From Pain Relief to Addiction
To someone in significant physical pain, the sooner relief arrives the better. Medication in the form of powerful opiates or opioids offers swift and effective alleviation of pain. However, in some cases this may be the beginning of a potentially fatal attraction. The treatment for the pain may lead to the development of dependency on […]
Compulsive Sexual Behaviour
Sex addiction and pornography addiction — often referred to as Hypersexuality Disorder — have yet to be formally recognised as specific conditions by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). It may be considered compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) when sexual habits become difficult to control, and are disruptive […]
Porn addiction symptoms, signs, and comprehensive therapy solutions
Porn addiction often develops gradually, making it challenging for individuals to recognize when casual pornography use has evolved into a mental health condition requiring professional intervention. Understanding the symptoms of porn addiction and recognizing the signs of porn addiction can be the first crucial step toward recovery and improved mental health. As with any addiction, […]
Weed Addiction
It can be hard to keep track of the number of names by which marijuana is otherwise known; pot, grass, ganja, dope, hash, being just a few. “Weed” is among the most common perhaps because, quite simply, the herb-like cannabis plant could pass as one. Cannabis Sativa and THC For dubious political reasons in 1930’s […]
Addiction Online
People are spending an increasing amount of time online. In some parts of the world, the equivalent of more than half a normal working week is spent on the internet. With technological advances such as smart phones, it becomes ever easier to access the internet, regardless of location and time of day. Time spent is only […]
Exercise Addiction
We are advised that exercise is good for us and of course it is. It contributes to the improvement of health and wellbeing generally but it has also been shown to have a positive effect on mood and self esteem. In light of these benefits, moderate exercise is now frequently prescribed to help ease some forms of […]
Tranquilliser Addiction
The epidemic of opioid/opiate misuse with which parts of the world are presently beset follows another epidemic of drug misuse triggered by the overprescription of medications with inherently addictive properties. Benzodiazepines In the late 1950’s, benzodiazepines, of which there are a myriad branded and generic variations, became available and were shown to have a variety […]
Opioid/Opiate Addiction
Opiates, like morphine and codeine, occur naturally and are extracted from the opium poppy, while the term opioid covers drugs that are either partially synthetic (e.g. heroin and oxycodone) or wholly synthetic (e.g. methadone and fentanyl). However, for convenience and because they work in the same way on the brain’s receptors, opioid is the term now […]
Gaming Disorder
Gambling was the first behavioural addiction – that is, one not related to use of substances —to be officially classified as such. It was included in the diagnostic manual DSM 5 under Addictive Disorders. This set an important precedent that led to Internet Gaming Disorder being included under the “Emerging Measures and Models” section; effectively the waiting […]
Internet and Technology Addiction
It can take some years for the mood altering qualities and therefore addictive potential of certain behaviours to be fully understood. This has been and remains true of internet and technology-based activity. Although the recognition of the possible emergence of a new addiction dawned almost a quarter of a century ago, hardly any of the apparent disorders […]