In many cases simply coming to the realization that you have come to depend upon a drug or unhealthy behavior is more than enough motivation for an addict to enforce the subsequent changes that must be completed in order to put a stop to the habit in question.

In different cases more physically aggressive strategies are required, for example, the addict’s participation in a twelve-step program, or a brief stay in a rehabilitative program may often help the person to remain off of drugs. The most imperative aspect in overcoming an addiction is understanding from friends and loved ones and staying clear of people and long-time activities that may initiate addiction again. With toughness and perseverance addictions can always be subdued.

The brain chemicals effecting the addict’s judgment are commonlydopamine, serotonin and related endorphins.

As an example, let’s suppose an addict takes cocaine. The abuser will administer a small amount of cocaine, which as a result will dilate the related level of dopamine in the user’s brain thus creating extraordinary satisfaction. But what goes around comes around, so when, finally, the abused drug begins to lose effect, the drug user will become unhappy or miserable and will thus compel themselves to continue the pattern.

Even after this self-perpetuating cycle has inadvertently began it will require more of the chemical to cause the needed reaction as the brain becomes accustomed to the abused substance. The brain functions will become dulled and the drug user will not ever be able to get as self-content as he or she did during the first instances that they partook of the substance and they end up spending their remaining personal time pursuing that first high without success. With continuous substantial abuse the positive consequences of the substance will vanish and the undesirable side-effects will be all that the addict is left experiencing. It isn’t only mind-altering substances that some people are able to become physiologically committed to.

Practices along the lines of gambling, browsing the Internet, porn, careless sex, a person’s occupation and even beneficial practices likemoderate exercise can also cause the body to produce the endorphins in the brain that result in uncontrollable habits of behavior.

]]> http://www.9steps.com/2008/07/30/the-cycle-of-addiction/feed/ http://www.9steps.com/2008/07/29/physical-vs-psychological-addiction/ http://www.9steps.com/2008/07/29/physical-vs-psychological-addiction/#comments Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:36:42 +0000 admin http://www.9steps.com/?p=9 Addiction is defined as an urge to do something, such as an activity or a drug, repeatedly, without taking care of the consequences.

For example, a a cocaine addict may still continue to abuse the narcotic even after having been caught purchasing coke in an infamous part of town. Or cigarette user might continue to use tobacco products even after having been diagnosed with cancer of emphysema.

Addiction can arise in two ways - as a physical effect or through the mind.

Physical addiction

Often with a physical addiction, the addict will undergo physical withdrawal effects after the person attempts to quit the drug in question. This is very common with opiates, like heroin or narcotic pain medications. Still other substances that can lead to physical repercussions on withdrawal are alcohol, barbiturates (several outdated classes of sleeping medications), nicotine products and benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, BuSpar, Halcion, Anafranil, etc.) In some cases, the withdrawal effects will lead to severe seizures, such as in the case with benzos. People who have a physical dependency on an addictive substance will often take the substance, not to derive satisfaction after a certain point, but more so to subdue withdrawal effects. Physical dependency is occasionally described as as physiological tolerance.

Psychological addiction

Psychological addiction affects addicts differently in that a drug user will use a drug more for the satisfaction that the user first extracts from it more than any other aspect of the drug’s effects. The substance in use will normally affect the the user’s brain function and expel pleasure increasing chemicals that result in the further use of the drug. This results in a continuous process that the user considers extremely complicated to end.

]]> http://www.9steps.com/2008/07/29/physical-vs-psychological-addiction/feed/ http://www.9steps.com/2008/05/15/12-step-programs/ http://www.9steps.com/2008/05/15/12-step-programs/#comments Wed, 14 May 2008 16:57:16 +0000 admin http://127.0.0.1/modern/?p=5 Twelve step programs have proven to be effective in helping people recover from addictions and compulsions.

They are also giving support to friends and family that have been affected by these addictions and compulsions.

Twelve step programs use a specific set of principles to help people overcome certain addictions or compulsions in their lives.

The first ever 12 step program is the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). It was developed in 1935 and since then has proven it efficacy.

After a couple of decades the next twelve step program, the Narcotics Anonymous (NA), borrowed the steps and principles used by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Since then quite a number of other twelve step programs have been born staying true to the core principles of that AA started.

Other 12 step programs based their own steps on the steps below but changed some details to make it more appropriate and to eliminate religious connotation.

• We admitted we were powerless over alcohol; that our lives had become unmanageable.
• Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
• Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
• Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
• Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
• Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
• Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
• Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
• Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
• Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
• Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His Will for us and the power to carry that out.
• Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

• Al-Anon/Alateen, for friends and family members of alcoholics
• AA - Alcoholics Anonymous
• CEA - Compulsive Eaters Anonymous
• COSLAA - CoSex and Love Addicts Anonymous
• Dep-Anon - Depressed Anonymous
• EA - Emotions Anonymous
• FAA - Food Addicts Anonymous
• GA - Gamblers Anonymous
• NA - Narcotics Anonymous
• OA - Overeaters Anonymous
• RCA - Recovering Couples Anonymous
• SAA - Sex Addicts Anonymous
• SIA - Survivors of Incest Anonymous
• SMA - Self-Mutilators Anonymous
• WA - Workaholics Anonymous