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Types of Addictions
By admin | February 9, 2008
How many types of addiction are there? You might as well ask the old question, “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?†Both these questions can be endlessly argued among addiction therapists and theologians, and no one will come up with the “right†answer because there is none!
Addiction therapists often differ in their view of what constitutes a true addiction, and what can be classified as simply “people behaving badly.†For example, addiction purists regard the only true addictions as those involving substances like alcohol, cocaine, opiates, meth, and all the other drugs of abuse that cause both physical and psychological dependence (addiction). These therapists diagnose addicted patients straight from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, Version Four, Text Revision (the DSM-IV-TR). They do not acknowledge any type of addiction except substance dependence.
On the other side are the addiction therapists who believe that there are certain behavioral addictions such as food addiction, sex addiction, theft addiction, pornography addiction and gambling addiction. Purists see these as “people behaving badly†who should not be excused from the consequences of their actions by saying, “I can’t help it. I’m addicted to this behavior.â€
The truth is that research shows that substance addition and behavioral addictions most often go hand-in-hand. For example, a pathological gambler almost always sits at the poker table or at the race track with a big glass of alcohol in his hand that keeps getting refilled. A woman who shoplifts impulsively usually smokes cigarettes to calm her anxiety about getting caught.
Let’s take a look at some established characteristics of addiction:
- Frequent attempts to “cut down†or stop that always fail
- Intense anxiety when waiting to engage in addictive behavior/drug use
- Social, occupation and legal consequences
- Advice from others to stop
- Needing to “feed†the addiction more than anything else
- Denial that there is a problem with behavior/drug use
Depending upon your viewpoint, these characteristics could apply to either substance addiction or behavioral addiction, or both. So what should you do if you are ready to admit that you have what might be called a behavioral addiction? It’s essential that you find an addiction rehabilitation program with counselors who believe that certain behaviors are addictive. In this type of program, you will learn how to develop self-control over your problem behavior, resist urges, and prevent relapses.
If you think you have a problem with either your use of substances or troublesome behavior that you can’t control, open the Yellow Pages and start looking under “addiction counseling†or “mental health.†Then pick up the phone and start calling. Don’t stop until you find a therapist who can help you reach your goal of abstinence.
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