How to Identify an Addiction and its Stages

Addictions don't discriminate, but people do. Addictions can affect and grab a hold of anyone's life at any time. When people with addictions are faced with acknowledging they have one, this often times becomes the greatest undaunting task. Furthermore, when loved ones and friends share their concerns with the user, often times sincere caring gets pushed aside. Admitting one has an addiction is half the battle. Getting treatment and maintaining abstinence and maintenance is the other half of the battle. This article sheds light on how to identify the steps and signs leading to any addiction.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. The addiction didn't start overnight. Addiction is a slow process which progresses over a period of time. Almost any and all addictions begin as wishes and desire to try a substance, drug or vice of choice. It then escalates to "want." Once it evolves into necessity, the blueprint for disaster has been drawn up.
2. No matter how many times you try to quit on your own, you can't. Those who promise to quit or cut down and try but fail have an addiction. There is the famous quote in the addiction world; "Insanity is engaging in the same behavior and expecting a different result." The reason one can't quit is they are addicted. They possess an illness.
3. Trying to use moderation management techniques or controlled/modified use always ends up leading back to full use. Trusting one can cut down on their own to the point of minimalizing the use to near zero is ludicrous. If this were the case, they wouldn't have reached the point of addiction they arrived at.
4. The user uses the substance or vice to control, numb or minimize psychological and/or physical pain. In fact, when one fails (trying to quit using), this tiggers psychological/emotional pain that makes them further want to use.
5. The drug/substance provides instant gratification. It gives the individual a sense of indestructability and euphoria. It serves as an escape route to the world of fantasy for the individual.
6. Use and abuse of substances/vices provide a short-term relief to avoid responsibility. It allows the individual to dettach themself from dealing with the reality of their situation and problems.
7. The individual now possesses triggers (people, places and situations) that encourage them to use. Many addicts are unaware of these triggers and those who are aware of them choose to ignore them.
8. The addiction is full-blown when the individual develops either/or physical and psychological tolerance to the drug. The individual needs increased doses of the drug/vice, and/or does it more. If they try to stop cold turkey, they suffer from very bad withdrawal symptoms that could include the shakes, twitching, jitters, changes in heart rate/blood pressure, heart palpitations, toxic shock, and emotional problems such as irritability, anger, depression, edginess, angst, hyperactivity, being withdrawn, paranoia and suicidal thoughts.
9. The kicker is deceit and lying. Addicts are pathological liars and sneaky. They will lie to others to maintain their use and abuse of the substance/vice. The will lie and deny they are an addict.
10. Confrontation is required to set the person straight. If you really care about someone, you won't care how they feel about you at this point as long as you are getting them proper help. Interventions are sometimes a final resort, and a great first resort if the person with the addiction is out of hand.

Tips & Warnings

• Persistence and perserverance are key to overcome addiction.
• Having faith in oneself and others is paramount in seeing the process through to the maintenance stage.
• Support services and excellent treatment facilities are available.
• Sometimes tough love is the bext kind of love.
• Don't threaten the individual with the addiction. Most addicts are already living their lives in fear and dysfunction. Funny, but the only thing they are proficient at is maintaining their use.
• Don't tempt or place someone with an addiction in a situation to use.