Addiction
What is Addiction?
Addiction is the search for emotional satisfaction—for a sense of security, a sense of being loved, even a sense of control over life. But the gratification is temporary and illusory, and the behaviour results instead in greater self-disgust, reduced psychological security, and poorer coping ability. That’s what all addictions have in common. – Stanton Peele, Ph.D., J.D.
Find out more about addictions in this section – if you have a story to share that you feel may be helpful to others please send it to us and we’ll consider including it. Please understand there are all kinds of reasons why we can’t include some personal submissions but most of the time we can include submissions received from you and others. Thank you – take care; find out more here and remember your life is very precious. Your Life Counts and we’re here for YOU!
What is an Addiction?
Most people go overboard at some point on some sport, band, fashion etc. An addiction is simply when someone goes too far and begins to depend on anything that they feel they couldn’t live life without. Addiction can be anything from video games to shopping, from food to alcohol to relationships. Some addictions lead to a physical dependency, some are an invisible mental or emotional crutch to lean on.
Addictions are considered a problem because they can control us. If you depend on something to feel good or secure, that means you aren’t as free as you should be. For example, some people become so addicted to clothes that they can’t save money for bigger things like cars or homes. Other people become addicted to alcohol which means that they can’t stay sober and form healthy relationships.
If you think you are addicted to something, don’t worry. You aren’t weird! You can escape from and break your addiction. Check out the article “how can I break an addiction?” for more information.
Remember that you are important. Your life counts, and you can make a difference in this world. If you ever need to talk about this or anything else, feel free to get in touch with us. We’re here for you.
How Can I Break an Addiction?
Addictions have the ability to control us, but we can break the habit. If you think your addiction is minor (for example, you are can’t stop playing video games but you still enjoy a healthy social life) check out these few steps.
If you are heavily addicted to something and it is taking over your life, there is support for you. Check out a local addiction agency in your area for support, or contact YLC – we can help you find the support you need.
- Ask yourself, what is your addiction?
- Ask friends and family if they have noticed your addiction? This step can be challenging because it’s easy to feel embarrassed about it, but it’s easier to overcome an addiction when you have a friend to help you. (It’s always best if this friend isn’t addicted to the same thing!) This is called accountability.
- Be honest with yourself and your friend who can hold you accountable. Set targets that you can meet, and don’t get down if you fall back at times. One step back, two forwards, is progress.
- Remember that relapsing never means failure: pick yourself back up and start over again.
Withdrawal is what many people experience when they are giving up an addiction. It is a craving for the thing that you are giving up. It can be tough, but will pass.
Sometimes recovering addicts can relapse, which means they go back to their addiction. This is not failure; it’s an opportunity to begin recovery again.
Full recovery from an addiction can take a long time – from 3 weeks, to months and years. Addictions to certain websites, games, and technologies can be broken in 21 days: it takes 21 days consistently to make a habit, and it takes 21 days to make new ones. Addictions to drugs and alcohol, on the other hand, can take months and often require support from groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.
Remember that you are important. Your life counts, and you can make a difference in this world. If you ever need to talk about this or anything else, feel free to get in touch with us. We’re here for you.