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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

#101

Post by freedom2099 »

grvdrm wrote: post #27
freedom2099 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

I do understand the need to taste something you really enjoy… but that is what every meal is for (I always try to eat nice things… eating should be a happy moment!)

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#102

Post by jagger1345 »

It doesn't always get a ton of notice when addiction is brought up but addiction to anabolics is an interesting phenomena in itself.

I started using anabolics years ago and slowly added more compounds over time. It eventually got to the point where I started to experience increasingly negative sides that I had trouble managing so would add further pharmaceuticals to the stack to mitigate the side effects of the anabolics.

What is interesting about anabolic use is that if abused for long enough or heavily enough (blast and cruise) going back to a state of non anabolics is actually difficult and can come with months/years of hormone / neurosteroid deficiency as you attempt to restart your HPTA. This is why most people are on replacement doses of testosterone for life after dabbling in this area which is interesting in terms of your typical reformed addict = quitting sense.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#104

Post by throwthh436 »

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…

For these kind of problems, tech is not really a solution. So better talk to a registered psychologist or psychiatrist.

But on the tech side, for android users, 'Open TimeLimit' is a useful app. It's like an advanced app locker, with timers and stuff. It's FOSS and on Fdroid:

https://codeberg.org/timelimit/opentimelimit-android

https://f-droid.org/app/io.timelimit.android.open

Edit: Make sure to disable the app when you go out etc. Because it might cause obstacles during emergencies. Depends on the way you set it up of course.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#105

Post by openknot »

sumosudo wrote: post #2

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

There are important caveats: sudden withdrawal from alcohol (high doses, long-term use), benzodiazepines (benzos), and methadone can cause death [0].

[0] https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/all-about-addiction/...

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#106

Post by Mezzie »

beaconstudios wrote: post #41
Mezzie wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Nicotine?

God, modafinil + other stimulants is a bad time for me.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#107

Post by loudtieblahblah »

kranner wrote: post #81
lelanthran wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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. This kind of absolutism may end up discouraging present-day smokers from trying to quit at all. It's also not necessarily true. Some people do go from being smokers to hating the sight/smell/thought of smoking.

Smoked from the time I was 13 until I was 29. That was 11 years ago.

I was tempted to smoke for the dirt 2-3 years after I quit. But I've grown to despise it and being around it.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#108

Post by nunez »

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…

Massive courage to talk about your past addiction online. I'm glad you got out of it.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#109

Post by loudtieblahblah »

chaircher wrote: post #97
kranner wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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. This kind of absolutism may end up discouraging present-day smokers from trying to quit at all. It's also not necessarily true. Some people do go from being smokers to hating the sight/smell/thought of smoking.

I agree, but it's also worth noting sometimes the opposite can be true and it's more helpful for some people who don't want to smoke to drop the "ex-smoker" "quit" and similar language and start saying things like "I am not smoking at the moment" instead. It takes the pressure off and makes it seem like less of an all-or-nothing thing. And also means if you do mess up and have a cigarette, you've not failed, you've j…

I used to say shit like "I'm not smoking at the moment" or "I quit every time I put one out"

I turned phrases like that into a contrarian joke to justify my addiction.

Re: How to know if you’re addicted

#110

Post by nunez »

anonymouse008 wrote: post #49

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 curren…

I think this viewpoint is really interesting, especially when one considers how massively incentivized this addiction is (by way of high-paying jobs with generally-great benefits and working environments).
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