Addiction

In life, we dedicate our time to things we are interested in. We spend more time on some things and less on others. Interests can range from sports, books, traveling, knitting to any number of other activities. Some people tend to excessively engage in an activity and develop an obsession. However, from which point is this obsession referred to as an addiction? Is there a certain action or indication for the start of an addiction? When is an addiction classified as unhealthy and can an addiction be healthy? For example, when it comes to alcohol, the question is often discussed if one beer per day can be referred to as an addiction. A beer a day is seen a normal level of consumption by some young men. As a result,  more than one beer is customarily consumed. If we take the example of only one beer per day, totalling 365 beers a year, could this conceivably be construed as an alcohol addiction? To be able to answer this question, 4 different terms have to be defined and put into perspective. A fixation can primarily be categorized in: an obsession, a habit, a routine or an addiction. A routine is a series of actions repeated regularly at an exact time a habit is an action done by choice and can be stopped at any point, an obsession is an interest in something that stops a person from thinking of anything else. Lastly, an addiction involves physical or mental dependence and therefore cannot be stopped without help.


Constant repetition of an action can be a sign of mental disturbance. If a person is addicted to a substance or behavior, he is not able to fully control his actions.The causes of addiction vary considerably and are often not fully understood. They are generally caused by a combination of physical, mental, circumstantial and emotional factors. People utilize substances (alcohol, nicotine, marijuana) or activities (gambling, sex) as a way to relieve these factors. They often feel that substances help them bury their unwanted emotions or problems. Further on in their addiction, addicts depend on these substances to cope with daily life as a whole. Studies revealed that addicts have a different, regularly false, view on the substances they are using than non-addicts. Oftentimes, they do not see any harm in their usage, nor do they understand the concerns of their confidants. Consequently, they frequently switch addictive actions from drug to either a higher dosage or to a more serious drug. To be able to treat the addiction successfully, the focus has to be on the reason why the addiction developed rather than the addiction itself.


Addiction to substances or activities can lead to serious problems at home, work, school and socially. When referring to any kind of addiction, it is important to recognize that its cause is not simply a search for pleasure as addiction has nothing to do with one's morality or strength of character. It is simply the lack of ability to handle loose emotions or a rough past. Although drug victims may not comprehend the negative repercussions of their addictive actions yet, they are capable of terminating their behavior. As studies show, most addicts necessitate a dear friend to help them guide to what they yearn for - inner piece and acceptance.




If you know anybody who suffers from an addiction and needs help, (in Austria)
visit the website help Austria or (outside of Austria) google for help in your area. 
It is a particularly difficult situation if your friend has an addiction (-related) problem.
You will not able to cope with this on your own - look for professional support.
Do not ignore the addiction.

Julia

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addiction_Psychology