The 2016 General Surgeon’s Report, “Facing Addiction in America,” revealed that 1 in 7 Americans will face substance addiction at some point in their life. Of equal significance is behavioral addiction which is an extremely broad category spanning a variety of behaviors and has a global rate of around 11%, meaning around 1 in 10 people suffer from some kind of behavioral addiction. Different kinds of addiction are more or less prevalent in certain regions and demographics; for example, smartphone addiction is much more prevalent amongst students, particularly in 1st world countries.

Defining Terms: Psychological Addiction, Substance Addiction, and Behavioral Addiction

Let us borrow Gabor Maté’s definition of addiction as any behavior through which a person finds temporary pleasure or relief, but for which they suffer in the long-term. Usually when we speak of addiction, we presume addiction to substances. By our broad definition, it is easy to see that there are many other kinds of behavioral addiction, including addiction to gambling, smartphones, food, sex, and even work.

Both behavioral and substance addictions are completely psychological in nature. However, in the realm of substance addiction, there is the complication of physical dependence, which indicates physical withdrawal symptoms should a physically dependent person stop taking a drug. It is meaningful to note that many commonly-prescribed psychiatric medications form physical dependence in that they cannot be quit cold-turkey without incurring terrible withdrawal symptoms.

There is some irony that a dependence on psychiatric medications is not typically considered “substance dependence” even though that is precisely what it is – many people are on psychiatric medications for so long, they cannot live without them. The primary difference between taking psychiatric medications versus (street) drug addiction is that psychiatric medications have a large amount of studies (in the form of clinical trials) to better understand what dosages make them therapeutically effective, and these regimens are administered by educated healthcare professionals.

There Are Many Types Of Addiction

It is common to distinguish between physical (chemical) dependency versus drug-seeking behavior which is more psychological in nature. For example, addiction to weed is considered a psychological addiction, as the brain does not become physically dependent on marijuana to operate, and one can effectively quit cold-turkey. In contrast, alcoholism can lead to very real physical dependence because of the brain’s down-regulation of GABA and other neurotransmitters, which results in physical withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia, tremors (delirium tremens), anxiety, paranoia, and even psychosis.

Any substance that has a physical effect on the brain’s reward pathways is potentially addictive. This is why even food, particularly fast-food, is addictive. Even though addiction to food is not considered a substance addiction, it shares many of the traits of (psychological) substance addiction. Fast-food chains understand the nature of psychological addiction as they hire experts and researchers in this area, then engineer their foods with certain ratios of macronutrients (sugar, fat, and salt) to trigger chemical reward pathways in the brain. These engineered foods go so far as to cause the brain to suppress appetite (fullness) signaling, encouraging people to eat more and overeat. Moreover, the chemical rewards from eating fast-food leads an individual to become biased in their behavior, with fast-food signage and branding becoming an effective “trigger” to whet people’s psychological addiction. It is well-known that people are more likely to (subconsciously) travel routes where they pass their favorite fast-food restaurants, a cognitive bias that is a byproduct of psychological addiction to the food, and rooted in food-gathering survival instincts.

This brings us to an important observation: many addictions become subconscious compulsions. People get so in the habit of an addictive behavior that seeking their addiction out becomes subconsciously ingrained, and they lose the ability to consciously direct themselves away from their addictive behavior. This isn’t only limited to substances and foods, but can happen with anything, including relationships and work.

Emotional Pain Is The Root Of Addiction

Fundamentally, people are not naturally addicts. It is not a brain disease, nor is it indicative of a lack of self-control or a “bad” character. The truth is, addictions stem from a place of emotional hurt and trauma. People become addicted to something when they are dealing with internalized pain that has no clear solution. The addictive substances and behaviors people engage in give them temporary relief. They then become dependent on this relief.

In other words, addiction is an attempt at a solution to an otherwise complex problem. The pain that addicts feel is always deep-rooted and difficult to deal with. The only difference between an addict and someone else is a choice, and addicts conversely very much have the choice of rising above their addictions if they so choose.

The First Step Is Awareness

Start with small steps. Simply recognizing that you have an addiction and gaining awareness about how it affects your life is significant. Begin your journey by taking account of the time, money, and opportunities your addiction costs you.

Think about the other things you could be pursuing with that time: reading a book, writing something, drawing, learning how to play an instrument, spending time with friends, going to the gym, or otherwise constructively applying yourself. Equate the amount of money you’re spending on your addiction to something tangible. Food is a good one to start with; convert your addiction costs to the equivalent meals at your favorite restaurant, or your favorite food to eat.

With substance addiction, consider how your addiction affects your mood and psychology. For example, how does alcohol affect the quality of your sleep? How does it affect your mood the next day? Your anxiety?

Journal these things to track them and get a sense of the negative impact your addiction might have after the fact.

The usage of many substances can cause insomnia, heightened anxiety, depression, and physical withdrawal symptoms. Think about these costs as very real things. Realize that every time you use, you may be physically hurting yourself, altering your brain chemistry and negatively affecting your liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.

Carefully reflect on how your habits have negatively impacted you in the past: in your jobs, in your relationships, and in your overall well-being. Examine how your feelings, emotions, and sense of contentedness in life have been affected by long-term usage.

These effects are not isolated to substance usage. Cellphone addiction can also lead to heightened anxiety, depression, and affect sleep hygiene. Work addiction can lead you to feel constantly anxious if you are not engaged in something “productive,” leading you to obsessively checking your email and replying to people, and the increased stress can further degrade sleep. Sex addiction can lead to a fragmented sense of self, where you only feel validated and whole through sexual expression and engage in risqué behaviors that results in contracting a disease.

Meditate on the negative aspects of your addiction. If your usage is affecting your family or loved ones, think about how they feel about your habits. Use this as a grounding anchor. Think about constructive and meaningful pursuits you could be engaging with instead of your addiction. Think about how your addiction might be placating you and making you feel “okay” about giving up your time and life to the void instead of trying to grow yourself constructively and meaningfully.

Your addiction may be the reason you experience anhedonia and a sense of meaninglessness. It could also be depression! Talk with a psychiatrist. Try antidepressants. It’s not easy and the process of finding effective medications is one of trial and error that takes tremendous time and patience, but it may pay off in the long run by giving you back a sense of satisfaction in life not rooted to an addiction!

It Takes Time And Patience

Taking small steps, being patient with yourself, and not punishing yourself are essential. Don’t hate yourself because you relapse into a habit you are trying to break. This negative reinforcement may lead you to lean more heavily into your relapse, or give up completely. Overcoming addiction is not an instantaneous occurrence for most people. Just as addiction typically happens over the course of months and years, overcoming addiction takes time. Give yourself the time. Start by building awareness.

One powerful approach, as you build awareness for how addiction has negatively impacted your life, is to develop meaningful self-affirmations. Repeat phrases to yourself regularly, such as:

• I deserve better
• I am not defined by my addiction
• I can accomplish so much if I set my mind to it
• I am capable

Find friends and social connections that encourage you in your journey. You may need to disconnect yourself completely from friends who drink alcohol, do drugs, or otherwise legitimize and enable addictive behavior. A good alternative is to find support groups or attend religious congregations, e.g. church or mosque or temple. Spending time around sober people is a good way to keep yourself away from temptation and build new habits and memories. Volunteering your time to a meaningful cause is another excellent way to devote your time constructively and meet new people as you overcome your addiction.

The Power Of Exercise And Diet

Some of the best things you can do for yourself in your journey is regular exercise and healthier eating. Exercise helps regulate your body hormonally, it helps with self-control, mood regulation, and releases peptides that encourage your brain’s neuroplasticity and natural healing factors. Over the course of time, the discipline and self-restraint you develop through exercise will further empower you to escape your former addictive habits.

Healthier eating and dieting has similar holistic effects. Intermittent fasting helps build self-restraint and also engages the body’s faculties of autophagy, which clears out toxins and deleterious cells. Additionally, fasting and healthy eating can contribute to clarity of thought and mind when done right. Eating more nutritious foods may help your mood and energy levels and have you feeling much better.

Healing Starts With Self-Love

There is no understating the value of a healthful approach in overcoming addiction. It all starts with one key step: a willingness to love yourself, to embrace who you are, and forgive yourself for your addiction, without punishing yourself.

Love yourself. Balance your life and gradually root out your addictions. Gain awareness on the emotional and psychological drivers that led you to addiction in the first place. Address the root causes in your life. Become the conscious driver of your life’s direction, rather than the passive observer to ingrained psychological habits. You can do it!

Powerful First Steps

When it comes to substance addiction, one of the most powerful first steps to take is to simply not allow yourself to buy anymore. When quitting cigarettes, only allow yourself to smoke if you can bum a cigarette from someone else, but don’t allow yourself to buy any packs of cigarettes. With liquor and alcohol, don’t allow yourself to have any alcohol at home. Instead, you are only allowed to drink when you go to a bar or restaurant.

This is a form of habit-breaking where you are inflating the barrier or cost of a habit. This helps you naturally want to cut back on that habit.

Making up simple restrictions and rules to purposely curtail your usage is a great way to gradually build discipline. It also avoids the self-punishment of relapsing because you give yourself a specific “out.” Over time, if you are sincere in your approach, you will naturally begin to cut back. For example, you will drink less when you go out. You will get tired of asking your friends for cigarettes (or they might get tired of you asking).

With your cellphone, there are other options. If specific apps are causing you to scroll for hours in your bed or get glued to your screen, uninstall those apps. That way, if you want to use the app, you have to reinstall it. There are screen-time apps that also help you restrict usage to specific apps. Give these a shot!

Replacing One Addiction With Another

If you are addicted to a substance, it may be easier to start by replacing it with a different addiction, like cellphone usage, watching movies, or playing video games. However, this is a slippery slope, as the lack of restraint may lead you to relapse more quickly than conscientiously building a new, healthier habit.

The better approach is to replace your addiction with a simpler alternative habit. For example, whenever you want to smoke a cigarette, chew some (nicotine) gum, suck a lollipop, or take a brisk walk instead. Whenever you want to drink alcohol, drink coffee or have a seltzer water or soda. Many of our addictions have certain oral and physical fixations, so using a placebo may help curb the desire.

A detox regimen involving fasting and some form of healthy dieting, such as as a liquid cleanse with fiber, vegetable juices, apple cider vinegar, and so on, may be perfect for resetting your body and jump-starting your journey. Not only will such a cleanse be difficult, but it will give you a powerful sense of accomplishment and well-being that may provide the spark you need to build healthier habits for the long-term.

Keep trying different things. If you relapse, give yourself a break, don’t be too hard, and then try again. Watch how you are able to go longer and longer periods of time without relapsing. Never give up, and always fashion your willpower anew.

Keep looking forward and never stop striving. Success is built on failures – and champions have failed more times than beginners have even tried!

Never let a setback defeat you. Fall seven times, get up eight – with spirit!