What Makes an Addiction
Physically addictive substances used daily can bring these uncomfortable physical symptoms.
What is withdrawal?
The oldest known intoxicating substance used specifically for recreational purposes (even dating back to biblical times).
What is alcohol?
We make dozens if not hundreds of these a day with our mind and one of the best ways to improve our lives is to practice making good ones.
What is decisions/choices?
We experience these in our mind, heart, and gut and it is important to learn how to manage our reaction to them.
What are feelings/emotions?
The essential inner drive, focus, and desire that brings about positive change and attainment of goals.
What is motivation?
A strong addictive urge that can pull you in a way you may not want to go if you are not careful.
What is craving?
(2000's) This artist was referred to as the King of Pop, died due to complications from prescriptions drugs in 2009.
Who is Michael Jackson?
It takes more and more of a substance to get the same effect which often fuels the desire and need for using larger amounts.
What is tolerance?
Class of drugs used medicinally for thousands of years to relieve physical pain but nowadays often abused to relieve emotional pain.
What are opiates/opioids?
This describes overall the way we present and express ourselves. If we have a negative one we should want to change it to grateful and positive.
What is attitude?
It is important to learn to manage this uncomfortable mental experience that can occur when we worry or stress over things.
What is anxiety?
The ability to look inside yourself honestly and truthfully: Self-awareness.
What is insight?
You may have went backwards a little bit but still you didn't completely relapse.
What is setback?
(1990's) Singer of one of the most popular grunge bands in the 1990's shot himself in the head in 1994 at the age of 27, addicted to heroin.
Who is Kurt Cobain?
Failure to recognize the truth about a problem, particularly an addiction, is often referred to as this.
What is denial?
Even though life may be spiraling out of control with dependency clearly increasing, some people may believe that they are not addicted just because they may be obtaining drugs this legal medical way.
What is prescription?
This categorizes and includes all that is most important in your life and what you care about the most, and what has the most worth to you.
What are values?
These changing temporary states of mind can make us feel high, low, and everything in between so it is important to be able to regulate these.
What are moods?
Something just about everyone needs when overcoming a difficult challenge, because it is so difficult to do it alone.
What is support?
Some people may try to deal with a substance use issue by attempting to use less or change to a less harmful substance. If that isn't working, you may need to consider this more basic old option.
What is abstinence/sobriety?
(1980's) John Belushi was a legendary actor and comedian who shocked the world when he overdosed and died from mixing cocaine and heroin in 1982 at the height of his fame. He was on the original lineup of what longstanding TV show (still airs today).
What is Saturday Night Live?
Every bad choice we make can mean we have to face these later. Addiction can cause people to foolishly ignore these repeatedly.
What are consequences?
The vast majority of people who use this legal plant use it as often as 10 or 20 times a day despite knowing it is the number one killer of all addictive substances in the world.
What is tobacco?
You can have ups and downs along the way but what matters most is that you keep moving forward. If that is true then you are steadily making this.
What is progress?
It is essential to learn to eliminate this negative emotion which stems from holding on to anger and grudges.
What is resentment?
Building insight and motivation lead to this powerful experience defined by a strong sense of positive mental stimulation to try to make things better.
What is inspiration?
With more severe addiction, particularly opioid, if the withdrawal or cravings are overwhelming it may be wise to consider seeing a doctor for this.
What is medication or medication assisted treatment?
(1970's) This iconic musician is one of the top earning dead celebrities today, still earning over 50 million/year for his music despite dying from complications of prescription drug addiction back in 1977.
Who is Elvis Presley?
When you spend too much, use too much or too often and life problems are steadily piling up, it is a good sign you have lost this.
What is control?
Stimulants such as cocaine, speed and methamphetamine, when taken for long periods can induce a mental state of hallucinations and extreme paranoid delusions called:
What is psychosis or stimulant-induced psychosis?
This involves all the people, places and things that you surround yourself with and that you choose to be connected to.
What are associations?
Sometimes addiction can be directly linked to deeply disturbing or distressing experiences that occurred earlier in life, all of which is referred to as: ________
What is trauma/PTSD?
What is purpose?
They say relapse doesn't suddenly happen out of nowhere-- it's not an event, it is often much more of a gradual __________.
What is process?
(1960's) This world famous movie star shocked the world in 1962 from a barbiturate overdose which some say was accidental, some say was suicide, and others say was murder.
Who is Marilyn Monroe?