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When are you addicted?
Addiction can be a challenging issue to identify, but generally speaking, it occurs when you lose control over your use of certain substances or behaviours. Some common examples of addictive substances include drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, while addictive behaviours may include gambling, shopping, or using the internet.
Am I addicted?
Addiction can disrupt your daily life completely. You may find it difficult to meet your important obligations and may even give up on hobbies, socialising or work activities. You might try to minimise the issue, out of shame or guilt. However, as your tolerance grows, you may require more of the substance or behaviour to achieve the desired effect.
How quickly can an addiction develop?
The development of addiction differs from person to person. While some individuals are more prone to addiction, it's important to note that addiction does not happen overnight. Different substances also have varying levels of addictive potential. Certain drugs, such as tobacco, GHB and heroin, tend to be more addictive, while alcohol, cannabis and XTC are typically less so. In some cases, there may be a genetic predisposition to addiction, and factors like upbringing, habits, personality and environment can all play a role in determining how quickly addiction develops.
Signs of addiction
Symptoms of addiction
There are several signs that can help you recognize an addiction in yourself or others. The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) outlines 11 criteria for determining whether someone has an addiction. Based on these symptoms, it can be determined whether you have an addiction.
Addiction Symptoms
- You use more frequently, in larger quantities, or for longer periods than you had planned;
- You have made multiple unsuccessful attempts to cut down or quit;
- You spend a lot of time obtaining, using, or recovering from the substance;
- You have a persistent craving for the behavior or substance;
- Your use has a negative impact on your work, social activities, home life, or hobbies;
- You continue to use or engage in certain behaviors despite the social problems it causes;
- You give up your hobbies, social activities, or work due to your use;
- You use continuously, even when it puts you in physical danger;
- You keep using despite physical or psychological problems or making them worse;
- You need more of the substance to feel the same effect (tolerance);
- You experience withdrawal symptoms that lessen with more use of the substance.
Is addiction hereditary?
An addiction can be hereditary, making you more susceptible to addiction than others. Children of one or both parents with addiction often become addicted faster and also develop addiction at a younger age. In addition, your environment and upbringing can also play a role in your addiction.
At U-center, we always treat your addiction together with underlying social, biological, and psychological factors. Based on all these factors, we create a personalized treatment plan for your clinical treatment.
What is an addicitonMental Disorders and Addiction
Comorbidity and Addiction
People with a mental disorder have a greater chance of developing addictions. People with mental illness are also more likely to be prescribed medication and may become dependent on these drugs in the long run.
It is also possible that addiction arises from suppressing existing mental problems with alcohol or drugs. Addiction may start because you need numbness, for example, in the case of depression or severe trauma. When you have a co-occurring addiction and mental disorder or another addiction, we refer to it as comorbidity. In this case, you have two or more diagnoses from the DSM-5. U-center is an expert in treating comorbidity and always treats your addiction in combination with other factors.
Addiction & comorbidity
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