Addiction is something which can affect anyone, and does affect 1 in 3 people at any one time! People can also be addiction to nearly anything (not just the obvious ones we usually associated with it: drugs and alcohol). It can be an addiction to things such as shopping, work, or even the internet!
Addictions can be brought on by stress, which can mean that having a chronic illness can make some people more susceptible to developing an addiction. Dizzy and I have definitely gone through patches of not being able to stop with the scrolling on facebook and twitter, to the point of not going to sleep, when a donkey really should be asleep!
What is addiction?
Addiction is when someone does not have control over doing, using or taking something. This is to the point of where it can potentially become harmful, either mentally or physically.
How does an addiction work?
An addiction is when doing, taking or using something causes a high, which even getting ‘likes’ on facebook can cause! The body gets use to this feeling, and when that is taken away, it experiences a low, which is unpleasant and craves having that high again. This then goes around in a dangerous cycle.
What can help with an addiction?
- Talk to others. The worst thing to do with any problems, is to keep them bottled up.
- Find a local support group. This means that you can meet others who are also going through the same thing and can help you to feel less alone.
- Don’t hide your addiction. Your friends and family can create a great support network, and can help you through.
- Find people and organisations who can help, such as Samaritans and Help4Addiction. This can help to ensure that you are getting the right help to keep you on track for a healthy recovery.
- Exercising can greatly benefit mental health and can help to make us feel better about ourselves and happier. Work out classes are a great way of also meeting new people and making new friends.
- Do activities that make you happy. Or find a new hobby. 🙂 This can help you to feel a sense of purpose and to help keep your mind of your addiction.
For Dizzy and I, we are restricting our phone time, and making sure to have phones/screens turned off at least an hour before bedtime! 🙂
If you think you may be suffering from any type of addition, please don’t suffer alone. It can take time, but with the right help, a positive outlook and a good routine, anyone can overcome addiction.
Have you ever had an addiction? Even a random one that you might have thought that only you had? xxx
Before I became ill, I was most definitely addicted to doing. And still find ‘not doing’ difficult, even though my capacity is limited by MEcfs. But am more used to it now & find things I can enjoy.💙
I find that really hard too. Always feel like I should be doing something, even when I know I have to rest. I am finding I am slowly getting better at it too though. And I love having times of not doing anything, and just resting. It;s just getting the brain to remember to not think of things we could be doing though. 🙂 xxx
The phones can be addicting and I don’t have a smartphone, but I know people who have them and must be looking at them all the time, but, I may have a flip phone (not much excitement there), but I spend way more hours than I should online and still do not catch up. Screen time just before bed is bad for your sleep, whether it is on a computer or a phone – at least you and Dizzy are smart and powering devices off an hour before bedtime. I will try to be that good too Heather. 🙂
This is such a good topic to explore. I think it’s still rather taboo to talk about, like it’s something covered with shame that should be spoke of in hushed tones. It’s so commonly experienced by people in one form or another, and I think it’s important to break that stigma as much as possible because it’s a lonely enough road and those dealing with addiction could likely use the support. I’m not sure that I have had one, well, it depends on the definition I suppose. An eating disorder when I was a lot younger. Smoking (still), which does technically count. Fantastic tips and brilliant post!
Caz xx
Thank you Caz, and I completely agree with you. So many people experience addiction at some point, and I always forget how many different aspects addiction can include. I am glad you were able to recover from the eating disorder; that must have been really hard. xx Sending lots of love. xxx
I agree. Such a brave thing to discuss and put out here. Thanks Dizzy!