When we talk about addiction, it is important to know what this term exactly refers to
We talk about addiction when there is psychological dependence, that is, when the person cannot do without what is the reason for their addiction and it begins to become the center of their life. The person loses control and begins to act compulsively, causing a deterioration in the quality of life.
There are many variants of a possible addiction. Although addiction to substances (heroin, cocaine, alcohol, designer drugs, etc.) commonly seems more common, there are other possibilities such as addiction to gambling, shopping, betting, cell phones, food, etc. In fact, due to the advancement of new technologies, The appearance of new addictions has increased, such as cell phone addiction or online gambling, among others
When addiction is in a very early phase, it is difficult to detect, since the addicted person makes a great effort to hide what is happening. Feelings of losing control over one’s behavior, shame or fear of the reactions of people around them cause this psychological alteration to progress without the people close to them knowing it and without the addicted person being able to receive the necessary help.
Even with all this, it is possible to begin to appreciate some changes in the person’s behavior These can be detected especially by close people, since they are not typical behaviors of your loved one. Among these behaviors that we can pay attention to to see if something is not going well, are the following:
Detecting an addiction early can make a difference when determining what the recovery process will be like. That is to say, the longer it takes to detect it, the more it will have become established in the person’s life, the more these patterns of thinking and behavior will have become entrenched. However, this does not mean that a solution cannot be found as well.
The problem usually lies in the fact that it is usually detected quite late. Normally, family and friends are the ones who begin to see that something is not right; they notice behavioral changes in the person, mood changes, changes in their habits and routines
There are fewer times in which the person themselves recognizes the problem or takes the first step towards recovery. They tend to be pushed by other people or circumstances.
Where could the origin be?
It is difficult to establish a single cause for the development of an addiction, since, for example, not all people who use a substance will develop an addiction, which means that there are several factors to take into account.
From this perspective, addiction must be understood in a bio-psycho-social way where factors at the following levels must be assessed.
Biological
Here Above all, the genetic part of the person is relevant For example, there are studies that state that children of addicted people are more likely to develop an addiction in the future.
Psychological
Here all aspects of the person come into play in their interaction with everyday events, such as their tolerance to frustration or stress, social skills, self-esteem, insecurity, capacity for self-control, search for new sensations, type of personality, etc…
Factors such as living in dysfunctional families, with an absence of rules or poor communication between parents and children, as well as social pressure, wanting to feel integrated into a group, lack of values or affection, advertising the media, stereotypes, etc…
What to do when faced with an addiction: first steps
The possible scenarios that we may encounter to start looking for a solution are the following.
initiative of the person
As I mentioned before, it is more difficult for the addicted person to take the first step to seek help, but this could be a possible situation. In this case, the first step is That the person recognizes what is happening to them and perhaps finding someone they trust to talk to can be of good help
Once these steps have been taken, it is time to seek professional help to begin to find a solution so that the person can leave their addiction behind.
Initiative by third parties
The other scenario, and the most common, is that one or more people in the environment realize that something is not right and it is these people who begin the process of seeking help. They usually don’t know how to handle the situation either; It is something new for them, there is uncertainty, and the fear of how their loved one will be and the lack of information can make it difficult to cope. Keeping calm and seeking professional information and advice can be a good way to start
Concluding
Unfortunately, overcoming an addiction is not easy and most people need professional help to achieve it, which is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength to recognize a problem and be willing to face it.
