Addiction Articles
Substance abuse vs addiction — what is the difference? And why does it matter? From use to abuse Substance use could be seen as a spectrum. At one end, you have someone who uses no substances. At the other, addiction. In the middle, people who use substances, but it’s not negatively affecting their life. Substance...
by Andrea Blundell Have a sneaky feeling that one of your bad habits might be getting out of control? It’s worth learning the difference between habit and addiction. But it’s not addictive Isn’t it? Just because your behaviour is not a typical addiction like alcohol, drugs, or gambling, or because everyone else around you uses...
Do you wish you had more control of your life and habits? But wonder if an addictive personality disorder is the problem? Editor and lead writer Andrea Blundell explores what an addictive personality is or isn’t, and what you can do next if there is a problem. What is addictive personality disorder? Addictive personality disorder...
Tired of trying the same old ways of looking at your drug and alcohol use? Weary of taking one step forward and two steps back when it comes to your addiction? Are you even questioning the disease model?Or do you find yourself sometimes hiding behind it? Another way of looking at drug and alcohol use?...
Taking party drugs to have fun on the weekend, but then feeling low the rest of the week? Party drugs can actually leave some of us with very real cases of anxiety and depression. Or, if you already had mental health issues, leave you worse off then when you started. [Feeling shattered by life and...
Can we really be addicted to love? Absolutely. Although it’s our ideas of love that we are addicted to over real, sustainable love itself. If we are addicted to love our unhealthy thoughts and behaviours around love and romance start to control us. The result is a life of secrecy and shame. For more on what love...
Secretly worried you are a sex addict? Or suspect someone you know might be? Learning the myths vs reality of sex addiction can be helpful. 7 Myths About Sex Addiction 1. Sex addicts have sex all the time. Addiction is never actually a quantity issue. Yes, if we drink often we might be more likely to...
Comorbidity – it’s a strange sounding word that can seem intimidating. What does it mean if your mental health care worker or psychiatrist mentions comorbidity when explaining your psychological health? What is comorbidity? In the field of psychology, comorbidity means that you don’t just have one diagnosable mental health issue, but the symptoms of two...
An addiction is anything that starts to consume your thoughts and negatively affect your relationships, career, and finances. And one of the fastest growing addictions at present is online gambling. Just some online fun, or are you actually gambling? No, you aren’t physically going to a casino or the races. But “just spending a few...
An occasional visit to a casino or betting house, or a casual game of online poker, can be harmless fun for some. For others, it can turn into a life-destroying habit. And research shows that if you have a personality disorder, you are far more likely to fall into the latter category, with compulsive gambling...
