Introduction

"What does addiction mean? "The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something," or "...a compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance. When one says the word addiction the first thing that comes to people's mind is drugs, but you can be addicted to many things other than drugs and you don't even know. Many people could be addicted to work, video games, a social network, food, or even shopping. People who are truly addicted generally have a compulsion to do something and cannot limit the amount.I think some activities are more addictive than others, but it depends on peoples interests. Some people feel better playing video games than eating or shopping, some people would rather spend time on the computer rather than studying.. I believe that technology brought to our world two new kind of addictions video games and computer i.e. internet. Some video games allow the gamers to connect with other players all over the world, allowing for a game at virtually any moment of the day. Spending a lot of time gaming or searching the internet doesn't necessarily qualify as an addiction, but when time spent on the computer or playing video games reaches a point that it harms a child's or adult's family and social relationships, or disrupts school or work life, that person may be caught in a cycle of addiction. Like other addictions, the computer or video game has replaced friends and family as the source of a person's emotional life. Increasingly, to feel good, the addicted person spends more time playing video games or searching the internet. Marriages appear to be the most affected by internet and video game addiction. Some friends of mine got in trouble at work and even got divorced because their addiction to the internet and video games. The addiction interferes with responsibilities and obligations at home, and it is typically the spouse who takes on these neglected chores. Addicted on-line users tend to use the internet as an excuse to avoid needed but reluctantly performed daily chores such as doing the laundry, cutting the lawn, or going grocery shopping. Those mundane tasks are ignored as well as important activities such as caring for children. For example, my friend forgot such things as to pick up his children after school and to make them dinner because he became so absorbed in his internet use. For these people time away from the computer or game can cause moodiness or withdrawal. Addiction treatments are available for many forms of addictions, but I think that motivation to overcome the addiction is the best treatment for these people

Addiction
When most people think about addiction, they may typically refer to drug or alcohol addiction. There are other types of addictions that affect all different types of people from different parts of the world. According to Webster, the definition of addiction is a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. Someone is addicted when they are compelled to use something over and over that may be harmful. There are many different types of addictions but the most common are probably addiction to some type of substance like alcohol, drugs or food. These addictive behaviors tend to alter a persons brain chemistry. When a person is addicted to a substance and does not continue consuming that substance, they will likely experience withdrawal. Withdrawal tends to be unpleasant and users will consume more of a substance in order to avoid it. Other common addictions may be based in a certain type of behavior or activity that produces a positive feeling or brings pleasure. With these type of addictions, the user engages in them repeatedly to get the high or thrill that is part of the activity or behavior. Some of these addictions include addictions to sex, pornography, online games, e-mail or something as innocuous as bingo. Engaging in any of these behaviors or activities may not be a problem when done in moderation. Addiction occurs when engaging in these same activities or behaviors interferes with the normal activities of everyday life. For example, if the urge to continue playing online games could cause the loss of your job and you play them anyway, then playing these games may be an addiction for you. Feeling anxious or depressed when unable to engage in these activities or behaviors may also be a symptom of addiction. Remember that many normal everyday activities like enjoying a drink or two at the end of a hard day may be not be considered addictive or risky to some people, but this same activity would be very risky for someone recovering from addiction to alcohol. Also, some people may develop addictions over a long period of time without ever realizing it or having any type of problems. A person who must stop drinking coffee due to a health condition may suddenly realize the presence of a caffeine addiction. The key to overcoming an addiction of any kind is to learn about the processes and signs of addiction before they cause problems.

Drug Addiction

Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. It is often mistakenly assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting takes more than good intentions or a strong will. In fact, because drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, quitting is difficult, even for those who are ready to do so. Through scientific advances, we know more about how drugs work in the brain than ever, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and lead productive lives.Drug abuse and addiction have negative consequences for individuals and for so-ciety. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including productivity and healthand crime-related costs exceed $600 billion annually. This includes approximately $193 billion for illicit drugs, 1 $193 billion for tobacco, 2and $235 billion for alcohol. 3 As staggering as these numbers are, they do not fully describe the breadth of destructive public health and safety implications of drug abuse and addiction, such as family disintegration, loss of employment, failure in school, domestic violence, and child abuse.

Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her. Alt-hough the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, the brain changes that occur over time challenge an addicted persons self-control and hamper his or her ability to resist intense impulses to take drugs.

Fortunately, treatments are available to help people counter addictions powerful disruptive effects. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patients drug abuse patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drug abuse.

Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed successfully. And as with other chronic diseases, it is not

uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse, however, does not signal treatment failurerather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated or adjusted or that an alternative treatment is needed to help the individual regain control and recover.

Effects of Drug addiction

Drugs contain chemicals that tap into the brains communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. There are at least two ways that drugs cause this disruption: (1) by imitating the brains natural chemical messengers and (2) by overstimulating the reward circuit of the brain.Some drugs (e.g., marijuana and heroin) have a similar structure to chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, which are naturally produced by the brain. This similarity allows the drugs to fool the brains receptors and activate nerve cells to send abnormal messages.

Other drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters (mainly dopamine) or to prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals, which is needed to shut off the signaling between neurons. The result is a brain awash in dopamine, a neurotransmitter present in brain regions that control movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this reward system, which normally responds to natural behaviors linked to survival (eating, spending time with loved ones, etc.), produces euphoric effects in response to psychoactive drugs. This reaction sets in motion a reinforcing pattern that teaches people to repeat the rewarding behaviour of abusing drugs.

As a person continues to abuse drugs, the brain adapts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine by producing less dopamine or by reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the reward circuit. The result is a lessening of dopamines impact on the reward circuit, which reduces the abusers ability to enjoy not only the drugs but also other events in life that previously brought pleasure. This decrease compels the addicted person to keep abusing drugs in an attempt to bring the dopamine function back to normal, but now larger amounts of the drug are required to achieve the same dopamine highan effect known as tolerance.Long-term abuse causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that influences the reward circuit and the ability to

learn. When the optimal concentration of glutamate is altered by drug abuse, the brain attempts to compensate, which can impair cognitive function. Brain imaging studies of drugaddicted individuals show changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Together, these changes can drive an abuser to seek out and take drugs compulsively despite adverse, even devastating consequencesthat is the nature of addiction. 1

Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction is simply defined as a compulsive need for an intoxicating liquid that is obtained from fermented grain or fruit. These liquids include beer, wine, and other hard liquors. Alcoholism is present when a person craves alcohol and cannot limit or contain his or her drinking. If someone experiences withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, or anxiety when alcohol consumption has ceased, or if there is a need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to feel a high, that person is most likely alcoholic. Some may think that its just a matter of having the will to stop drinking, but alcoholism is more complicated than that. An alcoholics craving for alcohol is so great that it suppresses their ability to stop drinking. The majority of alcoholics need assistance to stop drinking. With treatment and support from family and friends, many have been able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives. It is a sad fact however that there are still some who are unable to stop in spite of these aids. 2

Nicotine Addiction

The nicotine in inhaled tobacco smoke moves from the lungs, into the bloodstream and up to the smoker's brain within 7 to 10 seconds. Once there, nicotine triggers a number of chemical reactions that create temporary feelings of pleasure for the smoker, but these sensations are short-lived, subsiding within minutes. As the nicotine level drops in the blood, smokers feel edgy and agitated -- the start of nicotine withdrawal. So, in order to relieve the discomforts, smokers light up another cigarette...and then another. And another. And so it goes -- the vicious cycle of nicotine addiction. One cigarette is never enough, a fact that every smoker knows all too well.

In order to quit smoking successfully for the long term, it helps to understand the nature of nicotine addiction and what it takes to break free of it. In fact, smokers are often surprised to learn that they are addicted to a substance. Many of us believed that smoking was just a bad habit; something we could stop easily when we decided it was time. 3

Food Addiction
In a sense, we are all addicted to food. Think about what it feels like when you arent able to eat. You start to crave food, and become more physically and emotionally uncomfortable the longer the cravings go on for, until eating becomes the most important thing for you to do. This is the experience of all addicts. Food is essential to survival, and unlike other addictive behaviors, it is normal to eat repeatedly every day, and to look forward to eating for pleasure. But several characteristics separate normal or occasional binge eating from a food addiction. Firstly, food addiction is maladaptive, so although people overeat to feel better, it often ends up making them feel worse, and gives them more to feel back about. Food addiction can threaten health, causing obesity, malnutrition, and other problems. Secondly, the overeating that food addicts do ispersistent, so a food addict eats too much food -- often the wrong kinds of food -- too much of the time. We all overeat on from time to time, but food addicts often overeat every day, and they eat, not because they are hungry, but as their main way of coping with stress. Then if they are unable to overeat, they experience anxiety. 4

Video Games Addiction

Anyone who has experienced it knows all too well video game addiction is real. Although gaming addiction is not yet officially recognized as a diagnosable disorder by the American Medical Association, there is increasing evidence that people of all ages, especially teens and pre-teens, are facing very real, sometimes severe consequences associated with compulsive use of video and computer games.

Video games are becoming increasingly complex, detailed, and compelling to a growing international audience of players. With better graphics, more realistic characters, and greater strategic challenges, its not surprising that some teens would rather play the latest video game than hang out with friends, play sports, or even watch television. Of course, all gamers are not addicts many teens can play video games a few hours a week, successfully balancing school activities, grades, friends, and family obligations. But for some, gaming has become an uncontrollable compulsion. Studies estimate that 10 percent to 15 percent of gamers exhibit signs that meet the World Health Organizations criteria for addiction. Just like gambling and other compulsive behaviors, teens can become so enthralled in the fantasy world of gaming that they neglect their family, friends, work, and school. If you or a loved one shows signs of computer or video game addiction, this website is for you. Here, you will find up-to-date information and resources that will help you assess whether gaming has gone from an entertaining pastime to a full-blown obsession. From signs and symptoms to advice for parents and treatment options, this site offers advice and solutions to help bring compulsive gamers back to real life. 5

Sexual addiction

Sexual addiction has different forms. Each of this form needs to be properly intervened before the addict delves himself into a more destructive behavior. With appropriate intervention and treatment sexual addiction can be treated. The various types of sexual addiction are: Fetishism Fetishism is a type of addiction in which the addict tries to escape reality by focusing on an object, rather than a person. Fetishists focus on objects to sexually stimulate themselves into a more pleasurable experience that they cannot get from a normal intercourse. Examples are obsession with stockings, high knee boots and body parts. It becomes a psychological disorder if it causes distress to the person and affects other important areas of his life.

If you have any of such obsessions, you should not feel overly guilty as this might cause more harm. However, you must admit that you have a problem that needs to be treated because this is the starting point of changing your destructive behaviors. Voyeurism Voyeurism or the Peeping Tom syndrome is a form of addiction in which the addict consistently gains sexual pleasure through spying on other people engaged in private and intimate activities such as undressing or sexual act. This can cause intimacy problems to an addict because he is not actively engaged in sex to his partner but rather arouses himself alone. To overcome symptoms of voyeurism you must understand that in order for treatment to be successful, you must have the desire to modify existing patterns of destructive behavior. This initial step can be difficult to take at first but with behavioral therapy, your strong impulses to spy on victims will be controlled. Phone sex Phone sex is a form of addiction in which the person is stimulated through virtual sex with another person via telephone. It involves sexually explicit conversations while masturbating in sexual fantasy. Sadomasochism Sadomasochism combines elements of both sadism and masochism in which the addict gains sexual gratification through inflicting physical and emotional pain to his partner during sex. Unfortunately, a sadomasochist rarely asks for help because he refuses that he has such addiction. Your improvement depends on your desire and willingness to change. Therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy and positive behavioral therapy can effectively help in treating this kind of addiction. Necrophilia

Necrophilia is a strange kind of addiction in which a person is sexually addicted to corpses. It can be destructive for the addict if he has recurrent intense sexual fantasies involving corpses. However peculiar this addiction may be, it can still be treated with psychosis, hypnosis and drug therapy. If treatment is sought, then this form of addiction can be combatted. Nymphomania Nymphomania is a greedy need for sex which interferes with other important areas of life. Despite frequent orgasms, emotional intimacy is not achieved. Embarrassment, shame and fear may hinder you to seek treatment but it is recommended that you should get immediate help. You may be treated through psychotherapy and medications. You can also join self-help groups where there you get the chance to meet other sexual addicts. The ultimate goal of treatment is to help you control strong impulses and lessen excessive behaviors. Acknowledging that you have sexual addiction can be difficult to do. You may hesitate to seek professional help due to a lot of reasons. But it is of great importance that you act now, and take responsibility for your actions. Maintaining a healthy relationship to yourself and your loved ones is far satisfying and pleasurable than prolonged destructive behaviors. 6

Habit VS Addiction
Habit is a behavior pattern developed by frequent repetition of the act over and over to the point the brain does it automatically. An addiction is a compulsive need of a certain thing or substance to the body, which when deprived causes horrible effects. A habit can be controlled or modified, while addiction cannot be controlled and requires professional help for modification.

The difference between Habit and Addiction has been under constant debate. There is a fine line between habit and addiction, and if crossed a habit can easily turn into an addiction. In order to understand the difference, lets look at the terms separately. According to Merriam Webster dictionary, a habit is defined as, a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased

facility of performance; an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary. A habit can be made from constant repetition to the point where a person is not even aware that they are doing it, ex: biting nails, taping their feet, etc. Habits can be both positive as well as negative, but they are not destructive in nature. The act gets imbedded in the brain after continuous repetition that the brain automatically sends signals to the body to perform that act.

An addiction is defined as, compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful. An addiction is an extreme form of habit, and the fine line ends when a person loses control over the act. Most addicted people know that they are addicted to certain substances, but they cannot turn away from that act or substance even if they want to. During an addiction, a person is willing to go to great lengths in order to consume that substance. Addictions also have horrible withdrawal effects. A person, who suddenly stops drinking after being addicted to it for a certain number of years, exhibits psychological and physical effects. An addiction also affects a persons memory, ability to make decisions and learn.

A habit can be changed or modified, while addictions are hard to let go off and require professional help; but both require determination and hard work. Habits are developed from people we meet, actions we perform or decisions we take, while addiction are habits that are taken to the point where the person can no longer live without it. The most dangerous fact about an addiction is that most of them cause your body to deteriorate and can also cause death in the long term. In order to tell habit and addiction apart, there is a simple test. Can the person live without it? If something is a habit and it is stopped or skipped one day (ex: biting nails), it wont cause any physical or psychological effects. If it is an addition and is skipped a day, it can cause withdrawal effects. 7

References: 1: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-abuse-addiction

2 http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/alcohol-addiction.htm

3 http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/nicotine/a/nicotineeffects.htm

4 http://addictions.about.com/od/lesserknownaddictions/a/foodadd.htm

5 http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-abuse-addiction
6 http://www.feedtherightwolf.org/2011/12/sexual-addiction-different-types/

7 http://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-habit-and-addiction