Addict
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Addict
An addict is someone who is physiologically or psychologically dependent upon a potentially harmful drug or substance or form of behavior that is compulsive. An addict is said to suffer from the disease of addiction, a chronic and relapsing disorder characterized by persistent drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviors.
See also Addiction.
To an ordinary person, an addict is someone who is physically or psychologically dependent on any substance or activity. An addict usually wants to quit but cannot control his impulses to keep doing a certain activity or using a certain substance. People talk about addicts in a loose way, as in "heroin addict," "sex addict" or even "chocolate addict."
Physicians no longer use the terms addiction or addict. In the last edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases, the reference used by doctors to diagnose and treat mental conditions, "addict" is no longer there, but the maladies that laypeople call "addictions" are classified as either "substance-related disorders," "impulse- control disorders," or "eating disorders." These are the only ones recognized by the medical community and eligible for medical interventions and payments for treatment by insurance companies or government.
Physicians recognize two levels of substance-related disorders: dependence and abuse. "Substance dependence" is what laypeople would call "addiction," in that the person is physically dependent on a substance such as heroin or alcohol, and will develop withdrawal symptoms when he quits. In other words, he is at the point that he needs the substance to feel normal. Other symptoms of "substance dependence" are tolerance to the substance, persistent efforts to control the abuse, losing out on social, occupational or recreational activities because of the abuse, and spending a great deal of time obtaining, using, and recovering from the substance. With "substance abuse," the person has all the problems mentioned but without withdrawal and tolerance. The definitions of "alcohol abuse" and "alcohol tolerance" are similar.
To doctors, pathological gambling is an impulse-control related disorder, and is in the same category as kleptomania (compulsive stealing) and pyromania (compulsive fire-setting). Binge-eating disorder is recognized not as an impulse-control disorder or substance-related disorder but placed in the same category with anorexia and other eating disorders.
Doctors do not as yet recognize "addictions" to shopping, sex, the Internet, exercise, video games, television, or many other things that laypeople do, but this may be changing when they publish the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases.
Types of Addicts
A person can become addicted to many different kinds of substances, thus, they can be one of many different types of addicts.
Some of the more common types of addicts include:
• Those addicted to alcohol.
• Those addicted to tobacco (nicotine addiction).
• Those addicted to prescription drugs.
• Those addicted to illicit or street drugs – including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, marijuana.
• Those addicted to process behaviors – including compulsive gambling, compulsive sex, and compulsive use of pornography, Internet, texting, workaholism, compulsive overeating, and overspending.
How One Becomes an Addict
Since addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by persistent drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviors, or compulsive behaviors, the process of becoming an addict generally occurs over time.
Some substances, such as methamphetamine, are so powerful and dangerous that a person can become addicted after the first use.
First, there’s experimentation, followed by continued use in order to again achieve the euphoria or high of the drug, substance or behavior. With repeated use, tolerance builds, meaning the person needs to consume more of the drug or engage in the behavior more often just to achieve the desired effect. This becomes an all-consuming activity, which the person engages in despite mounting and serious negative consequences to health, mental state, finances, family life, employment, friends, and problems with law enforcement, legal issues, and loss of stature in the community.
How an Addict Overcomes the Disease of Addiction
Once a person becomes an addict, they will typically go through many cycles of relapse and remission. There is no cure for addiction, but the addict can learn how to overcome his or her addiction through professional treatment or rehab.
Self-help groups, also called 12-step fellowships, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Sexaholics Anonymous, Workaholics Anonymous, Compulsive Spenders Anonymous, and the like, are a critical source of ongoing support for those in recovery and seeking to live a life of sobriety.
It should be noted that without treatment or consistent engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability and premature death.
--Suzannekane 18:40, 2 July 2011 (MDT)
