ADDICTION

Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, often usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use often alters brain function in ways that perpetuate craving, and weakens self-control.

 

Addiction is insidious and debilitating.  It takes and takes, while promising happiness, peace, or fulfillment, ultimately it leaves an individual a hollow shell, empty and devoid of hope.  Now this may seem like a melodramatic statement that cannot possibly define all addiction, it does.  Name your addiction and I can tell you a story of pain, loss, loneliness, despair, anxiety, depression, fear, hopelessness, and on and on.  

 

The irony is that addiction becomes self perpetuating.  We use an addiction to cope with whatever it is in life that is not ‘complete’, but as we descend into the addiction and the negative consequences begin to manifest themselves, the way we have learned to cope is through that very thing that is now creating problems, never fixing them.    

 

Everyone has an addiction.  Now some may object on principle to this, but the truth is if you look at your life there is at least one behavior or practice that is harmful or counter productive, yet against what would be logical or ideal, you continue to repetitively do it.  Drug addiction is the most commonly thought of addiction for some very obvious reasons:  it has dramatic and profound effects on the individual in addiction and those who come into contact with them.  

 

The physiological effects of drug and alcohol addiction are more pronounced than most because of the chemically induced euphoria through the release of dopamine and serotonin in the brain.  While this is a naturally occurring function of the brain, addiction circumvents the purpose of this reward system.