| 
|
|
|
 |
| |
What
Does Addiction Mean? |
| |
It
means losing control over the use of a substance or behavior. |
| |
There
are many kinds of addiction. |
| |
Many
people are addicted to chemical substances including:
- Alcohol
- Illegal
Drugs
- Prescription
Drugs
- Nicotine
- Over-the-counter
Drugs
- Caffeine
|
| |
Others
are addicted to:
- Food
- Gambling
- Exercise
- Sex
- Work
- Love
- People
- Relationships
|
| |
Some
people have more than one addiction. A person may be addicted to alcohol
and gambling or another drug. |
| |
Family
and Cultural Influences |
| |
Things
a person sees and is taught as a child can influence them.
|
| |
Personality |
| |
People
with certain personality traits may be more likely to develop an
addiction. |
| |
Genetics |
| |
You
may inherit a tendency toward being an addict. |
| |
Other
Influences include:
- Boredom
- Stress
- Conflict
- Peer
pressure
- Inability
to deal with uncomfortable feelings
- Poor
self-esteem
|
| |
How
an addiction develops:
- Try
a substance or do a behavior
- Continue
using the substance or doing the behavior
- Escalate
the use or the behavior
- Problems
begin related to use or behavior
- Deny
the substance or behavior is causing problems
- Lose
control over use or behavior
|
| |
An
addict can stop using or doing the behavior for periods of time, maybe
even for years, to prove they are not an addict. |
 |
