Addiction: Basic Definition
If you grew up in challenging circumstances, you may have found it difficult to tolerate uncomfortable emotions, especially if they felt uncontrollable. You may have learned to not trust others or there was no one to go to for comfort. This can begin the search for something to trust and rely upon to escape and relieve the discomfort that you feel may never end. Alcohol, drugs, sex, food, gambling, etc. often promise this relief, at least on a temporary basis; but, the promise of this relationship can lead one down the road to a "pathological relationship" with these substances / behaviors.
Scientists have discovered that addiction has a physiological component that affects the brain: if someone is feeling lonely, anxious or depressed, is under stress at work or in their family / relationships, or is worried about money, then mood-altering chemicals or behaviors may help them to feel better, at least temporarily.
However, the temporary pleasure that numbs such painful feelings as loneliness, shame, rejection and low-self-esteem is not a solution when it becomes repetitive. The "addiction solution" requires constant stimulation; repetitive use of substances or behaviors is compulsive, and compulsion is at the core of the "addictive process."
Alcohol & Chemical Dependency
How do I know if I have a problem with Alcohol and/or Drug abuse? Some questions to ask yourself if you are concerned about your use of alcohol, drugs or other substances are:
Am I doing this over and over again, hoping for something different to happen?
Am I organizing my life around when I can drink or use drugs next?
What thoughts, feelings, physical sensations do I want to escape from?
Am I regulating my mood with alcohol or drugs?
It’s possible you may not know the answers to these questions. Many people struggling with alcohol and / or drug use find it difficult to identify what they are truly feeling. And, some people may feel their alcohol / drug use is not a problem.
There are a number of symptoms that can creep up on you that indicate that your relationship with alcohol and / or drugs may indeed be problematic. Some of these include:
Loss of control; not being able to have just one drink or limit the amounts of drug used
Mood and/or personality changes that you or others notice
Blackouts.
Tremors or hallucinations when in withdrawal.
Drinking or using drugs despite recurring negative consequences, e.g., DUI, decreased job performance or job loss, fights with significant others when high, etc.
Frequent morning and/or lunchtime drinking or drugging, or disappearing from work to drink or get high.
Hiding bottles of alcohol or drugs.
While this is just a sampling of symptoms, you don’t have to be "addicted" to alcohol or drugs to have a problematic relationship with them. You may observe that you are using them with greater frequency than you used to, or you may not like how you feel after using them, despite some perceived benefits.
A thorough alcohol and/or drug history, including any information from your family of origin, will be helpful in deciding whether your usage is a problem and what treatment approach is most appropriate to take.
Some possible treatment recommendations may include:
Outpatient Alcohol and or Drug Counseling / Psychotherapy.
Group Therapy.
Twelve Step Programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA) or Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA).
Intensive Outpatient Programs.
Detoxification.
In-Patient Rehabilitation.
It’s not easy to come to terms with an alcohol or drug problem on your own let alone make a decision to stop or practice harm reduction. As your therapist, I would partner with you to strategize the right treatment plan to get your life back on track. During therapy, I am especially interested in figuring out what thoughts and feelings you may be having, and assessing which "triggers," meaning which specific people, places and/or experiences in your life that make you vulnerable to alcohol and / or drug use.
In addition, it’s important to strategize on putting into place "healthy" behaviors (things you like to do or might be curious to try) to fill the gap that alcohol and / or drug use has occupied. Putting these structures into place can make working on the puzzle of life easier. And, you will likely feel more supported in the event that unsettling thoughts, feelings, memories and/or physical sensations emerge, or if you feel the temptation to take a drink and / or use drugs.
