Getting To The Root of Addiction – What Addiction Looks Like & Understanding The Hall Marks of Addictive Behaviour.

5 Minute Read. – View Summary

Addiction is a disease of denial and minimisation, something that can undermine your performance in various aspects of your life, limiting how you show up as a human being.

Addiction exists almost on an unspoken epidemic scale, and unfortunately, due to organisations such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or the stigma against substance addiction, people are subconsciously encouraged to hide in the dark, feel that they are broken individuals, and this is not the case.

Now don’t get me wrong, AA is still 100% most definitely an amazing tool for people in recovery, and an invaluable resource for building connections and establishing strong community. The key factor is your not alone, you are not broken and there are thousands of people each year seeking help (In-fact, 127,000 people between the year 2016-2017, and this number is climbing [8]).

Another thing to be mindful of is the various components of addiction that contribute towards creating addictive Behaviour, these components may be either genetic, psychological or biological. In fact, evidence has shown strong links between childhood trauma and Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) [1].

What Does Addiction Look Like?

Addiction is a disease of denial and minimisation, with the biggest challenge of first admitting you have a problem, making the addiction known and stepping out into the light. It’s important that not only you are aware of the problem, but also your loved ones, building a social community, building connections with others and moving away from social isolation, which has shown to play a role in addiction pathways [2].

Now, addiction isn’t something that can be removed completely, addictive Behaviours can manifest in anything, even more so in addiction-prone individuals [3][4]. You can become addicted to the more common (substance abuse, gambling, and food) to the more uncommon (technology use, pornography, and even chronic exercise[7]).

Unfortunately though due to the rise of the modern technology, internet-based addiction and pornography is becoming increasingly more common, leading to a distortion of the arousal template in young adults and adults, which may lead to further addiction [5][6].

Knowing the Hall Marks of Addictive Behaviour.

Everyone around you can see it, but you can’t see it.

There are many key indicators of underlying addictive tendencies, even with multiple addictive outlets, and in some cases the less obvious outlet may be the cause. Below are some of the core fundamental hallmarks of Addictive Behaviour.

You compulsively perform and action or take something that…

• Becomes increasing out of control
  
• Is wrapped up in secrecy or hidden from people or a particular someone.
  
• Is consumed by denial or shame.
  
• Removes you from your relationship(s).
  
• Removes you from responsibilities.
  
• Distorts your reality.
• Becomes something you think about chronically.
  
• Begins to consume all of your energy and focus, rather than your life and the things you cherish.
  

From my experience, without understanding these core fundamental hallmarks, you end up playing addiction whack-a-mole, replacing one addiction with another and treating the symptom, not the cause.

If any of these points resonate with you, it may be time to consider your priorities, and or seek some help.

Summary

Unfortunately in this modern, fast-paced world, addictive Behaviours can manifest in almost anything. Over the course of my post-alcohol addiction, I began to notice one thing, overcoming one addiction does not overcome addictive Behaviour, alcohol addiction is but a symptom.

After studying nutrition, reading various books on neurochemistry, spending copious amounts of time listening to podcasts and understanding the core fundamental hall marks of addiction, I was able to really zoom out and re-shape my perception on addiction.

Addiction is widespread, and with the boom in technology and the internet, it is becoming increasingly more common. leading to a distortion of ones relationships, responsibilities and reality.

If there is one take away from this post it’s this, known the hall marks of addiction, read them, re-read them, and evaluate anything that resonates true.

Although Clarity Natural Health strives to guide people along the correct pathway from addictive Behaviour, the choice ultimately starts with you .

All the best in health,
Stephen Brumwell.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3051362/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4663247/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23584190
4.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886915001580
5. https://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/2/prweb10382404.htm
6. https://www.elsevier.com/connect/addiction-to-modern-technology-what-the-science-says
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210598/
8. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol-other-drug-treatment-services/aodts-2016-17/contents/table-of-contents

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Stephen Brumwell

Former drinker, Nutritionist, Biohacking enthusiast, self-experimenter, research fanatic, and self-taught writer, Stephen immerses himself deep into the literature of human optimisation and better understand the nature of addiction. His goal is to help people take control of their addiction, reset their cravings, unscramble their broken brain circuitry and use actionable strategies that work ten times better than anything else.