Addiction affects all of us — so here’s what you should know
We all tend to think we understand “addiction” and what it means to be “addicted” but that’s what stops us from really addressing it.
What does addiction mean to you?
Does the word conjure up images of certain illicit substances? Do you think of film and TV characters, like Tony Montana in Scarface or the Trainspotting ensemble? Is your mind immediately making associations with drugs, rehab, withdrawal, death, overdose, crime and poverty?
Or do you think of someone you know?
Addiction is so common and yet so rarely talked about in a meaningful, informed or respectful way. We know that it’s one of the most widespread mental health challenges of our time, but because of what the idea has come to represent, the reality of it is hiding in plain sight.
1 in 3 people in the world have an addiction of some kind, but only 1 in 10 get support. This sadly means that people around the world are not only struggling but dying, because they don’t feel safe enough to put their hands up, or maybe can’t even identify what’s happening to begin with.
Perhaps these just seem like big, throw-away global health statistics that you don’t think you can relate to, so let’s break it down into some real-world scenarios. Your real world scenarios.
There are many people who are driven by a need to work, to scroll, to wager, to shop or to consume. In fact, there’s few people who won’t, at some point, find themselves in the grips of some kind of compulsion.
Most of us would find it easy to understand that feeling, of when you’ve left the house and realised your phone isn’t on you. (!!!). You become easily distracted, your focus shifts to how to get your phone back, and all the things you’re missing out on without your phone in your hand. You don’t think you’re that reliant on it, until it’s gone. Or maybe not until someone else points out that your increasing screen time has begun to interfere with your relationships. Can you relate to this feeling? Then welcome to the spectrum of addiction.
Phones are a relatively harmless example but there’s been more and more cases of excessive smartphone use genuinely doing damage to people’s lives. But replace that compulsion with sugar, caffeine, couch-time, the post-work beer; and we can all hopefully start to appreciate that there are many things we bring into our every day to deal with…well, every day, that may not actually be supporting our health and well-being.
It all comes back to this very simple fact: humans are hardwired to seek out joy and numb or avoid pain.
To be ‘addicted’ you need only have a physical or psychological need to do something — this can be anything from consuming substances like alcohol, drugs, sugar or vape; or behaviours like gambling, gaming, porn, exercise, social media; and the list goes on.
The substance or behaviour itself can be relatively harmless in isolation or moderation, but anything that has the ability to spark pleasure in our brains has the potential to develop into an addiction.
So what is addiction really?
Just like every other mental health condition — addiction isn’t a choice. Contrary to common misconceptions, the constant urge to drink, do drugs or seek pleasure in certain activities isn’t driven by choice, but rather, physiological changes that occur in the brain, or more specifically what’s known as the ‘Reward Circuit’.
The Reward Circuit links together a number of brain structures and its job is to control and regulate our ability to feel pleasure. It’s actually an evolutionary system for survival, creating our motivation for basic human needs like eating and drinking: Drinking water feels good, so we’re motivated to do it often and therefore stay hydrated.
The problem is, the Reward Circuit can’t distinguish the source of the dopamine. So if any dopamine is registered by the brain, it perceives we did something that ‘helped’ us. That’s why things started to get really complicated when humans discovered how to short-circuit pleasure in our brains through things like drugs, alcohol and technology. When these things create a dopamine release, the brain still perceives it as us doing something “good or helpful” for survival, and it stays in our memory that we should do it again — whether they’re actually helping us or not.
Different substances and behaviours produce dopamine that fools your brain into mistaking reward for real pleasure. That’s why even long after our last drink, our brains and memories still associate drinking with this flood of reward. When we’re exposed to a cue or stimulus that triggers those latent memories, our brains beg us for more reward chemicals. And thus a craving is born.
What happens next sits on a spectrum of addiction with a variance in speed; severity; and physical, psychological, financial, emotional and social impact. The sooner it’s tackled, the more likely you are to overcome it.
So, since we’re all likely to experience it, what should we know about addiction?
Addiction does not discriminate. Just like depression, anxiety or any other health issue, anyone can experience addiction. It doesn’t happen to any ‘type’ of person, and it can often go unnoticed, and therefore, unsupported.
Addiction is something you experience, not something you choose. There is no place for judgement or shame when it comes to anyone’s health issues, and that includes addiction. No one wakes up and says, “I would love to become addicted to alcohol”. Addiction is a highly complex health condition, which no one knowingly invites into their lives. And so it deserves as much understanding, compassion and support, as any other mental health issue.
Addiction exists on a spectrum. Thankfully we’re all starting to understand that so few things are black and white / true or false. We’re seeing that things like depression and anxiety can impact us all, but often on varying spectrums, which can peak and trough at different times in our lives. As with most mental health challenges, it’s the level of disruption to your life, or the pain that it causes, that’s the key factor in seeking support.
You don’t have to ‘hit rock bottom’ to get help or start making changes. It’s time to reframe the question from “Do I have a problem?” to “Is <X, Y, Z> still serving me or contributing to my life in a positive way?”. When we take the self-blame and shame out of the equation, we open ourselves up to exploring more possibilities. Taking regular stock of the habits and behaviours in your life, and how they serve you, can help you take action before acute addiction occurs.
It’s never too early, or too late, to get help
They say that a problem shared is a problem halved, and this couldn’t be more true in this case. No matter where you are in your journey, or how big/small the impacts of addiction have become — there’s a range of support available, depending on your needs.
If you or someone you know is looking to make changes, you can always find community programs, therapy specialists, and then there’s apps like Lived, which offers support for alcohol — all from the convenience of your own home.
Lived is helping people who want to quit, cut-back, or are exploring a change with alcohol. In our app you’ll learn from people who have been in your shoes and know what really works.
