What Is the Operational Definition of Addiction?
The operational definition of addiction is the chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and other brain systems. It is a constant and extreme stimulation in the brain system that provides pleasure or euphoria. At the same time, it inhibits the brain systems that control anxiety, stress, and fight or flight response. A person in active addiction becomes focused on the pursuit of that response and loses the inability to stop themselves.
What Are the 5 Characteristics of Addiction?
As mentioned, there are endless different things a person can become addicted to, including drugs, alcohol, caffeine, food, sex, gambling, and even shopping.2 Addiction is truly in place when the individual develops the inability to stop fixating on something, even when negative consequences are involved. These five main characteristics become apparent over time.
Tolerance
When someone is dealing with an addiction, they are battling the feeling that they always want more of what they are addicted to. This need—and its constant fulfillment—drives up the person’s tolerance level. As tolerance levels increase, the person needs more of the substance or behavior to achieve the same desired effects they experienced before. While often associated with drugs and alcohol, tolerance can happen with any addiction.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal is a negative reaction experienced when stopping the use of the substance or behavior. The symptoms of withdrawal vary depending on the type of dependency and the severity of the addiction. The person can have emotional, or physical reactions to not having their substance or activity of choice.
When using alcohol withdrawal as an example, individuals can experience anxiety, paranoia, nausea, tremors, headaches, and in severe situations would need to seek medical treatment to alleviate the severity of symptoms. Serious withdrawal can result in seizures and other life-threatening side effects. 3
Denial or Rationalization
Addiction is rarely a private matter. At some point, friends, family, and coworkers notice a change in a person’s appearance or behavior. When questioned by loved ones, most individuals with an addiction will either deny or rationalize their situation. Common responses are, “I can quit at any time,” “it’s not that bad,” “I only do it once in a while,” and the list can go on and on. There are many stigmas4 associated with addiction, which pushes individuals dealing with addiction to hide behind half-truths and lies.
Loss of Will Power
Breaking the chains of addiction can be difficult. Even if a person wants to commit to a sober lifestyle, it can still feel impossible to stay away from the substance or behavior. A person may tell their family they are ready to change but soon find themselves in a situation where they lose their ability to continue coping and engage in the activity once again.
Preoccupation
Addiction often starts small. You could be prescribed medicine, like the way it makes you feel, and once your prescription runs out, find yourself trying to get that medicine elsewhere. Addiction makes finding that drug or substance the main focus. Other things, such as going to work, spending time with friends and family, or participating in hobbies you enjoy, no longer seem as important. A person can develop tunnel vision when it comes to addictive behavior. Their life revolves around thinking about it, preparing to have it, obtaining it, and repeating the cycle, day after day.
What Are the 4 Levels of Addiction?
Of course, a full-blown addiction doesn’t happen overnight. It evolves, with some addictions taking years to form, while others can start to form after the first use. Several factors play a role in how dependent a person could become on a substance or behavior. When it comes to addiction, the four levels include experimentation, regular use, high-risk use, and addiction.
Experimentation
Experimenting is the voluntary use of a substance or engaging in behavior without experiencing any negative social or legal consequences. This experimentation may even be accepted or encouraged, which is often seen with young adults.5 Some individuals may see this as a one-time occurrence, not realizing that is the exact mentality that can open the door to further use and dependency. Some individuals are able to stop at this stage. Others want to experience that feeling again, leading to the next level of addiction.
Regular Use
This level can be seen as a fork in the road. Some people can engage in substance use or behavior without developing a dependency, though the risk greatly increases. This level often involves the increase of high-risk behavior such as driving under the influence or going to work high. What started as occasional use can quickly become part of your routine. You may begin working it into your day as easily as you would taking a shower or preparing meals for the week. At this level, some individuals may start to experience feelings of shame or guilt about their behavior but often continue to justify or rationalize use.
High-Risk Use
This level is a fine line before full addiction. At this point, a person has likely experienced some form of social or legal consequences such as losing a job, failing a class, or damaging a friendship. At this point, the cravings for the substance become unbearable, and engaging in use becomes a main focus throughout the day.
Addiction
This level is complete dependency on the substance or behavior. Without it, a person will experience withdrawal symptoms and changes in behavior. When addicted, a person will spend most of their time under the influence, engaging in destructive behavior.
Why Do People Get Addicted to Prescription Drugs?
The most common reason people become addicted to prescription drugs is that they are inherently as addictive as street drugs in many cases, and improper use or dosage further exacerbates this issue. Prescription medicine can be strong, especially when prescribed for severe pain, such as breaking a bone or post-surgery.
This medicine is meant to numb the pain, allowing the patient to recover as comfortably as possible. Unfortunately, it is easy to get used to the way these medicines make you feel. While doctors do their best to help prevent misuse of prescription drugs, they sometimes prescribe more than needed, or provide unnecessary refills. They may not realize other drugs the person is taking, which can alter the way the drug works, or its side effects.
Which Medications Are Habit-Forming?
Several medications are habit-forming, like opioids which provide euphoric effects that are sedative in nature and are often prescribed for pain. Popular opioids include Oxycontin, Codeine, and Percocet. Opioids continue to be one of the most misused and addictive prescription drugs available.6
Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants. They provide a calming, numbing effect that can be addictive. These include Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin. Stimulants can also be habit-forming as they help to boost alertness and energy. Adderall and Ritalin are some of the best-known stimulants.
At the end of the day, it is important to recognize that most any medication that produces pleasure and euphoric feelings can become habit-forming.
