9 Fundamental Questions and Answers About Addictive Behaviors

Addictions make up a set of very diverse pathologies, on which we find so many that some are based in consuming psychoactive substances, such as others that arise without the need to introduce substances into our Body.

But despite being very present health problems in our society, at the popular level not everyone The world knows the fundamentals about them, and that is why many myths about these alterations circulate.

To make this topic more accessible, we have developed a series of questions and answers about addictive behaviors and everything that surrounds these pathologies.

• Related article: "The 14 most important types of addictions"

Questions and answers to know the basics about addictive behaviors

These are some questions that will help you understand what addictive behaviors consist of.

1. Can everyone be addicted?

Virtually all human beings can develop addictions, since these pathologies are are based on psychological and physiological mechanisms that are already present in practically all healthy people. In other words, addictions work on the neuronal and hormonal circuits of the average human body.

Although it is true that, as in practically any psychological or biological characteristic, there are individuals especially exposed to the risk of easily developing addictions, and others who would have a harder time developing a problem of this type (taking as a reference what happens in most human beings when they initiate behaviors that can generate dependence).

2. Any action that we feel like repeating over and over again is an addiction?

No, there are many actions that can be considered routines or habits and that, even if they are harmful to us, cannot be considered addictions.

For a pattern of behaviors to be considered part of a clinical picture of addiction there must be a series of concrete characteristics. Among them, the loss of control over the day to day because that aspect of our life becomes overshadowing everything else, and the need to get more and more involved in those actions to "Satiate."

3. What percentage of the population has addiction problems?

It is estimated that around 2% of the population suffers from one or more addictions. The countries most affected by this health problem taking into account their population are Russia and Eastern Europe and the United States of America, although they also It must be taken into account that there are several ethnic minorities in which drugs have had a special impact, such as the indigenous Australians and North America.

4. Do addictions arise in the brain?

Yes and no. It is undeniable that without taking into account what happens in the brain of people who suffer from addiction, it is impossible to fully understand what is behind these pathologies, but it is also true that addictions are not limited to being a neurobiological fact.

In fact, context is so important in the development of an addiction that simply moving to a totally different place is a factor that, in itself, can end up with problems of the type addictive. And in the same way, if the behavioral and contextual did not matter, the only remedy for addiction cases would be of the type This is not the case, since psychotherapy is also effective in treating these health complications.

• You may be interested in: "How does addiction affect the brain?"

5. Are all drugs addictive?

Technically, not all substances that are considered drugs have the capacity to give rise to chemical addictions, that is, those whose existence is based mainly on the way in which its molecule interacts with our nerve cells. For example, hallucinogenic mushrooms tend not to cause addictions, although they do not stop having the ability to damage our nervous system, and caffeine is not addictive either.

On the other hand, we cannot forget that the medical field is full of substances that are drugs (having effects of psychoactive type) and that at the same time they do not generate addictions, a fact that contributes to their being little known at the popular.

6. What is the most widely used drug?

If we take into account all drugs in general, both legal and illegal, the most consumed substance of this type is alcohol. However, if we focus on illegal drugs (or, at least, those that are prohibited in most countries), cannabis is the most used, followed by cocaine.

Of course, it must be taken into account that the popularity of different illegal drugs varies greatly depending on the demographic and socioeconomic group on which we focus. For example, cannabis is much more popular with young people.

7. What are the main addictions based on behaviors, and not on substances?

The main addictions that occur without the need to consume psychoactive substances are two: pathological gambling (also popularly known as gambling), and video game addiction. Both have experienced a boom with the development of new technologies linked to the Internet, since their reach has increased and they make it possible to develop addictions without leaving home.

8. Do addictions compete with each other?

No, the fact of having developed an action does not make us immune to developing more; on the contrary, those who have already begun to establish a dependency relationship with a psychoactive substance or with a behavior pattern with addictive potential, are more likely to start developing other addictions. Among other things, because they go through many moments in which they must manage the frustration of not being able to have immediate access to the substance they feel that they need to consume, or to the context in which they can perform the action “that the body asks of them” (gambling in a casino, playing online video games, etc.).

9. Is it possible to totally cure an addiction?

Health professionals make it easier for people with addictions to end the spiral of self-destruction to which addictions subject her, reaching a time when they can lead a life practically normal. However, there is a part of the addiction that remains latent, so must take special measures to prevent relapse for the rest of their lives, although it requires some effort in the first few months, there comes a point where this is not a significant problem or a perceived sacrifice.

Are you looking for professional help against addictions?

If you have decided to start a treatment to overcome an addiction, get in touch with us. On CITA Clinics we are specialists in addictive disorders, and we offer both outpatient and of specific therapy sessions, as in admissions in our residential module located in the middle of nature. On this page are our contact details.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
• Kauer, J.A.; Malenka R.C. (2007). Synaptic plasticity and addiction. Nature Neuroscience Reviews (8): pp. 844 - 858.
• Ritchie, H. (2019). Drug Use. Posted online at OurWorldInData.org. Recovered from: " https://ourworldindata.org/drug-use”
• Winstock, A.; Barratt, M ​​.; Ferris, J.; Maier, L. (2017). Global Drug Surey 2017. Global Drug Survey GDS2017.