Psychology of addiction: types of addictions, mechanism of formation, ways to get rid of

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 19:56

Not all people can handle their own emotions. As a psychological defense, they use habits, at first quite innocent. But if you give yourself free rein, constant actions will acquire the features of painful obsession, turn into addiction. This is detrimental to the quality of life. By studying the psychology of addiction, a person is capable of lightning-fast alarm signals, preventing the moment when the situation gets out of hand.

Addiction: Problem Vision

People are prone to develop bad habits because they seek to protect themselves from unbearably painful feelings. Often all this leads to an uncontrollable out of control state, when the only way to feel good is to succumb to temptation. Awareness of a difficult situation occurs when an individual is aware of the presence of a problem that needs to be addressed.

Psychology of addictions(addictology) is a discipline that considers deviant behavior of people, mechanisms, causes of its development and dynamics. So, addictions are formed when a person does not feel his own importance, does not value himself and gives up, not achieving a previously set goal. Often the problem lies in the lack of attention and love from others. For this reason, young people are prone to abuse alcohol or computer games to take their leisure time with fun and fill the inner void.

Over time, the way to relax and have fun develops into a bad habit. Such is the psychology of addiction: it is difficult for a person to get rid of a part of everyday life, since it occupied leisure and got rid of unpleasant memories, collisions with reality. As a result, he prefers not to change anything.

The biggest mistake is to give up one addiction in favor of another. For example, a person stops drinking and starts eating a lot. A short victory will not have the desired effect if, after a while, the awareness of a new addiction comes. The solution to the situation is possible only with fixing the source of spiritual emptiness and long-term work on filling it.

Finding the root of the problem

First of all, a person needs to stop lying to himself. Only at first it seems that the first step is easy. Some people take years to forgive their habits and turn them into a daily "hobby". But if you stop and pay attention to your own shortcomings, you can learn how to get rid ofdependencies. Psychology in this case recommends asking the right questions to yourself:

1. Do you feel loved? Need?
2. Do you believe in God or other higher powers?
3. Do you find yourself interesting, attractive?

If a person answers no to the last question, then this will indicate serious problems with self-esteem. It is recommended to really look at the situation or consult a psychologist.

It is possible that the problem arose on the basis of dependence on a person. The psychology of relationships between people is very complex. One must calmly weigh the advantages and disadvantages of such a loss. For humility, several sessions will be required, where the patient does not need to forgive the offender, it is enough to try to mentally let him go. Constant self-improvement reveals the situation from different angles and allows you to understand yourself.

Tackling the underlying problems of addiction is the key to eradicating it completely.

Types of addictions

Bad habits are divided into groups. For example, chemicals are directly related to the regular consumption of alcohol, drugs or medications. Intermediate ones are based on hormonal surges - this is adrenaline addiction or the desire to "jam" problems. Behavioral are responsible for the body's conscious reactions to the situation.

Russian scientist Korolenko Ts. P. classifiesthe psychology of addiction at a non-chemical level:

1. Gambling and other types of games for money.
2. Love, sexual habit. Trying to avoid meeting the person.
3. Workaholism.
4. Technical addiction: dependence on a TV, computer, set-top box, personal gadget or the Internet.
5. Tendency to spend money regularly.
6. Dependence on time. His pathological lack, the inability to properly plan the schedule and complete all the cases.
7. Sports addiction. Accompanied by a constant desire to perform regular exercises, increasing the complexity of the workout.
8. Tendency to search for the spiritual principle. Not the most popular type. Detailed in 2004: Patients attempted to practice speaking with higher powers and summoning ghosts.
9. Feeling of permanent war. The inability of the former military to come to terms with past events. There are cases when soldiers dug trenches in the yard to sleep peacefully, or had an unhe althy risk appetite.

In addition to the listed types of addiction, in psychology there is a social classification of addictions. In this case, they are divided into condemned (drug addiction, alcoholism), as well as acceptable (overeating, anorexia, workaholism). Quite often, after therapy, the first ones are replaced by the second ones. The psychologist recommends focusing on work, sports, new relationships.

Romantic addiction

It is important for people to feel important in the eyessurroundings and loved ones. However, the psychology of love addiction is not considered he althy, because a person stops paying attention to himself and focuses on the object of adoration. Often such actions are too intrusive and not pleasant for everyone.

The meaning of one's own life is blurred. Many familiar things, interests, hobbies cease to matter. This behavior leads to the fact that "addicts" give up most aspects of life, and changes in mood are associated with a partner.

In psychology, love addiction doesn't just refer to romantic or sexual experiences. For example, a mother's overprotection of a child, even when the child becomes an adult, can become an addiction. A strong friendship between people, in which contact with others is perceived as a betrayal, is also not entirely normal. At the same time, the “addict”, thirsting for attention, can be of any age, religion or life beliefs. Even children are at risk, because they often become jealous of their parents for younger brothers or sisters if they are given more time.

The main fantasy of a person with addiction is a false expectation of unlimited care, problem solving by a partner and a constant positive attitude towards everything. When their unrealistic needs are not met, love addicts feel resentful and create conflicts with others.

People often develop these kinds of habits because of past experiences. Freud devoted an impressive part of his work to the study of dependencies associated withchildhood experiences. With a long-term analysis of a minor, such acute problems can be identified as:

1. Attention Deficit.
2. Lack or excess of care, love.
3. Flattery for no reason or frequent praise of children.
4. Regular loneliness when adults are at work.
5. No friends.

Often these factors affect self-esteem and form a misconception about attachment. In psychology, dependence on a man is considered the same problem as any other addiction. At first, her symptoms do not inspire fear: the girl misinterprets ordinary actions, understands politeness as signs of attention and sympathy. But in the end it turns out that the "lover" did not even think about courtship. The girl perceives this as a betrayal, a deceit. As a result, having stumbled several times, a person closes himself from others, which leads to a conscious fear of intimacy.

Remedy

Self-knowledge is the key to the process of getting rid of the habit. This will require specific measures to be taken:

1. Get over the denial and acknowledge the problem.
2. Recover from the harmful effects of addiction.

Most likely, another person will intervene to break the endless cycle of repetition.

First of all, you need to accept the difficult reality, where the object of adoration does not like the "drug addict". After all, this is the bitter truth. Experienced emotional painwill put many things in their place.

In psychology, dependence on a person is considered only as an individual case of addiction. The psychologist will be based on the personality of the patient, looking for a severe moral shock or a point of habit development. It is not uncommon for people to experience withdrawal symptoms. For this reason, it is recommended to seek support from a specialist who will help to cope with the oppressive feeling of fear, emptiness or pathological attention deficit.

Food addiction

The feeling of satiety is accompanied by satisfaction. At first, a person feels contented and happy, full of energy. In a constant desire to get a new dose of “happiness”, food addiction is developed. The psychology of a "food addict" is not unique. A person behaves in the same way as any other addict - they satisfy their passion to the maximum extent. For example, he eats all the food in the refrigerator, even if he does not feel hungry.

The reasons for the development of addiction are several factors:

1. Physiology. Addiction can be triggered by hormonal imbalance, medication.
2. Psychology. An experienced event, difficult situation, or trauma causes feelings of vulnerability, fear, or a desire to hide from others. Usually the individual is unable to accept the problem.
3. Sociology. The influence of relatives, friends, who similarly cope with the situation with the help of food, also affects the perceptionhuman.

The habit is associated with a negative perception of oneself, low self-esteem and deep emotional experience. In the future, this can lead to severe obesity, due to which the love for your body will completely disappear.

Overcoming addiction

If a person does not know how to get rid of food addiction, psychology indicates the need to recognize the problem. This is the first step. After that, it is recommended to follow some rules:

1. Create a notebook and think over the menu for the week, sticking to it without exception.
2. Switch to a he althy diet. For example, eating greens improves mood and promotes a fast metabolism.
3. Brush your teeth often. Taste is the reason people eat regularly. The aroma of mint interrupts the feeling of enjoying food.
4. Leisure and hobbies. Addiction is manifested in the regular repetition of any activity. Such situations are widely described in psychology. Behavior addiction can be overcome by distracting yourself with other exciting activities.
5. Meditate or exercise. It will take about an hour to complete the exercises. The advantage will be the fact that after physical exertion, appetite decreases.

Doctors also advise to consume plenty of pure water per day. The fact is that when the body is dehydrated or hungry, it sends similar signals to the brain. Sometimes a glass of water solves the problem, not a pie.

Virtual addiction

Some people develop bad habits when using a computer. The psychology of gambling addiction is based on the desire to avoid problems in real life, to cope with stress, which in the future looks like the only method of relaxation. Often vulnerable, lonely or shy people who are faced with misunderstandings in the environment fall into dependence on the Web.

The psychology of dependence on virtual space has the following habits and experiences:

1. Guilt or unjustified well-being.
2. Unsuccessful attempts to sign out or limit computer usage.
3. Wasting an impressive amount of time.
4. Disregarding the company of friends, family in favor of being online.
5. Lies about time spent online.
6. Feeling anxious, depressed, or irritable when you can't use your computer.
7. Using the Internet as an escape from reality when sad, lonely, or for sexual gratification.
8. Thoughts and plans related to the computer when a person cannot access it.
9. Problems at school or at work as there is no time for activities.

Physical signs of virtual addiction are:

1. Discomfort in the back and neck.
2. Sleep disorders. Insomnia.
3. Strong headspain.
4. Dry eyes or poor vision.
5. Carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness, burning sensation in the hands, which may radiate to the wrists, elbows and shoulders).

Computer addiction occurs as a result of the fact that in the age of technology people repeatedly use the virtual space as a way to get rid of stress. Instead of facing the main problem, they create new ones. Others abuse the postponement of the responsibility of important events, which they actually fear.

Helping the Obsessed

It's hard to remain indifferent when a loved one cannot cope with the situation and take control of everything. For this reason, intervention is needed to help rid him of his computer addiction:

1. Find a comfortable company where the Internet will not be the only way of leisure.
2. Talk heart to heart. It is important to consider that the conversation should not be one-sided.
3. Involve a person in a new hobby - go on a shared solace, go to a match.
4. If we are talking about a child, then demonstrate an example of using a computer as an exclusively working tool.
5. Give support in emotional distress. Never show judgment as it will break the trust that has been formed.

The main task is to reduce the stay in the virtual space to a minimum. However, independently, without outside help, builda comfort zone for living around the dependent self is difficult.

It can happen to anyone

Often, when people think about drug addicts, an association appears in their head with an abandoned person who is at the very bottom. This view is incorrect, because addiction occurs in people of different age categories and social status.

The boundary between habit and addiction lies in the fact that the last individual is not able to stop at will. For example, alcohol dependence in psychology is recognized as the most frequent in comparison with others. Regular consumption of alcohol is addictive and develops cravings for the "continuation of the banquet".

Addictive behavior can develop in anyone. It is an iterative process that is used as a temporary distraction from a deeper problem, pain, or shock. The real source of addiction is in the soul, and every person should pay attention to the fine line that separates a habit from a painful craving. This is the only way to notice the problem in time and get rid of it.