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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

#41

Post by beaconstudios »

Mezzie wrote: post #30
rmbyrro wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

That's interesting because that's the opposite effect to me - I used to smoke (still do rarely but try to avoid it) and when I took modafinil I often had a strong urge to chain-smoke, just like after a few drinks.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#42

Post by axiosgunnar »

lelanthran wrote: post #34
rhino369 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>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.

> 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. Correct. "Not doing $X anymore" doesn't mean you aren't an addict. "Being able to turn on/turn off doing $X" means you aren't an addict. If you haven't had a drink in years, but having a single one means that you now cannot do without…

> I've always said that there's no such thing as an ex-smoker; they're smokers who haven't smoked in a long time.

At least to their lungs they‘re not smokers anymore :)

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#43

Post by thecleaner »

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 used the method of X to quit smoking. I mean I smoked a lot less to begin with but it reached upto one or two everyday with disturbing consistency. I haven't smoked in around 3 years now.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#44

Post by matheusmoreira »

JimWestergren wrote: post #28

Why such a focus of substances and no mention of the more common addictions such as video games, porn and social media?

They don't cause the severe dysfunction found in substance abuse. Opioid addiction for example is among the ugliest things in existence. Video games, gambling, social media addictions are all bad but not to the same degree.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#45

Post by thecleaner »

lelanthran wrote: post #34
rhino369 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>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.

> 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. Correct. "Not doing $X anymore" doesn't mean you aren't an addict. "Being able to turn on/turn off doing $X" means you aren't an addict. If you haven't had a drink in years, but having a single one means that you now cannot do without…

And by that logic what will happen if they smoke one ? By your logic such people will have to stop before a certain threshold. What's the threshold ?

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#46

Post by bloak »

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…

Were there withdrawal symptoms in your case? If so, what were they?

Years ago I read that withdrawal symptoms are an essential part of the definition of addiction, but probably "addiction" has become a somewhat broader concept since then. The article says you "might" also experience withdrawal symptoms, and I don't think I've heard of people addicted to gambling, for example, suffering from any specific withdrawal symptoms, though even quite mildly addictive drugs like coffee can have recognisable withdrawal symptoms.

EDIT: For the avoidance of doubt, I am not claiming that addiction requires withdrawal symptoms.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#47

Post by rjbwork »

monkeybutton wrote: post #9

I've had a couple of dreams where I'm chopping up lines even though its been almost a decade since I've done hard drugs. The dreams were very disorienting because they never go further than the prep before suddenly waking up. Like falling and never hitting the ground.

A huge part of addiction is the rituals surrounding the use of the addicting stimuli, not just the immediate gratification of the stimuli.

I recently watched a video of a decades long heroin addict describing his life. He said that he came home from rehab once and just the smell of heroin in his house was enough to make him nauseous and craving it.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#48

Post by k3liutZu »

leetcrew wrote: post #37
aurbano wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like the definition should just be "Addiction can be defined as a persistent, compulsive need to use a substance". Surely one can be addicted even if it doesn't have negative consequences right?

I guess, but if there truly are zero negative consequences, it's not really a problem that needs to be solved. I have a compulsion to have one or two cups of coffee every morning. is it useful to describe myself as a coffee addict?

> is it useful to describe myself as a coffee addict?

I don't know whether it's useful, but it suits the definition. We do enjoy this coffee, we do drink it regularly, and we do crave it when we don't have it.

I'd say addiction sums it up.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#49

Post by anonymouse008 »

I’d like to throw this out there to see what comes back; has anyone thought about coding and development being an addiction?

In my experience, it has fit all of the characteristics of a deeply addictive loop… There’s a strong period of hard effort for variable reward - and much of the time that reward is just the dang thing compiling.

I know without a doubt I’ve hurt myself doing this more than I should and am currently struggling with the potential long term benefit vs. the current pains.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#50

Post by JimWestergren »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #35
JimWestergren wrote: post #28

Why such a focus of substances and no mention of the more common addictions such as video games, porn and social media?

Probably because they're considered less harmful to your physical health and society as a whole.

Yes, ok. But such an article with such a title should at least mention them I think. Otherwise some people keep thinking it is normal spending hours daily on social media, or checking their phone 50 times a day. We should speak up and say that it is NOT normal.
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