Symptoms of Addiction
- The cardinal symptom of addiction is the inability to limit use of a substance or activity beyond need leading to clinically significant impairment.
- There is a craving or compulsion to use the substance or activity.
- Recurrent use of the drug or activity escalates to achieve the desired effect, indicating tolerance.
- Attempts to stop usage produce symptoms of withdrawal?irritability, anxiety, shakes, nausea.
- Recurrent use of the substance or activity impairs work, social, and family responsibilities, creates psychological impairments and interpersonal problems, has negative effects on health, mood, self-respect, exacerbated by the effects of the specific substance itself.
There are many symptoms created by the specific substance/activity that is used.
All addictions have the capacity to induce feelings of shame and guilt, a sense of hopelessness, and feelings of failure. In addition, anxiety and depression are common conditions among those with substance and behavioral addictions.
Understand all about Addiction. Read more…
- All about Addiction
- Symptoms of Addiction
- Causes of Addiction
- Treatment for Addiction
- Compulsive Addictive Behavior
- Online Psychotherapy
Find out more about Causes of Addictions. There are no specific causes of any addiction aside from use of a substance or activity, and there is no way to predict who will become dependent on use. Find out more…
Warning Signs by Psychology Today
- Assessing Alcohol Use: article by Sarah Allen Benton, M.S., L.M.H.C. The High-Functioning Alcoholic Understanding this Hidden Class of Alcoholics from a Professional and Personal View
- Signs of Teen Substance Use: article by Carl Pickhardt, Ph.D. Surviving (Your Child’s) Adolescence Welcome to the hard half of parenting
- A Crash Course on Cravings: article by Adi Jaffe, Ph.D.All About Addiction Helping addicts get their lives back