Other Types of Addiction (Besides Drug and Alcohol Abuse)

Addiction is not only limited to substance abuse and alcohol abuse. Addiction is a negative pattern of behavior of an individual that can result in compulsive behaviors. A person’s body obsessively craves a substance or behavior to get some kind of reward.

A person who experiences addiction may have a serious mental illness that should be treated immediately. They have things that they are lacking too, such as emotional progress, self-control, and direction of their lives.

Drugs and alcohol are two of the most well-known addictive substances in the world, but many people are addicted to other various things that will be mentioned and discussed later. People tend not to realize that behaviors and actions can also become addictive.

Listed below are some of the types of addiction besides drugs and alcohol abuse.

Eating Disorders

Food alone is not bad for our health, food is one of the things our body needs to function properly, but if normal consumption becomes unhealthy, then that is when it becomes a problem.

Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are two of the most common food consumption disorders. It is a serious mental health problem that is hard to treat. Eating disorders are when a person eats or restricts the body from getting the proper nutrients it should get from a meal. A person who suffers from anorexia restricts the person from eating and consuming calories which can result in a serious health problem. A person suffering from bulimia binge eats to the point of getting sick, then they will force them to vomit.

Sex Addiction

Although addiction to sex is not recorded to the list of addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, such an act can be considered as one. Sex is an action that creates intense euphoria for people doing the action, which if performed frequently enough can result in addiction. The body can crave that feeling of euphoria that comes along with sex.

Also, watching excessive pornography can be a form of addiction. Sex addiction can grow from masturbation to watching pornography, and ultimately having an addiction to the act itself. If someone is unable to have sex with their desired partner, they may even resort to prostitution.

Shopping Addiction

People who are addicted to shopping can face financial problems in the future. If this addiction is not addressed, it can result in serious financial troubles. In some serious cases, a person may lose most or all their money, which can cause them to become homeless. A person who suffers from this addiction tends to not realize they have a problem until it’s too late.

Shopping is a form of leisure and one can go shopping and pamper oneself, but it’s important to know when to stop. Things need to be done in moderation.

Exercise

Some people might think that this is not true, but people who are addicted to looking and feeling good sometimes have a problem. Your body can have a serious physical problem if you continue to put no limitation on your exercise.

Looking and feeling good is okay, but you must know when to stop. If you do not know when to stop, it can cause some serious health issues in the future.

Gaming Addiction

This is common to teenagers and mid-20s to 30s adults. The virtual world is helpful if used properly. Playing online games is not a bad thing but used it with moderation. It begins a problem when a person’s life will be affected by it. Playing in front of the computer without moderation can result in some very unhealthy behaviors. Laziness, isolation, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise are all common with people who have a gaming addiction. These kinds of behaviors can result in other serious issues like depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems in the future.

Gambling Addiction

Gambling is a behavior that is not easily controlled. The excitement one gets when winning off a bet in gambling can be extremely addictive. The risks you take when doing this can create a sense of euphoria similar to the other behaviors we’ve mentioned. If this behavior gets out of hand, it can cause some serious financial troubles in an individual’s future. When the behavior gets out of hand, a person may continue to gamble even if they haven’t won in a long time. The idea that they could win in the future keeps them going.

Any kind of behavior that results in some form of euphoria can easily be abused. If abused often enough, a person’s mind and body can start to become dependent on those behaviors to feel good. When someone experiences happiness/euphoria, it is because some behavior they performed interacted with the reward system in the brain, releasing dopamine. Dopamine is a hormone that causes happiness, so if a behavior is closely associated with euphoria/happiness, a person will want more of it. If behaviors like the ones listed above are not monitored or controlled, then they can quickly develop into addictions. Besides substance abuse, other behaviors like gambling, sex, eating, exercise, gaming, shopping, and other behaviors like these can develop into addictions. It may be hard to believe, but if you don’t do actions in moderation, they can become something much more sinister. There are other types of addiction aside from what we’ve mentioned today. At the end of the day, if you feel like you are experiencing addiction or someone has said they think you are, you should acknowledge it and search for help. Addiction can be treated easily if you accept that you need help. Addiction is a serious mental health issue that should be addressed and treated as soon as possible.