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How to know if you’re addicted

psyche.co

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Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#21

Post by rhino369 »

GenZRiseUp wrote: post #12

That is a really beautifully designed website. I was addicted to pornography. The way I knew was by trying to stop for at least a week, if I could accomplish that, then it wouldn't be a problem. I couldn't make it past one day. I thought, maybe access was the issue - so I deleted my browsers, and within a day was reinstalling them just to watch porn. I was watching during classes, and I would go late to events just s…

>The way I knew was by trying to stop for at least a week, if I could accomplish that, then it wouldn't be a problem.

Not being able to stop for a week shows you are an addict. But being able to stop for week doesn't really show you aren't one. Most addicts do quit for weeks or even months at a time.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#23

Post by krageon »

simlevesque wrote: post #7
carlmr wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the most common addictions now is cellphone addiction. But especially since the pandemic it's hard to do anything without a cell phone. You need your QR codes everywhere for testing or showing you're tested, show your vaccinations, check in to restaurants, etc.

> You need your QR codes everywhere for testing or showing you're tested, show your vaccinations You can do all of that without a phone.

Not here. It is technically possible to use a printed version, but they're not actually accepted anywhere. No phone means no access.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#24

Post by benjaminwootton »

simlevesque wrote: post #7
carlmr wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the most common addictions now is cellphone addiction. But especially since the pandemic it's hard to do anything without a cell phone. You need your QR codes everywhere for testing or showing you're tested, show your vaccinations, check in to restaurants, etc.

> You need your QR codes everywhere for testing or showing you're tested, show your vaccinations You can do all of that without a phone.

Fortunately have never had to show a test or a vaccine pass on a phone. Boy am I glad I’ve been living in England these last few years if that’s becoming normalised!

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#25

Post by exdsq »

specproc wrote: post #10
sumosudo wrote: post #2

Remove the offending substance and see how long or to what extent you would go to get it back.

With alcohol, its not so much about the urge to drink when you stop, but how bad your withdrawal symptoms are. I pretty much gave up in my mid thirties when I stopped for two weeks to deal with some life admin and found myself in withdrawal. I've had a few spells off the wagon since, but now realise something is properly broken in me. Even small amounts of alcohol trigger hideous hangovers and anxiety. The only count…

100%. Hangxiety is the worst. I’m 27 and quit last August. I feel so much better for it. Binge drinking culture can really damage you!

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#26

Post by exdsq »

freedom2099 wrote: post #14
grvdrm wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting to try it this way. Did it in the past with alcohol because I was curious how long it take to eliminate the urge (regardless of strength) to drink. Got through two months without any drinks and I'm not sure that the urge ever really went away. But I got used to tamping it down.

I really can’t relate… I drink but I never feel the “urge” to drink… I can simply stop and alcohol doesn’t even cross my mind for weeks.

That’s good! That is how a healthy relationship with alcohol should be.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#27

Post by grvdrm »

freedom2099 wrote: post #14
grvdrm wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting to try it this way. Did it in the past with alcohol because I was curious how long it take to eliminate the urge (regardless of strength) to drink. Got through two months without any drinks and I'm not sure that the urge ever really went away. But I got used to tamping it down.

I really can’t relate… I drink but I never feel the “urge” to drink… I can simply stop and alcohol doesn’t even cross my mind for weeks.

That's interesting. I've suspected it was two things:

1. Some chemical addiction - hard to understand but may contribute to the "urge"

2. Some component of taste - in other words, I like the taste of bourbon. I don't really care to be drunk but it obviously happens sometimes. But the goal is not to be drunk but instead to enjoy the taste of bourbon. I'm sure that desire manifests itself chemically in the body as well. Yet, I think of them as different pathways to the outcome.

So day to day, what I feel like I'm fighting is the desire to taste something I really enjoy, rather than the desire to be drunk, if that distinction makes sense.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#29

Post by exdsq »

EA wrote: post #5
sumosudo wrote: post #2

Remove the offending substance and see how long or to what extent you would go to get it back.

It took me almost 2 years to fully give up sodas and sugary drinks. I grew up on it. I learned a lot about my willpower.

I wish you’d use that same strength to cut your addiction to micro transactions in video games …

;)

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#30

Post by Mezzie »

rmbyrro wrote: post #15
GenZRiseUp wrote: post #12

That is a really beautifully designed website. I was addicted to pornography. The way I knew was by trying to stop for at least a week, if I could accomplish that, then it wouldn't be a problem. I couldn't make it past one day. I thought, maybe access was the issue - so I deleted my browsers, and within a day was reinstalling them just to watch porn. I was watching during classes, and I would go late to events just s…

I wonder if the dopamine doses associated with the activity is what causes the addiction on the area.

My ancedotal evidence says yes. I've never had a porn problem (I'm a homosexual female, I'm not sure there's enough material for me to sustain a porn problem...), but I've had other psychological addictions and one interesting thing I've noticed is that if I take modafinil when I'm trying to break one that my cravings/desires are much less.

I think it's dopamine (as opposed to the other nts modafinil is theorized to work on) because a changing short half-life SNRI dose does nothing (so it's not serotonin or norepinephrine making the change), caffeine does nothing (so not adenosine), and histamine modifiers also do nothing.

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