ADDICTIONS

ADDICTIONS

The modern lifestyle is one of stress through striving to keep up and often leads to using something to help us deal with or escape from it all. When habits or behaviours such as drinking, drug taking or gambling come to dominate daily life and people find themselves powerless to stop the chaos despite many promises to do so, then it is very likely that the addiction has become detrimental and therefore considered an illness.

Addictions, though, can be formed to any activity or behaviour which allows people to escape from the boredom of 'real' life and its problems or gain some kind of self gratifying reward and includes shopping, making money, sex, power over others, exercise and sports, gambling, computer gaming, TV, creative pastimes, eating, sugar, coffee, prescribed and illegal drugs, alcohol, smoking and even other people. The addiction itself is not the illness, but rather the inability to stop it.

Many become obsessed with activities like these but when the activity becomes paramount in their lives to the detriment of themselves, their health and others around them, then it steps over to becoming an illness. At what particular point it becomes a bad addiction is difficult to judge but when a person can no longer control themselves and stop the activity in order not to hurt themselves and others and be able to carry on with normal everyday necessities including social and family commitments, it can be said to have become a bad addiction. But addiction is a highly complex human affliction.

A new phenomena is the addiction to computer games which are becoming more sophisticated through laboratory experiments so that they now tap into our psyche on a very basic level of reward for action.

Children are at the most risk sitting for hours and hours in front of a screen which can make them ill and depressed as they gradually become introverts losing connections with friends and the 'real' world.

Adults too are at risk but the real concern should be for the future of all the children currently spending far too much of their lives playing non physical games.

Gaming addiction is not yet recognised as a real health concern but it should be as Korea has experienced it firsthand on a large scale due to their super fast broadband connections and huge internet advancements.

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DOPAMINE AND THE ADDICT

On a molecular level, the 'happy' dopamine chemical released by the brain whenever these activities are attempted can become a strong engraved path which the 'user' finds more and more gratifying and difficult to ignore. The brain becomes disorientated and 'craves' this activity to take place again so strongly the addicted person will be forced to make rash and sometimes very dangerous decisions when trying to satisfy their craving. Much more needs to be studied about this particular brain reaction as so many addictions can be very detrimental to a persons health and well being.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centres. Dopamine also helps regulate movement and emotional responses, and it enables us not only to see rewards, but to take action to move toward them. Dopamine deficiency results in Parkinson's Disease and people with low dopamine activity are more prone to addiction. The presence of a certain kind of dopamine receptor is also associated with sensation-seeking.

Foods containing dopamine which is the brains natural happy chemical and may help to overcome addictions are: almonds, avocados, bananas, cheese, lima beans, milk, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds

Dopamine is easy to oxidize, and antioxidants containing vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene and carotenoids can reduce free radical damage to the brain cells that produce dopamine. Click the blue links to find out what foods to consume.

Many opioids, methamphetamine and illegal drugs can increase dopamine production. However, they will disrupt the way that the body naturally produces dopamine leaving the user depleted, hungry, depressed and even suicidal. By taking these drugs you are disrupting your brains chemical balance, it's like giving yourself a mental illness. See the Medication Dangers page.

A good naturally cleansing diet can help you physically and mentally overcome some addictions and feel better about yourself. You can find the ingredients for this on the Cleanse & Detoxify page.

See the Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia page for more natural remedies which can also help overcome addictions.

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Smoking has proven to be one of the hardest of all socially accepted activities to stop once addicted to the nicotine and countless other chemicals in tobacco. One of the best websites with information for those trying to escape from their nicotine addiction is a free Ebook here: whyquit.com

There needs to be far more research into the causes of addictive personalities which can have catastrophic results for not only the victims of this debilitating affliction but those surrounding them. An estimated 2 million people in the UK have some kind of seriously dangerous addiction, which is most probably very underestimated, yet it remains a taboo subject because the lines between habit, obsession and addiction remain blurred. Some debilitating habitual activities are not even classed as addictions which is a concern as they can have the same disastrous results.

The only real natural way to become free of an addiction is to completely change one's way of life and find something less damaging to become obsessed by. Circumstances and situations have a lot to do with keeping the addiction going especially when boredom or escape was the root cause of the addiction in the first place. Think back to something you really enjoyed doing as a child or something wonderful you always wanted to do and set your goals at achieving the ability and finances to do it. Quite often an addiction can be overcome by forcing yourself to think hard and work towards achieving some goal not yet reached. This can block the mindset which has got you addicted by ignoring the cravings to get your daily 'fix'. You can recreate the 'buzz' of dopamine hits by doing something completely different that makes you happy too.

It is obvious that the sufferer convinces themselves it is the activity that gives them the buzz and that nothing else can. The brain is a very clever machine that has been designed to control our every movement by the use of the dopamine chemical. However, we mistake the feel good factor and think it is all because of the particular activity we are doing. This is untrue. The amazing brain and body can learn to enjoy anything we undertake if we just try it a few times. Addiction can happen almost immediately in many cases. It depends on our physical, financial and mental abilities as to what we each become addicted to and how far. Fads also determine some addictions. Many people become engrossed in an activity because everyone around them does or they see it on the TV or internet. Some become more engrossed than others. Reward is the reason why. Big business relies on this human weakness when they advertise and take advantage to get their own 'fix' of profit, power and possessions. They too are 'addicts'.

What one person feels is a reward won't be the same for another so they probably wouldn't do it so often and hence wouldn't become addicted. They will be addicted to something completely different for instance reading or writing, playing an instrument or football, religion, driving cars, fishing; anything can be considered an addiction. It is the level at which we will go to to continue our chosen activity without thought about how we might be harming ourselves, our lifestyle circumstances and neglecting or hurting those around us and how damaging it can become.

This is clearly due to a mental disorder causing a lack of self control and awareness. In some cases it can be also down to finances. Those on low incomes without jobs will find it very hard to find alternatives to their escapism and boredom addictions due to lack of funds whereas, those on high incomes who are addicted to making money, status, gambling and power will find it virtually impossible to give up their affliction unless the money runs out. In some desperate cases, if money does run out, a person can be so completely addicted they will resort to corrupt, illegal and even murderous means to remain in the position they are addicted to and that includes drug induced delusions of being something other than what or where we are. Computer games create this illusion too which is why they have become so addictive.

It is a very serious human affliction which needs considerably more research because it is not just drug and alcohol abuse that is dangerous. It can be said that those supplying the addictive products are also addicted but to the profits they make from it and they are equally as dangerous, not to themselves so much, but to many millions of others. Perhaps if we could put a stop to the addictions of profit, power and status, we could also halt the addictions to the products being irresponsibly supplied?

It is most unfortunate that those with addictions which cause loss of income, health and possessions are looked upon as having a more serious 'illness' than those whose addictions makes them richer and more powerful because both are causing pain and suffering to others. In fact, it might be said that, those whose greed makes them use others in an abusive way or who fail to pay fairly for services provided to keep their own 'buzz' for status, money and power intact are being more detrimental to more people on a larger world wide scale. Think of the corporate tobacco company executives who quite happily direct their marketing and turn the third world countries populations onto the addiction of nicotine in order to profit and remain powerful.

We seem to have been convinced that doing this is ok. That being a successful business man is to be admired no matter how deviant the ways and means and not for one minute would he be considered an addict of any sort. But why not? They are doing exactly the same as any other addict. Gaining constant self gratification at the expense of and to the detriment of others. If they are doing it by fair means and not causing damage to anyone or the planet we all share and will pass on then it could be considered a good addiction and therefore not an 'illness'. But where do we draw the line?

The obscene and unfair distribution of wealth and resources of the world is a prime breeding ground for addictions of all kinds and the root cause of so much illness and suffering and that is tragic. Currently, the only available 'natural cure' can be to recognise you have a damaging addiction which is hurting others as well as yourself and take serious steps to change your mindset and lifestyle. A good look in the mirror and a determined approach to better yourself and make life easier and more comfortable for those connected to you so that you never again have to wake up feeling guilty and start on the addiction spiral again, to escape your reality, is a great start! Stop thinking only of yourself and how to gratify your own yearnings and start thinking of others. Your friends, family, children and anyone else affected by what you do. Think what you are doing to them by your selfish 'habit'.

You are capable of both retraining your brain to accept things in moderation and changing your priorities and, once you do, you will be on the road to a healthy well being and those lovely dopamine 'hits' will come from places you had never imagined before and be more satisfying than you have ever experienced. The best 'buzz' in the world is when you have helped others to feel good and when you have a useful purpose in life knowing you are leaving something good behind for future generations. Once you have experienced that, you will be free of your old bad 'addictions' forever.

Posted in: Addictions