Addiction describes dependence on certain addictive substances or compulsive behaviour. Certain substances can be physically addictive, meaning that strong willpower is required to break the addiction.

 

However, in most cases addiction is a psychological problem, i.e. the person resorts to means to seemingly reduce certain psychological problems.

You are addicted if you feel an overpowering desire for certain addictive substances or behaviours and if you show psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms when you run out of the addictive substance.

Various factors can drive a person to addiction: Character, predisposition, current physical and mental condition, social environment, external influences, parental home, problems at school or at work and peer pressure.

 

The best-known forms of addiction

Drug addiction. Craving for physically addictive substances, resulting in a qualitative increase in the dose.

Alcohol addiction. Alcoholism is still largely underestimated in comparison to drug addiction. This is mainly due to the fact that alcohol, unlike the usual intoxicants, is legal to purchase.

Nicotine addiction. The potential damage to health caused by nicotine addiction is now widely known and yet often ignored. It is usually peer pressure, nervousness or insecurity that lead to nicotine addiction.

Drug addiction. Sleeping pills, tranquillisers and painkillers can cause a strong physical dependency if used incorrectly.

Gambling addiction. Gambling addiction is a compulsive behaviour in which the gambler cannot resist the urge to gamble. It is not uncommon for gambling addicts to drive themselves to financial ruin.

Shopping addiction. The compulsive buying of objects that you don't need usually serves as compensation for failure and disappointment. Shopping addiction is a disease that should not be underestimated. Without therapy, a shopping addict is often not strong-willed enough to resist the urge to buy, because the problem that triggers it must be treated.

Workaholism. A workaholic works compulsively without being able to rest. They look for ways to satisfy their urge to work and are unable to switch off. A workaholic is under great physical and psychological strain.

In order to treat an addiction, access to the addictive substance in question must be denied. The three phases of addiction therapy are the detoxification phase, withdrawal phase and aftercare. In the case of compulsive behaviour, no detoxification phase is required. Aftercare usually consists of psychotherapeutic counselling to find the causes of the addiction and help the addict to deal with problems in other ways to prevent relapse.