Signs And Symptoms Of Sex Addiction
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Sex addiction can be conceptualized as the compulsive engagement in sex despite negative consequences. Moreover, it is a behavior that is emotionally distressing rather than fulfilling. While not always recognized as a legitimate diagnosis, sex addiction has real consequences, including a negative impact on relationships and well-being.
Ready To Get Help For Your Addiction
If you are suffering under the burden of addiction, and want to change your life for the better, there is help out there: as soon as you are able to admit to your condition and are prepared to ask for help, you will be ready to set out on the path to treatment and, eventually, to recovery and a better life.
No matter how serious or long-lasting your addiction, it is never too late to change and to live a healthy, happy life countless thousands of people worldwide have received treatment for addiction and have been able to give up even the most addictive substances of abuse. You could be one of them.
Side Effects Of Computer Addiction
Computer addiction is associated with several negative consequences that can seriously impact your family life, social life, and work life. The effects of computer addiction can also affect your physical and mental health, and lead to serious health conditions that could take years to treat or reverse.
Common effects of computer addiction:
- Inability or difficulty with interacting with people socially in real life
- Loss of pleasure in activities that take place in real life
- Overspending on computers, software, and related accessories
- Loss of relationships due to excessive computer use
- A decline in work or school performance due to excess unrelated computer use
- Negative feelings associated with uncontrollable computer use
- The onset of mental illness like depression or anxiety
- Lowered self-esteem due to lack of social interaction
- Poor personal hygiene
- Weight gain from sitting down for long periods
- Vision impairment
Many effects of computer addiction can be improved or reversed with professional treatment. For instance, family dynamics can be improved using family therapy so you can mend relationships that may have been strained or broken on behalf of computer addiction. Group counseling and 12-step support group therapy may help rebuild your confidence and self-esteem after becoming socially isolated due to excess computer use.
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Alcohol Rehab Near Me
Alcohol addiction is a condition that can cause major health problems, such as an overdose. We Level Up NJ rehab treatment & detox center can provide you, or someone you love, the tools to recover from this with professional and safe treatment. Feel free to call us to speak with one of our counselors. We can inform you about this condition and clarify issues like alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Our specialists know what you are going through. Please know that each call is private and confidential.
You can recover from alcohol addiction with a strong medical detox program and the right support, including family support structures like systemic family interventions and group therapy. Help is available.
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How To Treat Alcoholism
Alcoholism can be treated in many ways it depends on the specific case. Treatment options for alcoholism vary depending on the person.
- Medication-Assisted Detox : Medications like benzodiazepines are used to prevent seizures and serious complications during withdrawal.
- Inpatient Care: Staying at a residential treatment center for a prolonged period typically monitored by licensed mental health professionals.
- Outpatient Care: Meetings with addiction treatment professionals on a weekly basis can also turn into aftercare meetings and AA settings.
- Sober Living Homes: These are homes where people live in groups to recover. These homes use responsibility and a safe environment to reduce triggers of relapse.
These are the most common types of alcohol addiction treatment but some people can also recover on their own if the case isnt severe.
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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
- 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:
Illicit Vs Prescription Stimulants
According to data reported in the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 36 million U.S. residents aged 12 and older have abused prescription stimulants in their lifetime.
Many prescription stimulants such as Adderall, Concerta, and Ritalin are obtained illicitly through doctor shopping, fraudulent prescription refills, or stealing medications.
Stimulants such as illicit methamphetamine and cocaine are manufactured in clandestine labs and trafficked throughout the country illegally by drug dealers.
Both legal and illegal stimulants are harmful when abused, and can lead to potentially life-threatening reactions such as respiratory depression and overdose death.
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Take Control Of Your Life Get Started On The Road To Recovery
Breaking an addiction can be a daunting prospect not just in terms of going through withdrawal, but because facing life without your substance/s of choice can be terrifying. However, it is more terrifying to contemplate never getting rid of your addiction and allowing it to consume your life completely. The medical and therapeutic help now available, and the support networks which can be put in place both during and after treatment, are extraordinarily robust and can help even the longest-standing and most dependent addict get back on their feet and into a happy and successful life.
How Alcohol Dependence Develops
Alcohol dependence can happen quite quickly. But it often happens after many years of heavy drinking.
Sometimes social drinking gradually becomes more frequent. Drinking more, until you can no longer control your drinking.
You might use alcohol to cope with problems or difficult times, until you canât manage without it.
Not everyone who abuses alcohol is dependent on alcohol. Abusing alcohol can also affect your health and relationships.
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What Are The Signs Of Having A Problem With Drugs
Addiction can happen at any age, but it usually starts when a person is young. Its the result of changes in the brain that can come from drug use. Addiction affects how people think and what they do. But what exactly are the signs?
First, its important to know that there is no type of person who becomes addicted. People can face addiction no matter where theyre from, what they look like, or how much money they have.
One important sign of addiction is that a person continues to use drugs even though its harming their life: physical health, performance at school or work, or relationships. They feel like they cant stop using drugs, no matter what happens.
Other signs can include:
- Hanging out with different friends than usual.
- Not caring about their appearance.
- Getting lower grades in school.
- Missing classes or skipping school.
- Losing interest in their favorite activities.
- Getting in trouble in school or with the law.
- Having different eating or sleeping habits.
- Having more problems with family members and friends.
Is Addiction In The Mind Or The Body
Addiction involves both the mind and the bodyand every other facet of existence, because they all interact. There is no real distinction between physical addiction and psychological addiction. Substances of abuse affect the reward system of the brain, mediated by the neurotransmitter dopamine. Substance-induced physical changes to the part of the brain that responds to dopamine progressively power the motivation to seek the drug again and again, and, at the same time, lower the capacity for self-control. The physical changes to the pleasure-experiencing centers of the brain induce physical changes to the prefrontal cortex, weakening the capacity for decision-making and impulse control.
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Signs Someone Else Is Addicted:
- Changes in personality and behavior like a lack of motivation, irritability, and agitation
- Bloodshot eyes and frequent bloody noses
- Shakes, tremors, or slurred speech
- Change in their daily routines
- Lack of concern for personal hygiene
- Unusual need for money financial problems
- Changes in friends and activities
What Is Wet Brain
Wet brain is the colloquial term for the nutritional brain bomb of severe thiamine deficiency that occurs with chronic abuse of alcohol. It is medically known as Wernickes Encephalopathy or Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. It arises when people get a large proportion of their calories from alcohol, because the substance interferes with the intestinal absorption of thiamine, also known as vitamin B1. Thiamine is critical for energy production and serves as a cofactor in many enzymatic reactions regulating glucose utilization by mitochondria, the power factories inside all cells.
Because the brain uses a disproportionate amount of energy to power its many high-level functions, thiamine deficiency can lead to damage to the mitochondria of nerve cells. The clinical manifestation of wet brain syndrome are memory loss and confusion, difficulties in muscle coordination when standing or walkingsufferers have a distinctive shuffling gate known as ataxiaand abnormal eye movements and visual changes such as double vision resulting from paralysis of eye muscles. These signs, similar to those of intoxication, exist in the absence of drinking.
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Preoccupation With Your Drug Of Choice
As a drug addiction progresses, its normal to become more and more preoccupied with your drug of choice. That includes things like thinking about the next time you will take the drug, what youre going to do to make sure you dont run out so you can avoid withdrawal symptoms, and where youre going to get the money in order to buy more. When drug use becomes a near-constant thought, that is perhaps the most tell-tale symptom of drug addiction.
To someone looking in at an addiction from the outside, it may mean that a friend or loved one is suddenly unavailable during certain times of the day. They may decline invitations they once would have accepted, or they may spend time with new friends that youve never met. This is a good indicator that they are spending their time with other drug users.
How Can You Deal With Addiction
After recognizing the signs and symptoms of addiction, its time to get the help you need. While it may be hard to admit you have a problem, seeking outside help is the best path to recovery.
If you want to beat your addiction but cannot find a way out, try the following things:
- Seek medical treatment: It is vital to seek immediate help from a medical professional to recover as early as possible.
- Talk to your family and friends: It is essential to let your friends and family know about your experiences when you have recovered from the drug effects.
While you undergo treatment, you should take care of the following things:
- Stick to your treatment regimen
- Continue seeing your therapist or counselor
- Go to support group meetings
- Avoid situations, people or places that would provoke you to take drugs
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What Is The Course Of Addiction
Addictive disorders, including alcohol use disorder, most often begin during late adolescence and early adulthood, when there is increased risk of use of many psychoactive substances. Many people mature out of addictions by their 40s. According to the DSM, addictive disorders are often wrongly perceived as intractable conditions because those who present themselves for treatment typically have a long history of use and failed attempts to control substance use.
Statistics indicate that most people experiencing addiction achieve complete recovery and do so without seeking clinical services. According to the latest U. S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 75 percent of people addicted to alcohol or drugs recover. Increasing age is associated with decreased prevalence.
Addiction is often marked by multiple periods of abstinence and relapse. It is common for people to make many attempts at recovery before succeeding, and many experts in fact view relapse as a normal part of the recovery process.
Is Alcohol Considered A Drug
Although alcohol is legal and isnt classified as a controlled substance, its still considered a drug. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and slows down activity in the brain, causes mild to severe intoxication/impairment, and can lead to addiction if abused over time.
To learn more, read Is Alcohol A Drug?
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The Experience Of Addiction
At some point, addiction becomes a trap of endless repetition that loses whatever allure it once held. As addiction progresses, the psychological and life problems it causes tend to increaseand the trap can feel too deep to climb out of. However, it is almost always possible to stop use and begin recovery.
How Does Computer Addiction Interact With Drug Addiction
Computer addiction and substance use disorders are similar in that they share the same set of compulsive behaviors. Just like those who suffer from computer addiction, those who suffer from substance abuse tend to isolate themselves from friends and family, lie about their drug use habits, and are unable to stop using drugs despite attempts to quit. But instead of using drugs and alcohol to make themselves feel better, people who suffer from computer addiction do activities on the computer that offer them similar feelings of joy, happiness, and euphoria.
Computer addiction may increase your risk for developing a substance use disorder due to the way computer addiction can affect your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Those who are unable to achieve the same feelings of pleasure and euphoria once experienced from computer use may use drugs and alcohol to improve their mood and feel better about themselves. For example, those who feel lonely after losing friends on behalf of computer use may abuse alcohol to escape negative emotions. Those who suffer physical symptoms triggered by computer addiction such as headaches and backaches may turn to drugs like heroin and opiates for pain relief.
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What Is Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a chronic and progressive brain disease, characterised by relapse and compulsive drug taking for which there is no cure
A person suffering from drug addiction will often start out abusing drugs. This then leads to them developing a drug tolerance so they need to take more drugs in order to feel the desired effects.
Once addicted to a drug, a person will be compelled to take drugs despite suffering adverse consequences occupationally, financially, physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.
Usually, someone who suffers from drug addiction will be physically and mentally dependent on a particular drug or a combination of drugs. Going without drugs will cause them to suffer from drug withdrawal symptoms. This can cause many to continue to take drugs rather than ask for help and get clean.
Drug addiction is defined as a brain disease due to the effects of drugs changing and damaging many functional areas of the brain.
Excessive exposure to harmful drugs changes the way the brain communicates and functions. The brain adapts by rewiring its pathways to place drugs as a priority, even above food, shelter, health and loved ones. The rewiring of the brain compels the sufferer to take drugs even when they want to stop
As a progressive disease, without treatment, drug addiction only gets worse and never better on its own.
Drug addiction may seem like a hopeless condition and the truth is that it is unless a sufferer accesses the correct treatment and support.
Signs And Symptoms Of Drug Addiction
Depending on the drug being abused will affect how the physical signs and symptoms show in a person.
What we feel is of greater use in identifying a drug addiction is that no matter the drug involved, psychological symptoms of drug addiction and behavioural symptoms of drug addiction tend to be the same.
- Suffering drug withdrawal symptoms
- Drastic changes in appearance and weight
- Constricted or dilated pupils depending on the drug
- Bloodshot eyes, glazed eyes
- Changes in speech either fast, erratic and chatty or slow, slurred and delayed
- Unusual sleep patterns sleeping more or less, or at odd hours of the day
- Drug paraphernalia in their possession
- Drugs in their possession
- Sooty or white residue of hands, fingers, face, paraphernalia or clothes
- Unusual smell on clothing
- Numerous empty packets of addictive prescription drugs or over the counter drugs in their possession
- Obsessing over drugs and preoccupation how and where to get and take them
- Hallucinations seeing or hearing things that are not there
The thing with drug addiction is that once a person loses control of their drug use, the signs and symptoms become more and more apparent. As the drugs take over every area of their life, they become more sloppy, reckless and careless in their behaviour.
Drug addiction takes away a persons choice as to whether they use drugs or not. Not using drugs is not an option.
Drug abuse often carries very serious and negative consequences and just like addiction, it can kill.
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