"ADDICTION" ... We Are All Addicted.
Thank you Sharon for requesting this topic. At Sharon's request, her location has not been included. ADDICTION. A word that 74% of people associate with drugs. How about some startling facts from the Addiction Center. Here is the link to their website if you want to read more about it. https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/addiction-statistics/
Over 20 million Americans over the age of 12 have an addiction (excluding tobacco). 100 people die every day from drug overdoses. This rate has tripled in the past 20 years. Over 5 million emergency room visits in 2011 were drug related. 2.6 million people with addictions have a dependence on both alcohol and illicit drugs. 9.4 million people in 2011 reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs. 6.8 million people with an addiction have a mental illness. Rates of illicit drug use is highest among those aged 18 to 25. Over 90% of those with an addiction began drinking, smoking or using illicit drugs before the age of 18.
(Today these number are much higher. I posted these because this article was more thorugh)
The remainder of this topic you can view on their site. The interesting part is, Alcohol and drugs actually account for a lesser percentage of addictions as compared to other types of addictions that people don't view as addictions, but are. Addictions that can lead to different and equally dangerous outcomes. Such as;
Work, (This includes workplace violence)
Sexual Obsessions,
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders,
Vaping,
Various tobacco products,
Personal issues such as anger and drama. which leads to stress. Stress is the known number one cause of major health problems. In my book Making Partnership Choices, you would be shocked to know how many individuals MUST have anger or drama in their lives, and when they don't have it, they cause some. This was the primary issue that compelled me to write The Warrior Within. A self-help book being released in October 2018 on anger management and control,
Addictions as a result of physiological disorders,
Family and relationship addictions and related disorders.
The list goes on. These total percentages are greater than what we categorize as "Common Addictions." Everyone, and I mean everyone, is addicted to something. If you have an obsession, you have an addiction. Let do a a comparison.
ADDICTION - the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity. OBSESSION - the state of being obsessed with someone or something. An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind.
(courtesy of Wikipedia)
Look at both definitions closely. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the similarity. No matter what anyone may be addicted to, or obsessed with, requires attention on their part. Addiction or obsession in any form will always lead to additional problems. It's important to know that AN ADDICTION IS MUCH HARDER TO CONTROL THAN AN OBSESSION. Do not be misled by that statement. I have nothing but respect for anyone who WAS addicted to something and recovered. That takes an immense amount of dedication and courage. However, there is a difference in a newborn child. The baby is the victim as a result of their mother who used drugs during her pregnancy. This often times caused them to be born addicted to that particular substance. This also causes certain chemical changes in serotonin and dopamine levels to change during development. Without the proper chemical balance, the results can be a life time of emotional problems, even after the addiction to the narcotic is out of their system. The human body MUST be in a state that is refereed to as homeostasis, which is a fancy medical term that means there must be a stable equilibrium between interdependent elements. Therefore, chemically, the body needs to be in balance. When it is not in balance, depending on the chemical elements involved, will depend on whee the health issues begin. Both physically as well as mentally.
At the early age, specifically at birth, they can be weaned from that addictive dependent substance. That is not where the true danger rests. It's the chemical process that may have been altered during development that can change their entire life, forever. Since IT HAS NOT YET BECOME A LEARNED BEHAVIOR, they will no longer be doing drugs at one year old. However, the other risk factors as a result of that exposure can lead to them doing them as they grow up. . Here is an excellent link to an article regarding that subject on the drugrehab.org website. https://www.drugrehab.org/drug-addiction-and-babies-long-term-effects/.
An obsession is a learned behavior; one that usually starts at a young age. This could be a result of what a child was exposed to through family, friends, or their environment. As you probably realized, this topic can go on and on. I think you have gotten the main points. Addiction or obsession in any form is counterproductive to both mental and physical health. I sincerely hope this post has given everyone some additional insight into the word "ADDICTION." If anyone suffers from these disorders, or knows of anyone that does, it is prudent that I say get help. Talk to you doctor. Here is the national toll-free confidence hot line number. 1-844-244-3171. I am not a doctor. Let be be clear when I say I am NOT giving out medical advice. This post is solely for the purpose of awareness and understanding. In my 30 years as a paramedic treating many patients with these disorders, I can tell you first hand. They are life altering. "The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one." Quote from the TV series The Newsroom. Here is the link to that 8 minute talk. Watch it. It's GREAT! I still get goosebumps every time I watch it. I only wish I wrote it. https://youtu.be/q49NOyJ8fNA Please feel free to share or retweet this post and also feel free to leave a comment. Thank you ...... CJR
