Reflection on Addiction (ANSWERED)

QUESTION

Reflect on what you feel it means to have an addicted behavior. What makes a behavior addicted? How can you tell if someone has these traits?

Next, watch the TED talk on addictive behavior in the link below.

Are there two key indicators of additive behavior and two possible tools one could apply in effort to break this addition?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHfiKav9fcQ

ANSWER

Addictive Behavior: Its Definition, Traits, Key Indicators and Tools to Break Addictive Behaviors

An addictive behavior starts with engaging in an activity, object, or substance, significantly focusing on them while excluding other activities. The effect of addictive behavior is physically, socially, or mentally harmful to the individual. A behavior becomes addictive if done continuously, has adverse physical, emotional, or social effects, and affects everyday life due to isolating effects. The person may start hiding or won’t admit to the behavior, become depressed, have low self-esteem, and deny having the resulting addictive behavior problems.

To tell if someone is addicted, dependent or compulsive on something, the person continuously engages in the activity to achieve the perceived euphoria even when the person is aware of the effects of the actions. At the same time, the person becomes obsessed with the object, activity, or substance; they will seek it even with the negative consequences, find it difficult to put a stop to it, and do not appear to be in control of what is happening to them. If they cease the routine activity, substance, or object, there will be multiple withdrawal symptoms (Alavi et al., 2012).

As learned from Chance’s Ted Talk, the two key indicators can include incentive salience and tolerance. Chance (2013) explains how she kept walking up and down to complete the steps as the machine indicated. This trait is called incentive salience, which is defined as a psychological mechanism capable of influencing behavior through its effects on attention and motivation. Similarly, tolerance is seen when a person becomes obsessed with something, seemingly affecting their health and well-being, but continues doing it for a long period of time.

To break the addictive behavior, coping skills and sober support networks are significant tools. According to Chance (2013), she had her husband, who supported her through her addiction and later coped without the machine that had led to her addiction. Otherwise, addictive behavior is a matter of quitting and adapting to a newer and better lifestyle without compulsive engagements.

References

Alavi, S. S., Ferdosi, M., Jannatifard, F., Eslami, M., Alaghemandan, H., & Setare, M. (2012). Behavioral Addiction versus Substance Addiction: Correspondence of Psychiatric and Psychological Views. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 3(4), 290–294. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3354400/

Chance, Z. (May 15, 2013). [TEDx Talks]. How to Make a Behavior Addictive. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHfiKav9fcQ

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