citing the lack of scientific, peer-reviewed evidence necessary to develop standard criteria for diagnosis. As a result, there is no official diagnostic criteria. Meanwhile, general signs of potential behavioral addiction include:
- Spending large amounts of time engaging in the behavior
- Urges to engage in the behavior even if its negativity affects daily life, responsibilities or relationships
- Using behavior to manage unwanted emotions
- Hiding the behavior or lying to other people about time spent on it
- Difficulty avoiding the behavior
- Irritability, restlessness, anxiety, depression, or other withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit
- Feeling compelled to continue the behavior even when it causes distress
Common “behavioral addictions” people often seek therapy and other professional support to address include: shopping addiction, food addiction, sex addiction (including masturbation and pornography), TV addiction, social media addiction (WhatsApp, Facebook etc.)
Funnily, there are many of us who find it difficult to stop a particular habit or some habit(s) that is/are sinful. We normally think we are addicted to those acts.
Dear friends, please we are nowhere near addiction yet and so there is hope.
Studies have shown that until a victim exhibits the above (from a-g and more), that victim may not be addicted yet but may only have issues with a behavior.
The truth is, addiction is not easy to stop. However, the good news is, those with ‘minor addictions’ (or more appropriately, issues with some behaviors) have a greater chance of recovery. It is very easy to stop. This doesn’t mean there is no hope for those into addiction. Many behavioral addictions are not that serious compared to chemical addictions.
Join me in the next episode as we deal with the ‘reality’ of some behavioral addictions.
