We live in specific times that, on the one hand, provide us with security, but on the other hand create feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. Difficult life situations or the inability to cope with (or recognize) one’s own emotions can lead to engaging in various behaviors to bring relief. In seeking solace, it is not difficult to fall into addiction. And it doesn’t have to be an addiction to alcohol or drugs at all. You can even become addicted to love. From this article you will learn what addiction is, what is the mechanism of addiction and how to deal with it?
What is addiction? Who is an addict?
To understand the mechanism of addiction, one would first need to know the meaning of the term. The line between occasional use of alcohol or other stimulants and addiction is very thin, so it is difficult to miss. It is also worth knowing that not only psychoactive substances are addictive. The mechanism of emotional addiction also works on a similar principle.
How then can addiction be defined? Wojciech Kostowski defined it as a disorder of a recurrent nature, which consists of mental and sometimes vegetative and somatic processes. It should be noted at this point that a great number of theories of addiction have been developed, with the consensus among researchers that addiction is related to a disruption of the reward system. It also affects the functioning of the emotional and cognitive systems.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA), on the other hand, defines addiction as a brain disease that manifests itself through compulsive use of a particular substance, despite the negative consequences of doing so. What is missing from this definition, however, is a clear emphasis that one can become addicted not only to a particular substance, but also to a particular state or emotion.
Types of addiction
Addictions can be divided into two main types, which are chemical addictions and behavioral addictions. In both cases, the mechanism of addiction is to induce a feeling of pleasure, which is, however, short-lived and superficial. In turn, it is caused by the release of dopamine in the brain, which is the so-called happiness hormone.
Addictions can take many forms, it is worth noting that one person can be affected by several forms of addiction at the same time. Symptom overlap occurs when one person experiences more than one type of addiction, or when the symptoms of one addiction intersect with those of another. For example, an alcoholic struggles with a gambling addiction at the same time, or a workaholic may use chemicals to numb stress, fatigue and be more productive.
Chemical addiction, substance addiction
When we talk about chemical addiction, we mean addiction to a specific substance, such as alcohol or drugs. It is alcoholism and drug addiction that are commonly equated with addiction. Chemical addiction, also known as chemical dependence, refers to a situation in which a person is physically or mentally dependent on a psychoactive substance. These substances can affect brain functions, altering mood, consciousness, perception or behavior, for example. Chemical addiction includes both legal substances, such as alcohol or drugs, and illegal substances, such as narcotics.
There are two forms of chemical addiction:
Mental addiction: a person has a strong desire to use a substance for the sake of feeling pleasure, relieving stress or dealing with emotional difficulties. Mental addiction does not necessarily involve physical dependence on a substance.
Physical addiction: the addict’s body has adapted to the constant presence of a substance and its absence can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be either physical: tremors, nausea, or headaches, or mental: depression or anxiety.
The most common substances leading to chemical dependence include: alcohol, nicotine addiction, drugs such as heroin or cocaine, and prescription drugs example opioids or benzodiazepines.
However, it should be remembered that many other preparations can be mentioned, the regular use of which can turn into an addiction. We are talking about drugs, for example, which are increasingly being abused. Caffeine, sugar and many other seemingly harmless substances that are widely available can become addictive.
Behavioral addiction, addiction to activities
Behavioral addictions are a type of addiction in which a person becomes dependent on certain behaviors or activities rather than chemicals. These addictions result from repetitive and rewarding behaviors that affect the brain and lead to strong cravings and loss of control.
Examples of behavioral addictions include:
- Gambling addiction known as gambling. Gambling addicts often can’t stop themselves from participating in games of chance, betting even if it leads to serious financial problems.
- Shopping addiction known as shopaholism. People with shopping addiction undertake purchases incapable of satisfying their real needs, and the process of buying may give them temporary emotional relief.
- Internet addiction. This addiction covers areas such as addiction to computer games, social media or using the internet excessively, phonoholism.
- Food addiction such as compulsive overeating. People with this type of addiction consume food excessively, often using it as a means to cope with stress, anxiety or other emotional difficulties.
- Work addiction known as workaholism. Work addicts devote inordinate amounts of time and energy to work, often at the expense of other areas of life, such as family life or health.
- Sex addiction so-called sexoholism. People with this type of addiction engage in excessive sexual activity, and are unable to satisfy their sexual desire in a healthy way.
Is love addiction a behavioral addiction?
Yes, love addiction is considered one of the behavioral addictions. Love addiction, sometimes also called love addiction, is when a person becomes overly emotionally dependent on romantic relationships. The mechanisms of love addiction may seem completely incomprehensible, but it has been scientifically proven that strong feelings are also capable of addiction.
Symptoms of love addiction can include:
- A strong desire to be in a relationship. A love addict may feel a strong need to always be in a relationship, sometimes even at the expense of his or her own well-being.
- Fear of rejection. The person may experience an intense fear of rejection, which can lead to excessive attachment and a need for constant affirming attention.
- Neglect of other areas of life. Addiction to love can lead to neglect of other aspects of life, such as work, friendships or personal interests.
- Cycles of toxic relationships. Love addicts often engage in cycles of toxic relationships because they have difficulty cutting themselves off from relationships, even if they are harmful.
- Lack of self-esteem: These individuals often depend on the relationship for their personal value and need it to maintain a positive self-image.
For more on love addiction, see the article – addiction to the other person.
What is the mechanism of addiction?
So let’s take a look at the mechanisms of addiction. It is worth noting that any person can fall into addiction, regardless of age, gender, education or social position. It is not a problem exclusively for people coming from pathological backgrounds, as such a stereotype still exists in society today. The process of addiction consists of many factors.
Why do we become addicted? Psychological mechanisms of addiction
Let’s consider why people actually reach for stimulants or engage in risky behavior. Four main reasons can be mentioned here:
- an attempt to relieve emotional suffering
- to combat stress
- to improve mood
- adding courage to oneself.
Alcohol or other psychoactive substances (or certain behaviors) thus become an antidote to mental suffering. In this regard, it should be emphasized that the mechanism of alcohol addiction proceeds in a manner analogous to that of addiction to other drugs.
Genetic predisposition, biological factors, as well as behavioral patterns brought up from the family home also turn out to be important for falling into addictions. Traumas experienced in childhood also increase the risk that a person will become an addict in the future. However, it should be clearly emphasized that addiction is not a genetically inherited disease. There may be certain biological predispositions that increase the risk of falling into addiction, but these alone are not the main cause.
It can be considered that overlapping biological, environmental and psychological factors may be responsible for the emergence of addiction and its development. Which group of factors will weigh more heavily on a person’s emergence of addiction is an individual issue. So is the timing of its development. For example, one person will be able to indulge in occasional drinking for many years before it develops into an addiction, while in another it will happen in the space of just a few months. Sooner or later, however, regular drinking always begins to be controlled by the mechanisms of addiction.
Psychology distinguishes three main mechanisms responsible for the development of addiction: They are:
- the mechanism of compulsive regulation of feelings
- the mechanism of illusion and denial
- the mechanism of a split and distracted self.
Mechanism of compulsive regulation of feelings
This mechanism involves initiating the desire to use a substance (drugs, alcohol or narcotics) or engage in a certain behavior. The goal is to feel the desired emotional states. In this way, the addicted person tries to cope with difficult emotions and the perceived stress. This is because it should be emphasized that addiction destructively affects the emotional sphere, causing the development of a characteristic system of regulating feelings. This means that the emotional processes in an addicted person are directed towards the desire to use a particular psychoactive substance or engage in a particular behavior. In this way, the patient alleviates his suffering and puts himself in a better mood.
It is a common mechanism of alcohol addiction that leads to the addict feeling alcohol craving. It occurs when the person is unable to cope with a situation or in the face of strong emotions. In such situations, alcohol (or another psychoactive substance) provides relief, although the relief is only temporary. When the concentration of alcohol in the blood begins to fall, the patient again begins to feel the pain of his problems. So he once again reaches for a glass.
This whole process, however, does not lead to a solution of the problems, but to their accumulation. This in turn further intensifies, for example, alcohol craving. This leads to the rather obvious conclusion that alcohol, nor any other psychoactive substance, is not a cure for any difficulties. However, the patient perceives reality quite differently, seeking the only joy in life in stimulants.
I have to be in constant denial. The mechanism of illusion and denial
The mechanism of addiction based on illusion and denial is that the patient develops a false perception of the problem. Thus, he or she develops a cognitive disorder. The addict downplays the problem and belittles its importance. He outright denies that he has fallen into addiction and is unable to accept the fact that he is an addict. He also fails to see the negative consequences of his addiction or downplays them.
It is also characteristic of the mechanism of illusion and denial that the patient ignores any signals from the environment indicating that something bad is happening to him. The addict is unable to see his real problems, lives in illusion, and in order to maintain his sense of self-worth shifts responsibility for his problems onto others. Even when he sees the consequences of his behavior, he blames other people, most often his loved ones, for this condition. He sees the causes of his problems in external factors, not in his addiction.
In other words, in the addict‘s mind, information about the negative effects of addiction stands in opposition to the need to drink or take a drug to feel positive emotions. A specific dissonance is then created, where the patient automatically contradicts the information about the consequences. In this way, mental regulation acquires pathological characteristics, which are responsible for the mechanism of illusion and denial.
The mechanism of distraction and splitting
This is a mechanism in the course of which two different personalities are produced in the addict, that is, the so-called split self appears. The first one feels the power to act, manifests enthusiasm and courage during positive emotional stimuli, the source of which can be either specific behaviors or psychoactive substances. This “I” is therefore strong and resilient, aware of its value. However, it is such, only under the influence of certain means or states.
The second personality begins to activate when the concentration of the substance in the blood decreases or the activity is completed. The addicted person then begins to feel remorse and a range of other negative emotions. The defeated self then comes to the fore, and self-perception changes dramatically. Guilt and a sense of general hopelessness appear. Sometimes there are also depressive states, self-loathing and, in extreme cases, even suicidal thoughts. And this is where the vicious cycle begins. This is because the patient tries to improve his or her mood by once again reaching for an addictive substance or engaging in risky behavior. In this way, the addict loses control over his life, and the picture of reality around him becomes severely distorted.
Whether it is the mechanism of addiction to drugs or another substance or behavior, the addict’s life becomes, in a sense, torn between two extreme personalities. The addictive drug or activity takes control of the patient’s behavior, becoming the focal point of his life.
How do the mechanisms of addiction arise?
Addiction mechanisms arise and develop due to the effects of psychoactive substances, and are strengthened by the experiences that accompany their use. They can be triggered by difficult emotions, painful experiences, stress or other hard circumstances.
It can be pointed out that there are two groups of factors that trigger the mechanism of addiction: internal factors and external factors. Internal factors can include:
- diseases (both physical and mental)
- bodily injuries
- lack of the most important life skills
- inability to function in society
- destructive tendencies
- problems in personal life.
In turn, external factors can be mentioned as examples:
- stressful life experiences
- situations of danger
- social exclusion
- social effects of addiction.
The destructive impact of addiction on human life
The mechanisms described above mean that engaging in risky behavior, or taking psychoactive substances, becomes a compulsion for the addicted person. It is no longer his or her voluntary choice. The addict’s life is subject to disorganization, and not infrequently loved ones also begin to turn away from him or her. This shows what a powerful force addiction is, which is able to take control of an individual’s entire life
In this way, the patient’s life becomes dominated by the addiction, completely subordinated to it. That’s why addiction is considered a chronic disease for which a complete cure is not possible. An addict already faces the risk of relapse for the rest of his life.
I am an addict, I am an addict. What’s next?
Simply becoming aware of an addiction problem is already an important step towards the recovery process. This is because many patients deny the problem for a long time or are unaware of its existence, which is often the case with behavioral addictions. Addiction treatment is a long and complex process, requiring a lot of perseverance and self-denial from the addicted person. Of course, the support of loved ones is also very important, but it often happens that they, lacking adequate knowledge in this area, do more harm than help the patient. This happens when relatives help the addict mask his addiction, or take responsibility for his actions.
Addiction is associated with the feeling of pleasure caused by the release of dopamine. It is worth knowing that it is also released during other activities that do not lead to addiction, such as physical activity. Looking for alternative ways to feel pleasure is therefore an important part of recovery from addiction. However, it is no substitute for therapy under the guidance of an addiction specialist or psychotherapist.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy in addiction treatment
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is crucial in the treatment of addiction. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely used therapeutic approaches for treating both substance abuse and behavioral addictions. CBT focuses on changing thinking (cognitive) and changing behavior (behavioral) to contribute to overcoming harmful thought patterns and behaviors.
CBT in the treatment of substance abuse
- Identification of thoughts and beliefs. The patient and therapist work together to identify negative thoughts and beliefs related to substance use and to identify situations that may lead to that use.
- Developing coping skills. CBT helps the patient develop healthy coping skills to deal with stress, social pressures, or emotional difficulties that often lead to substance use.
- Changing thinking. The therapist works with the patient to identify and change thoughts and beliefs that foster addiction. The goal is to develop a more positive and healthy mindset.
- Developing relapse prevention strategies. The therapist and patient work to develop strategies and action plans to help avoid situations that increase the risk of addiction relapse.
CBT in the treatment of behavioral addictions
- Analyzing and understanding motivation. The therapist helps the patient understand the motivations and roots of the behavioral addiction, identifying the triggers and maintainers of the behavior.
- Developing healthy habits. CBT focuses on developing healthy habits and coping strategies to replace harmful addictive behaviors.
- Recognizing automatic thoughts. The patient is taught to recognize the negative automatic thoughts associated with behavioral addiction and change them to more positive and realistic ones.
- Working on coping skills. The therapist assists the patient in developing coping skills to deal with stress, emotional difficulties or impulsivity, which can promote behavioral addiction.
For both types of addiction, CBT is typically used as a short-term therapeutic approach, but can be tailored to the individual patient’s needs.
Summary
If you are noticing symptoms of addiction in yourself or a loved one, you should seek help from an addiction treatment specialist. Recovering from addiction on your own is very difficult and in most cases basically impossible.
Remember, it is possible to recover from addiction but it requires determination, support and time. It’s a process that usually involves being aware of one’s problems, deciding to change, and then taking consistent steps toward a healthy lifestyle. It’s worth seeking help to overcome your difficulties and successfully rebuild your life after recovering from addiction.
If you live in Poland, call toll-free hotlines. For more information, visit: https://www.uzaleznienia.org.pl/telefony-zaufania
If you live in Germany, call the toll-free hotline. For more information, visit: https://www.bundesdrogenbeauftragter.de/service/beratungsangebote/
If you live in the UK, call the toll-free hotline. For more information, visit: https://www.lifeworkscommunity.com/addiction-treatment/guide-to-uk-free-addiction-helplines
Bibliography:
Grzegorzewska Iwona Cierpiałkowska Lidia. Behavioral addictions. PWN Scientific Publishers 2018
Aaron T. Beck Wright D. Fred Cory F. Newman. Cognitive therapy for addiction. WUJ 2007