What Is Addiction?

Addiction - It strikes fear in the hearts of people who don't know what it is, and breaks hearts for those who are living through it.

Addiction is not only a scary thing to those who live with a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is often perplexing, filled with anger, resentment, guilt and confusion. How is it that this person they love has been consumed by this substance? What didn’t they do to stop it from happening? Could they have even stopped it?

Researchers have been studying the causes of addiction for many years. Unfortunately, there is no real answer that fits every situation. For many years the belief has been that addiction was caused by lack of willpower, genetics, societal pressures, and family problems. Some researchers and doctors have labeled addiction a disease. But others argue that addiction doesn’t satisfy the true definition of disease. If a person doesn’t drink alcohol or use drugs, they can’t then become addicted to a substance.

What researchers do agree on is that some substances are more addictive than others because of their chemical makeup and how it affects the mood of the individual person who takes it.

It is also a mystery why some people are more prone to becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol than others. While body size and mass can sometimes make a difference, one of the main factors in people becoming addicted is low self-esteem. When a person suffers from lack of confidence and depression, they have a far greater chance of becoming addicts.

However, that’s not the only reason people take drugs or alcohol. Often, people will partake in drug or alcohol use because of the high they get from taking it. Young adults and college students will party with their friends on a regular basis and binge drink. If it weren’t for the high they receive, they wouldn’t drink the alcohol or take the drugs. They might just as easily choose something else. But the affects of alcohol and drugs on a person’s body can help them feel less shy and less inhibited.

It can also help a person who is feeling stress to relax. The attraction to that feeling is so strong, the person will then take another drink or hit. If the person gets the desired result from taking that substance, the behavior will continue. However, if the underlying problem is not relieved, it is easy for the drinking or drugs to continue until the body becomes addicted to the substance.

What are the symptoms of addiction? It's different for everyone but there are common symptoms that you see with all people who have substance abuse addictions.
There are also stages that addicts go through. It doesn't happen overnight, which is why it is important to recognize the different stages of addiction. Some addicts have just a few symptoms. Others may experience all of the symptoms.