Addiction is an enemy that targets people, no matter who they are or where they come from. Anyone can get addicted to something, whether it be alcohol, drugs, or even video games and other habits. Over time, there has become more awareness on the negative effects of addiction.
It’s not something that should be taken lightly because addiction can take a toll on several aspects of life. It can affect a person’s physical, emotional, and mental health, as well as their relationships with other people. It’s easy to fall into addiction, that’s why one must be aware of the early signs to counter it before it gets worse. Here are the early signs of addiction.
Seeking out situations when the activity or substance is present
Often, it’s difficult to tell when a person has begun getting addicted to something. But one of the most common and familiar tell-tale signs is when that person starts seeking out specific situations where the substance or activity is present. For example, a person who’s starting to get addicted to smoking would find himself or herself constantly looking for opportunities to smoke. In the case of alcohol, a person addicted would find an excuse to go out drinking or buy drinks at home.
Inability to stop
The whole gamut of addiction is that it’s difficult to stop once you’ve started. Take video games for instance. Once a person gets too engrossed and engaged in playing video games, it’s difficult to stop even when there are things he or she has to do. They end up playing all day, every day, staying up late or never even going to sleep at all.
Once a person recognizes that they’re unable to control themselves form partaking on an activity or taking a substance, that’s when they know they are addicted to it. And once that realization sparks, it’s often a safe time to stop before the addiction worsens.
Changes in personality
When a person begins getting addicted to something, there’s bound to be a gradual shift in behavior and personality. Because they’re constantly looking for that substance or activity, there’s a chance they’re no longer interested in things they used to do. They can neglect obligations, distance themselves from relationships with others, and suddenly lose interest in old hobbies. All of a sudden, the substance or activity they have become addicted to is all that matters for them.
Dealing with problems through the substance or activity
We all have hobbies and stress-relieving activities. If we have a bad day at work, some like to read or watch movies to get away from all the pressure and negative emotions. Take that up a notch and it can be considered an addiction. When a person no longer addresses issues or emotions and instead resorts to using a substance or undertaking an activity, that’s when you know that it’s no longer healthy.
Denial
A person who is addicted to something, even though they know they are, will deny it at all costs. This is their way of preventing restriction. They don’t want people to take away the substance or activity from them, so they convince others that they are not addicted.
In other cases, they aren’t even aware that they have an addiction and believe that they can stop anytime they want to. But in reality, they aren’t able to let go of the substance or activity. If they do, they experience withdrawal and end up resorting back.
Addiction is a difficult enemy to fight. But being aware of the early signs can do a great deal in helping a person going through it. There are addiction treatment centers in Centerville that can help address and counter addiction.