The fine line between addiction and habit

What is the difference between a habit and addiction?

Continued from our last article What is an addiction?

We brush our teeth, say “Please” and “Thank you”. These are habits that we have learned to be civil in society. Some have bad habits like nail-biting,  over spending, or procrastination.

Many can have a drink of alcohol or take an aspirin without any issue. For some these simple activities can become habits. Unfortunately, some habits turn into a compulsion thus an addiction. What once was a simple drink turns into a midnight cap which evolves into a body needing the substance. (I’ve seen this happen with soda too!)

Habits are created over a period of time. The person can freely start and stop the habit as they please. The body may want something, but the person can control the craving. The key thing here is the individual can control the urge.

Addictions, unlike habits, are uncontrollable urges that must be met. If the person has an urge they will go to measures that can cause physical damage. The mind or body will crave something and it must be fulfilled. This means that the individual is no longer in control of themselves, thus can be experiencing psychological masking, bodily cravings, or permanent brain chemical changes. With addiction, the individual has lost control.

The addicted

People become addicted for various reasons. It can start among friends with peer pressure or be introduced innocently by a doctor to numb your pain. Regardless the source, addiction can ruin a home and it’s family. It destroys futures and wrecks good relationships.

Substance abuse counseling should be sought quickly because the longer one waits, the worse and more dependent the body become to the substance. Then dependency will eventually raise the tolerance level of the individual which will lead to higher doses to create the same effect of euphoria. Once the substance no longer has an effect on the body, the individual is still forced to continue as the pain of withdrawal is too great. This can lead to depression, anxiety, anger, etc.

If you feel like you might be suffering from an addiction, contact us now so we can talk about our addiction counseling in Brea. Your first visit will be complimentary.

What if someone you know seems to be an addict. What are some telltale signs? We will explain that next.

 

The fine line between addiction and habit

What is an addiction?

The Definition of addiction

If you look up the meaning of addiction in the dictionary, it will say, “the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.”

The definition of an addict is, “a person who is addicted to a particular substance, typically an illegal drug.”

And finally, one who is addicted would be defined as, “physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse effects.”

 

So what Is addiction?

People who are experiencing addiction tend not to have control over themselves. That means that they will have an uncontrollable urge to do or take in a substance. They are literally dependent to the substance or activity.

What really gives it away is when one does things hysterically to the point of harming themselves. The harm can come in many forms such as: lack of sleep thus missing work, being in a daze thus deeming themselves useless because they can not function normally, physical harm such as burns or track marks to say the least.

List of addictions

Here is a small list of typical drugs that many have become addicted to:

• Alcohol


• Tobacco


• Opioids (like heroin)


• Prescription drugs (sedatives, hypnotics, or anxiolytics like sleeping pills and tranquilizers)


• Cocaine


• Cannabis (marijuana)


• Amphetamines (like methamphetamine, known as meth)


• Hallucinogens


• Inhalants


• Phencyclidine (known as PCP or Angeldust)


• Other unspecified substances

Addiction is not limited to just drugs but a variety of things. Some of these may come as a surprise to you, but these too can cause feelings of guilt, shame, hopelessness, despair, failure, rejection, anxiety and/or humiliation to the addicted. They are:

• Cutting


• Exercise


• Fetishes


• Gambling


• Hand Washing


• Internet


• Love


• Money


• Overeating


• Relationships


• Religion


• Self Injurious Behaviors (SIB)


• Sex


• Shopping


• Sleep


• Spending


• Stealing


• Television


• Trichotillomania (Chronic Hair Pulling)


• Video games


• Work

This is not a comprehensive list, but is helpful to at least get an idea of some of the things people can become addicted to.

You will also notice that Prescription drugs are listed under drugs. Many think because it’s prescribed that addictions is unlikely. This is far from the truth. Your local family doctor isn’t the only person who can prescribe drugs. Many forget that psychiatrist also prescribe drugs and some can become addicted to the medication. The drug abuse epidemic is an unfortunate double-edged sword.

So where do we draw the line between addiction and habit? We will discuss that next.

If you feel like you might be suffering from an addiction, contact us now so we can talk about our addiction counseling in Brea. Your first visit will be complimentary.

What is an addiction?

Why I don't recommend using your insurance

When people ask us if we take insurance for counseling, that indicates to us that they have been misinformed about their policies. Many do not read the fine print about what they do, cover, or protect. This is not to demean insurance companies, but rather to educate you.

Insurance. What is it good for?

Obviously a practice or arrangement by which a company or government agency provides a guarantee of compensation for specified loss, damage, illness, or death in return for payment of a premium. If you’re ill, the insurance company will compensate you or the medical provider for services rendered.

Sounds great, but what’s the catch?

There have been many cases where insurance companies will not cover couples counseling, marriage counseling, anxiety issues, depression issues, self improvement/ coaching, relationship issues, etc. You’re on your own when it comes to this.

Why? Basically, the insurance policy tends to only cover medical issues. For example: If you have the flu, you’re covered. If you fall and break your arm, you’re covered, but if you are experiencing stress at work, you may not be covered. Why? Because stress is not an illness or disease. Now, if you get ulcers because of stress, you’re covered for the ulcers.

On the other hand, some can go to a psychiatrist to get a diagnosis for an illness or disease and more than likely will be prescribed drugs to cope. We strongly discourage this for most people as drugs are only numbing the stress in your life and not dealing with it appropriately. We’ve seen cases where the drugs worsened the counselee, but let’s say you take this option.

Did you know that the insurance company dictates how long they’ll cover you? What if the psychiatrist deems you as “greatly improved” and the insurance company takes that as “patient healed”? They will stop coverage immediately and now your stranded without the appropriate help you need.

Oh by the way, if an insurance company is involved, what happens to your privacy? Rather than privacy staying between you and the counselor, an entire insurance company knows your private business not counting who else they (have to) share your information with, as they are considered “medical records”. They might be shared with other agencies, hospitals, or used in court against you.

We don’t consider insurance companies evil, but we just want you to know some of their limitations which may apply to you. Consider the necessity of your well being and the value of your privacy. At Finally Alive Counseling Ministries, we use a sliding scale to help you financially. You’d be surprised how flexible we are. Just call us and see for yourself.

Why I don't recommend using your insurance