The word 'addiction' is used more often today than ever before, we hear it applied to even the most benign of behaviours like a " TV show or snack. But the term can also refer to a dangerous disease. True addiction is more like a bad habit, it is an obsession with a self-destructive substance or behaviour.
Symptoms of addiction vary from person to person, they will also depend on the substance or behaviour of choice. However, most addictions have a set of characteristics that may occur either suddenly or over a period of time.
These include:
Increased use of or obsession with the substance.
Change of lifestyle, social activities, or friendship in order to accommodate use or behaviour.
Loss of interest in hobbies, goals or activities that used to bring joy.
Pushing away closed family members and friends who may be able to detect a problem.
Loss of employment or other negative work related problems.
Extreme changes in personality-someone who was once outgoing and social may become withdrawn or viceversa.
Loss of control over frequency or quantity of use.
Repeated failed attempts to control or stop the addiction.
An addiction will usually show several of those traits. In order to truly diagnose an addiction it helps to learn more about the preferred substance or behaviour. For example someone with a cocaine addiction will likely show very different symptoms than someone with a gambling addiction.
Many experts believe that certain people are prone toward addiction because of their unique brain chemistry, while other doctors argue that addiction can happen to anyone.
Many experts agree, however, that addiction is usually caused not just physiological responses in the brain. Other factors like hereditary, environment, mental health and diet issues may also play a role in the onset and development of addiction. In fact, several factors are usually involved, which makes addiction a difficult condition both to prevent and to treat.