Stop Calling it an Addiction!

[Talendra]

Anything can be an addiction really, it just has to affect your life or the lives of those around you negatively due to the time you spend doing something.
Though I do agree that people tend throw addiction around a fair bit when it shouldn't be used.

 

[the1ultimate]

If only drug addictions counted as addictions, why would anyone bother to qualify the type of addiction further by saying "drug addiction".

And of course the human body itself produces things that the human body may become dependent on in response to certain stimuli(see adrenaline junkie as an example). Thus you cannot say that people aren't addicted to certain activities.

Besides which I object to your use of obsessive/compulsive disorder. The people who suffer from those disorders don't feel the need to do things. They mostly just do them.

 

[Dusty Donuts]

As already mentioned, the release of endorphins in the brain more often than usual can be the concept for an addiction, such as someone shopping releases more endorphins than usual, making them happy and possibly making them want to do it again. Addiction is something that upsets the brain balance and begins to become habitual, hence an addict because they regularly do it regardless of the long-term side effects that usually come from prolonged exposure to most common addictions.

As terribly awful as heroine withdrawal must be, it is survivable.

There's a bit of a problem there. It's definitely survivable, but you can't do it on your own since the body convinces itself that it needs the substance and begins to use it's usual functions to tell you that it requires something. For shopping and other non-lethal addictions, you can become highly anxious or other emotions become dominant that you think can only be swayed by doing what you enjoy. (particularly for shopping) find some cheap reason to persuade your conscience that it's okay. As for heroin and etc...Your brain has convinced itself that it needs heroin and you will be looking for every excuse to get a shot of it.

 

[DerangedBeing]

Interesting, I'd be interested to see how these compare to someone who's been denied access to an obsession. Do you think they'd be similar?

On a random note, I've actually fully read the first post, then decided to check the definitons of the words "Addiction" and "Obsession". Once you get past all of the different songs and tv episodes named after the words, they basically can be used for either or, with Obsessions used for random things you find yourself unable to stop thinking about or are "obssessed" or "addicted" to, while "addictions" are usually the common things you think about, such as Drug, Drinking, Eating, Video Game, and other such "obsessable" things.

So yeah, they're basically homonyms. Tomato Tomato, Potato Potato (you know what I mean... I dunno how to spell the different pronunciations for that example, but I know you get it).

 

[Random Argument Man]

Oh my! A list of Withdrawal Symptoms with Online gamers

http://www.olganon.org/?q=game_addiction_withdrawal_symptoms

List of withdrawal of gambling
http://www.victoriaga.org/withdrawal.htm

List of food craving
http://www.eruptingmind.com/withdrawal-symptoms-from-food/

I could google some more if you want... You could also admit that's enough.

Interesting, I'd be interested to see how these compare to someone who's been denied access to an obsession. Do you think they'd be similar?

Probably some symptoms are similar. Addiction can affect you physically. You become ill or something like it.

Obsession will affect you mentally. However, it won't touch you to the physical level if you don't do something to affect your body ( A tatoo or cutting yourself).
An obsession is more associated with a thing or a person.

 

[Bobkat1252]

About a week ago, after finally being able to bring my xbox to school and having just aquired AC2 and L4D2, I sat down and played for about 5 hours straight. My roommate was out in our floor's lounge when another kid from our floor asks where I and a girl from our floor are. My roommate tells him that I'm playing games still and that the girl is passed out from intoxication. The kid replies that they should have an intervention for me since I'm aparently "addicted" to my xbox,. The girl and pretty much everyone on my floor (including the kid saying this) could be classified as an alcoholic except for me, since I dont drink, and I'M the one who needs an intervention?

Just thought I'd post this here, been wanting to get that off my chest for awhile.

 

[Daegond]

The OP is naturally entitled to his opinion, and to be fair, he's pretty close to the mark with his stance on gambling addiction. Gambling "addiction" is a more colloquial term, and not diagnostic. Pathological gambling is an impulse-control disorder (which has obsessive tendencies, but is not an obsession per se) of which a symptom is anxiety and irritability when cutting back. I think this is what people are talking about when going on about withdrawal symptoms.

But yes, there are both physiological and psychological addictions with their own withdrawal symptoms. And while physiological withdrawal symptoms are more severe, it doesn't mean psychological withdrawal effects aren't diagnostic. And if you want some extra reading material to figure out why gambling is so much more addictive than traditional reinforcement schemes read up on intermittent reinforcement. That's the process involved with gambling addiction.

A little part of me dies inside when I respond to threads like these...

 

[Music Mole]

I say we riot!

seconded!
some guy in the background "what for?"
WHO CARES LETS RIOT!

Another face in the crowd. "I'm not sure thats a good ide- gunshot

 

[Pegghead]

You can get addicted to anything really, at the end of the day it all boils down to the mind of the person.

 

[geddydisciple]

You sir have obviously never met a WoW addict. Especially someone who is into the hardcore end game stuff. (me 6 months ago) It was easier to quit smoking than it was to quit WoW.

 

[Atheist.]

It's been shown in studies that addiction to gambling stimulates the same parts of the brain as an addictive substance (ex. cocaine) and releases endorphins. People get addicted to the feelings associated with performing the task, and the chemicals released when they do it. All addictive behaviours work on immediate positive reinforcement, which is one of the basic criteria for defining whether or not something is innately addictive.

I've read enough case studies and research papers to scoff at what you assume.

Sources plz.

<3

You should know that you can't easily access a lot research papers without being enrolled in a univeristy, or paying an access fee. I'll look up a few papers I can find, if I can remember the names. If you're currently enrolled in a university you should easily be able to find them yourself with the vast online libraries that contain academic journals and the like.

Edit: http://www.springerlink.com/content/h35n579445314l8r/ This study provides evidence that gambling can replace another addiction (alcohol or other drugs). You'll probably have to pay to view this one. But there's an abstract.

www.sma.org.sg/smj/4205/4205cr2.pdf This pdf is a case study of a 32 year old Asian woman who is addicted to gambling.

http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/50/8/1021#SEC1 This is a decent article written by a fairly well established woman, Nancy M. Petry, Ph.D from Harvard University who works with various forms of addiction.

Happy yet?

 

[Phyroxis]

It's been shown in studies that addiction to gambling stimulates the same parts of the brain as an addictive substance (ex. cocaine) and releases endorphins. People get addicted to the feelings associated with performing the task, and the chemicals released when they do it. All addictive behaviours work on immediate positive reinforcement, which is one of the basic criteria for defining whether or not something is innately addictive.

I've read enough case studies and research papers to scoff at what you assume.

Sources plz.

<3

You should know that you can't easily access a lot research papers without being enrolled in a univeristy, or paying an access fee. I'll look up a few papers I can find, if I can remember the names. If you're currently enrolled in a university you should easily be able to find them yourself with the vast online libraries that contain academic journals and the like.

Edit: http://www.springerlink.com/content/h35n579445314l8r/ This study provides evidence that gambling can replace another addiction (alcohol or other drugs). You'll probably have to pay to view this one. But there's an abstract.

www.sma.org.sg/smj/4205/4205cr2.pdf This pdf is a case study of a 32 year old Asian woman who is addicted to gambling.

http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/50/8/1021#SEC1 This is a decent article written by a fairly well established woman, Nancy M. Petry, Ph.D from Harvard University who works with various forms of addiction.

Happy yet?

I'm enrolled at a university with access to all the big journal sources. Just give me their APA cites and I can look em up.

I'm not trying to shut you down by asking for sources, by the way. I'm genuinely interested in the subject and have been considering doing research in the area.

 

[The_ModeRazor]

Of course it is an addiction. People can get addicted to practically anything.
Computer games are fun, so there are addicts. Pathetic little excuses for a once-human being.

 

[Atheist.]

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Well I don't really have time to do research for someone else right now, but I recommend you start your search at LexisNexis Academic, as that database has access to a very large number of medical journals and studies.

http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/search/homesubmitForm.do

Just use whatever keywords are relevent to your research (Obviously.) You should be able to find whatever you're looking for rather quickly if your keywords are specific enough.

 

[TheSeventhLoneWolf]

Habits, not addictions.

 

[McNinja]

Gaming, TV, and gambling turn into obsessions, but not an addiction, or at least not the same way smoking or cocaine gets you addicted. Withdrawls from non-drugs are less severe.

 

[Phyroxis]

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Well I don't really have time to do research for someone else right now, but I recommend you start your search at LexisNexis Academic, as that database has access to a very large number of medical journals and studies.

http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/search/homesubmitForm.do

Just use whatever keywords are relevent to your research (Obviously.) You should be able to find whatever you're looking for rather quickly if your keywords are specific enough.

I was asking for the backup for your posts, lol. I can do my own research, I wanted to see what backed your statements, though.

 

[Fronken]

While not entirely on subject, there is alot of mentions of stuff that get branded "disease" without even being close to true, best example i can think of is obesity, i seriously get mad whenever some ignorant person says its a disease, hell, im a big guy myself, about 30kg overweight, and even i know that it isnt a disease, there are always ways to loose weight, it's all about personal will and strength, branding something as a disease is just a scape-goat for the real issue, same with branding things as an addiction when they really arent.