What Does Addiction Feel Like? 7 Signs You’re Addicted to Something
Are you wondering what does addiction feel like? If yes, you should click here to learn more about how to tell if you’re addicted to something.
Do you catch yourself asking questions such as: what does addiction feel like? Are you afraid that you’re becoming an addict? Do you want to know how to relate to an addict so you can help them?
Addiction is a serious problem for many US adults. It doesn’t need to be a substance addiction to ruin your life. It can be an addiction to shopping, gambling, sex, and/or others.
In this guide, we’ll talk about what addiction feels like. Keep reading to learn how to know if you’re addicted to something.
- You Can’t Stop, You Feel Withdrawal When You Try
As human beings, we have an instinct to avoid things that can cause us harm. However, for an addict, they see stopping as the thing that will hurt them. To a degree, they are right.
One of the strongest signs that you’re already an addict is withdrawal. Withdrawal is when you experience what seems like illnesses when you stop. Note that the type of withdrawal will differ depending on the substance you’re abusing.
For alcohol addicts, they experience tremors during their withdrawal. Cocaine addicts can experience depression a couple of days after they stop using. A person with heroin addiction and painkillers experiences severe flu-like symptoms for two days.
The severity of your withdrawal will depend on the strength of your addiction. Addicts often relapse as well when they try to stop abusing drugs or alcohol. You can’t stop because your body starts seeking the substances you’re addicted to.
- It Becomes Your Top Priority
You’ll notice that you run out of time to do anything else other than your addiction. You stop making time for your family and friends. You stop going to social gatherings if you know you can’t drink or use drugs there.
Everything becomes background noise, and all you’ll see is the source of your addiction. If cutting off from the world is your key to getting high or drunk, you’ll do it without question. If you must lie to loved ones so you can keep your addictions, you will.
You may even forget to take care of yourself. Basic needs like food and water get replaced by your addiction. You stop exercising and practicing hygiene.
You’re chasing after the rush of excitement you gain from the source of addiction. Sex, shopping, or substances may feel like they’re the only things that make you happy. Thus, you’ll put everything else on hold for your addiction.
- You Make Bad Choices and Take Unneeded Risks for It
When your priorities shift, it always comes with consequences. For example, you risk job security in a good company so you can get drugs. If you’re a thrill-seeker, you’ll want to join riskier activities to find your high.
Often, it first creates small frustrations for the people around you. It will then fester into larger and sometimes irreparable mistakes. If you don’t stop, you’ll find yourself drowning in dilemmas, debt, desperation, and depression.
Even when you’re already in rehab, having a history of addiction can still affect your life. Relapse is a common occurrence among addicts. A study says 50% of recovered addicts knew other people assumed they’d relapse.
Many businesses and employers don’t want to risk hiring ex-addicts. In the same paper, 16.2% of US adults got denied employment. This happened despite their successful rehabilitation and recovery.
- You Turn to It When You Have Problems
For addicts, submitting to their habits is more than good and pleasurable. Your addiction becomes a place of safety for you. When something terrible occurs, your first thought is to go to your safe space.
The substance or habit may not even have any effect on the problems you have in life. You may even reason out that turning to your addiction makes sense. If you feel that the way to solve your problems is to run to a substance or habit, you may be an addict.
- You Turn to It Even When You Don’t Have Problems
What if there aren’t stressors that are causing you to turn to a habit or substance? Is it still addiction if you use marijuana or binge-eat to feel good? Yes, this is still an addiction.
For example, you feel good about making a big sale. Your first celebratory thought is victory sex or a night out with friends. You may even think to congratulate your deed with an indulgent shopping or eating spree.
As you can see, addiction doesn’t only affect people when they’re down. It beckons them when they also feel great. Often, addicts use their triumphs as an excuse to act on their addiction.
- You Make Excuses When Friends or Family Express Their Concerns
It’s easy to say that other people don’t understand what you’re going through. It’s easy to think they don’t know what your needs are. Can you blame if they spot your addiction before you do?
If someone calls you out for your addiction, you may deny it. You may often find yourself saying that it’s not serious. You may make promises to stop, even if you know you can’t.
Some people start hiding their addictions from loved ones. Others start to take less time for their family. This can lead to broken families and severed relationships.
Try to get better before your addiction causes permanent damages to your relationships with others. Remember, you don’t need to hit rock bottom before you stop. This is only one of the common myths about addiction.
- You Developed a Tolerance to It
You’ll know you’re addicted when you start to build substance tolerance. Often, this applies to the traditional definition of addicts like drug addicts.
Compare how much substance you began using before and how much you need now. If you can’t get high from the same amount from your first time, you may be an addict. This is one of the quickest ways to tell if you’re a substance abuser.
You don’t need to take a large amount of something to say you have more tolerance. Sometimes, the high goes away faster, and you’ll need to do your habit more often. This is your body adapting to the substances you’re taking.
Drug addicts are often at risk here. They may lose track of the increasing amounts they’re using. It can lead to death from overdose or major health problems.
Do Some Self-Assessment and Get Help
What does addiction feel like? We hope that these signs help with your self-assessment. If you have any worries that you are an addict based on the list, get help from a professional. If you need tips on alcohol recovery, visit abbeycarefoundation.com.
You should also learn more about different options for addiction treatment. Going to therapy, joining support groups, and seeking a residential facility are some of them. In some cases, outpatient treatment may also be an option. Understanding the pros and cons of partial hospitalization vs intensive outpatient addiction treatment can also help you shape your recovery journey. Whether it’s speaking to a trusted friend or reaching out to a professional, acknowledging and addressing your addiction is the first step toward recovery. Remember, you are not alone in this journey and there is always help available.
Now you understand how to know if you have an addiction. We hope you take care of yourself and find the help you or a loved one needs. If you want to know more about addiction and health, check out our other guides on the blog.
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