What Are The Top 10 Signs Of Porn Addiction
Whether or not behavioral addictions, such as porn addiction, are actual addictions is highly debated in the psychiatric and treatment communities. While some of these addictions, like gambling addiction, are much more accepted than others, like sex addiction, there is still a great deal of controversy from medical professionals on where addictions end and compulsions begin. Regardless, there are people suffering. So, whether it is an addiction or compulsion, people should still need help. One of the most reported addictions is porn addiction. That is, people who feel a compulsion to watch porn and cannot stop. Like any addiction, though, there are signs that someone may be having a problem. If you are wondering whether excessive pornography use has reached an addiction level, it is important to watch out for the top 10 signs of porn addiction.
You Take Risks And Make Disproportionate Sacrifices For It
The increased capacity of the addicted brain to take risks to get a hit is one of the most studied bits of addiction a February 2016 study actually found that the structure of drug-addicted brains in particular become wired differently, making them much more likely to take incredible risks to reach their high or maintain a supply. The addicted brain has a much lower problem with risk than a normal one: it’ll convince you that it’s a good idea to steal a friend’s bottle of whisky, or nab $20 from your roommate’s purse or play poker online till 4 a.m. when you’ve got a job interview the next day.
There’s another aspect to this risk-taking, too while under the influence of a high, addicts often have difficulty regulating other bits of their behavior, and do risky stuff like driving fast.
Signs Of Benzodiazepine Abuse
Benzodiazepines are a prescription medication used to treat anxiety, insomnia, seizures, alcohol withdrawal, and other conditions. These drugs are among the most highly prescribed in America. Benzodiazepines are mainly available in tablet or capsule form, though some are manufactured as injectable liquids and syrups. Short-term use is generally safe, but abuse can cause numerous complications.
As benzodiazepines are sedatives, some of their side effects overlap with the general signs of addiction. Persons using benzodiazepines may experience the following side effects, including:
- Impaired coordination
- Confusion
- Heahache
There are many well-known brands of benzodiazepines, including Xanax, Diazepam, Valium, and Klonopin. These pharmaceuticals can be acquired in numerous ways. Some people have legitimate prescriptions but may have used deceptive means to get them from more than one doctor. Currently, doctors do not have the benefit of a national database that stores information on a clients active prescriptions. The illegal circulation of benzodiazepines does not only happen on the street, it also happens when those holding a prescription share these drugs with others.
It is important to understand that even though benzodiazepines are legal, they may be used in a way that makes the use illegal. If a person is showing the signs of abuse, it is critical to get them help.
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Recognizing An Adderall Addiction
Prescriptions written for Adderall increased by nearly fivefold from 2002 to 2012, making it easier for people to get the drug from a friend or family member. Compared to that of other drugs, use of Adderall is rarely stigmatized as such, many people dont recognize when a loved one has a problem. People addicted to Adderall have even been known to fake the symptoms of ADHD to get their own prescription.
Not everyone who abuses Adderall has an addiction. Although it is a slippery slope, simply taking an Adderall from time to time to stay awake or increase productivity is not the same as needing the drug to function. The key to recognizing an Adderall addiction is spotting certain behaviors. Those who are addicted to Adderall prioritize using and obtaining the drug over all else because they cant function without it. Addicted people have trouble controlling how much Adderall they take and may start ignoring important social or familial obligations.
What Are The Signs Of Drug Addiction
There are many types of drugs that people can become addicted to, so there are many different signs to be aware of. If youre concerned that you might be developing an addiction, here are some general signs to look out for.
Social and behavioural signs
People with a drug addiction may:
- avoid people who dont take drugs
- avoid places where it’s not possible to take drugs
- feel distressed and lonely if they don’t take the drug regularly
- rely on drugs to cope with emotional problems
- be dishonest with friends and family to hide their drug use
- have financial problems and debts
- sell or steal things to pay for drugs
- take dangerous risks, such as driving under the influence of drugs
- self-blame and have low self-esteem, especially after trying unsuccessfully to quit
- get into legal trouble.
Health signs
Drugs and alcohol can cause a range of problems for physical and mental health, even after the acute effects of taking the drug have worn off. These include:
- depression
- having unusual ideas
- hallucinations
- sexual dysfunction .
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Your Tolerance Is Increasing
Tolerance isn’t necessarily your body’s ability to “take” a large amount of something it’s more about the relationship between the quantity of an addictive substance or behavior and the reaction it creates. As addicts progress into an addiction, their body gets accustomed, and requires more and more of the addictive thing to get them the same high as when they started. The NCADD calls this “adaptation,” but it can be difficult for addicts to keep track of the rising amounts required to create the same effects.
How To Spot Signs Of Opioid Addiction
Doctors use an 11-point checklist to help determine if a persons opioid use signals a deeper problem. Heres what they look for.
It isnt always easy to tell if a person has an addiction to opioids.
But any strange habits or suspicions should be taken seriously, says Jonathan D. Morrow, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan.
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If youre using more and more of a drug, yet your daily functioning is getting worse instead of better, thats a sign of addiction, Morrow says. If youre using for a longer time than prescribed, thats a warning sign. If youre using it for reasons other than prescribed for example, because youre depressed or anxious or bored, that puts you at really high risk.
Whether an opioid was obtained legally or not, taking it isnt supposed to be satisfying.
If you use opioids for the intended purpose, you ideally should get no high, Morrow says. You get lots of side effects such as nausea and constipation. Its really not pleasant.
Its once you go beyond the amount you need for pain control that you start getting a high.
Opioids cause the brain to release dopamine, which triggers a desire to repeat the drug-taking experience. Taken for too long or in high amounts, they can be highly addictive.
Morrow spoke about the checklist and how it is applied.
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How Can You Deal With Your Phone Addiction
Monitor Your Phone Use
To start, you need to know how much time you are spending on your phone and what youre doing. The best way to figure this out is by using a tracking software. Youll be able to see all of your phone activities like texts, social media, app use, browsing history, and more.
Set Phone Use Limits For Yourself
To recover from your phone addiction, you must set limits for phone use. This includes when you can/cannot use your phone and how many hours a day you can spend on it. Setting these limits will help you learn that life doesnt revolve around your phone.
Put Your Phone Away When You Dont Need It
When you dont need to use your phone, put it away. Common places you dont need your cell phone in hand include at work, the dinner table, and on a date. If it seems like its not the right time to have your phone our, then it isnt.
So, are you a cell phone addict? If you are, take the necessary steps mentioned above to help treat your phone addiction. Remember, life isnt all about your cell phone. You need to try new experiences and spend time with those you love without your phone.
Your Partner No Longer Seems Attractive To You
Watching pornography can give viewers unreal expectations of what sex is. This includes expectations of your partners appearance. The viewing of a small set of attractive, hairless, cosmetically altered women can make your brain crave a permanent fantasy. This ideal directly competes with your reality. This can lead your partner to become unsatisfied with your behavior and unreasonable expectations for their appearance. According to an article in Psychology Today, Not many real women are porn-worthy ever and its discouraging that desire in men is seemingly being conditioned to be excited only by an impossible standard. Certainly, there is cultural pressure on men compared to media personalities but women dont usually watch movies while masturbating to reinforce the attraction.
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Emotional Symptoms Of Sex Addiction
If you or someone you love suffers from a sex addiction, you might not have healthy boundaries. If your husband is addicted to porn or sex, you may feel alienated, isolated, depressed, angry, or humiliated and need treatment yourself. If you are addicted to sex, you might become easily involved with people sexually or emotionally regardless of how well you know them, according to Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous. Because most sex addicts fear being abandoned, they might stay in relationships that arent healthy, or they may jump from relationship to relationship. When alone, they might feel empty or incomplete. They might also sexualize feelings like guilt, loneliness or fear.
Ten Signs You Are Addicted To Vaping
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Lets face it folks. If youre reading this post, chances are you are already addicted to vaping! But here is a symptoms quiz just in case youre unsure. I imagine there will be a lot of yes nods and some smiles and chuckles as well. So, here we go. Count every yes answer as one point and see your results at the bottom of this quiz.
Ten Signs You’re Addicted to Vaping
A funny video showing what addiction to vaping is like.
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Physical Signs Of Drug Abuse
1. Small Physical Symptoms:
Side effects can include slight alterations to physical appearance that may start to become noticeable. Bloodshot or red eyes and pinpoint or dilated pupils are all telling signs of many types of drug abuse. Also, pay attention to skin texture and complexion. Frequent abnormal puffiness and flushed or washed-out color can also indicate ongoing abuse of drugs or alcohol.
Many forms of drug abuse come with small behavioral changes that might be dismissed as tics. If you notice any of the following, it could be signs of a hidden condition:
- Persistent itching in a specific area of the body
- Impulsive pulling down of sleeves to hide marks
- Slurred speech
- Frequent sniffling
While these are not definitive signs, if they are accompanied by secretiveness or defensiveness, they could provide helpful clues as to whether something is wrong.
2. Overall Appearance:
Long-term abuse of drugs and alcohol can result in drastic changes to physical appearance. Many drugs have appetite suppressing or other altering side effects, meaning abuse often results in visible weight changes.
These rapid changes to body composition, such as sudden weight loss or weight gain, or lack of interest in personal grooming, especially if it declines without explanation, can also point to substance abuse and can be cause for concern.
3. Paraphernalia:
It can be an obvious indicator if you find equipment in someones room or among their things. Some common items include:
Where Can You Get Help For A Porn Addiction
You could consult with a sex therapist who specializes in sexual disorders, suggests Michael McGee, MD, staff psychiatrist at Atascadero State Hospital in San Luis Obispo, California. He also advises reaching out to the nonprofit groups Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous and Sex Addicts Anonymous.
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You’re Willing To Take Risks And Make Unreasonable Sacrifices
Suddenly, your addiction is the only thing that matters, and you’re willing to go to extreme lengths to fulfill it, even if those lengths are risky and unwarranted. The brains of those who struggle with drug abuse may be wired in a way that finds a good reason to take risks. A report published by Science Daily suggests why that might be the case.
People struggling with drug abuse “have very strong motivation to seek out ‘rewards,'” the report reads. “They exhibit an impaired ability to adjust their behavior and are less fulfilled once they have achieved what they desire,” which is why they tend to take risks that others may deem unnecessary and dangerous.
How Do I Know If I Have An Addiction
The diagnostic process in most developed countries follows a predictable sequence. First, the clinician performs an evaluation. The evaluation identifies symptoms. Then, the clinician uses this information to make a diagnosis . We might say a diagnosis is a label that summarizes a set of symptoms. In some cases, a diagnosis may also point to the cause of that set symptoms. Once the clinician makes a diagnosis, a treatment plan is then developed. The purpose of the treatment plan is to eliminate or diminish troubling symptoms. Some clinical models rest on the assumption that the reduction of symptoms leads to improved health and well-being. However, other models do not assume that symptom reduction leads to improvement. Instead, the focus is on improving the quality of life. From this perspective, improving the quality of life results in symptom reduction. This type of model is called psychiatric rehabilitation.
The person seeking treatment must meet the diagnostic criteria to be eligible for reimbursement. This intuitively makes sense. No one should receive “treatment” if there is nothing wrong that requires treatment. The most common diagnostic method for addiction follows the American Psychiatric Association guidelines. The APA publishes these guidelines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly called DSM-5 .
Intellectual costs of addiction: loss of creative pursuits decreased ability to solve problems and poor memory.
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Addicted To Vaping Symptoms
10. You evaluate the amount of eLiquid left in your tank before leaving the house.
9. You begin to panic when you only have one fresh atomizer left.
8. You learned the art of stealth vaping when youre in a No Smoking area.
7. You establish a hierarchy with fellow ecig users by the amount of vapor one produces.
6. You find yourself explaining ohms, amperage and wattage to others.
5. You get out of bed in the middle of the night because you forgot to charge your battery.
4. You bought a lanyard for your ecig.
3. You spend as much time vaping as you do breathing air.
2. You realize your ecig has become a part of your body because its always in your hand.
Sign #: You Place Personal Needs Above Gods Boundaries
Wait a second, youre making it sound like I could be addicted to myself, and not just another person
If thats the thought thats running through your mind right now, I think youre onto something! After all, didnt I mention at the beginning that it might not actually be people-addiction, but an addiction to how we feel about the doing for and the being with people that gets us in trouble?
One of the least talked about topics in the Christian realm seems to be the simple issue of boundaries. Im not certain as to why, especially considering that even God is three-in-oneconnected, but distinct. What does that word mean anyway? Boundary.
A boundary is simply where one person ends, and another person begins. Its the place where one human releases a responsibility and ownership, and another picks it upits a lot like crossing over state lines. God assigns jurisdiction based on what He wants us to do, and with whom…and though most of it is lawful, not all of it is actually helpful, depending on the person.
Think about the church body for a moment …the hands, feet, and all the rest. Its entirely possible that we could learn to handstand walk upside down, two hands pressed against the ground, right? And sure, well travel a short distance before tiring, but wouldnt it be more efficient if the feet were called into action?
Have you ever given advice instead of encouraging a friend to spend time in prayer and to reflect on scripture first?
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Needing More Of The Substance
Addiction has a considerable impact on the brain, particularly the parts of your brain associated with pleasure and reward. As a result, that changed circuitry leads you not only to need the substance but to desire more and more to feel an impact.
And over time, instead of just craving the high or seemingly positive feelings associated with being intoxicated, you may end up feeling the need for increasingly more alcohol or drugs purely to avoid feeling bad.
