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April 6 2021

What is Depression?

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What is Depression?

Factors

Types of depression

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Depression is a common mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of low mood characterized by sadness and lack of motivation that interfere with your everyday activities. It also includes loss of interest in activities you once used to cherish. It leads to a variety of emotional and physical problems and also decreases your ability to function at work and at home.

Overview

Depression is also called clinical depression or major depressive disorder and it affects the way you feel, think and behave and can lead you to a variety of physical and psychological problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities and sometimes you might feel as if your life isn’t worth living.
Depression is a serious medical condition that can get worse without proper treatment but, if you seek treatment you will see improvements in symptoms in just a few weeks and it is of course treatable, although it requires long term treatment.

Medically reviewed by

Theresa DeSantis, Ph.D. – Director

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What are the symptoms of Depression?

Symptoms of depressions vary from individual to individual, commonly seen symptoms include:

⦁ Feeling of sadness or having a hopeless mood.
⦁ Loss of interest in activities which you once used to appreciate and enjoy.
⦁ Changes in appetite and developing eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa which results in too much weight loss or gain in weight respectively.
⦁ Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters.
⦁ Insomnia (Trouble falling asleep) or Hypersomnia (sleeping too much).
⦁ Loss of motivation, energy or increased fatigue.
⦁ Increase in pointless physical activities, slurred speech etc., observed by others.
⦁ Difficulty in concentrating, thinking and making decisions.
⦁ Thoughts of hopelessness and suicide.

What are the common types of depression?

There are many different types of depression, different events in your life become the reason of some types of depression, and chemical changes in your brain also cause some types of depression, common types of depression include:

Major depression:

It involves the feeling of depression for most of the time, for most days of the week.

Persistent Depressive Disorder:

If you have depression for more than 2 years it’s called persistent depressive disorder. It involves chronic major depression and dysthymia.

Bipolar disorder:

It is also known as manic depression. It has mood episodes that range from extremes of high energy with an “up” mood to low “depressive” periods.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

It is a period of depression that most often occurs during the winter months, when the days grow short and routines also get tougher, it usually goes by the end of winter.

Psychotic depression:

It includes the symptoms of major depression along with “psychotic” symptoms, such as Illusions, Delusions or Obsession.

Postpartum Depression:

Women who have major depression in the weeks and months after childbirth may have postpartum depression.

Situational Depression:

It includes having a depressed mood when you’re having trouble managing a stressful event in your life, such as a divorce or losing a loved one.

Atypical Depression:

This type is different than the continuous sadness of typical depression. It is considered to be a specifier that describes a pattern of depressive symptoms. If you have atypical depression, a positive event can temporarily improve your mood.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD):

Also known as pre-menstrual syndrome. It causes more serious Pre-menstrual symptoms like severe irritability, depression, and anxiety due to sudden upsurge in hormones.

What are the causes of depression?

There are numerous possible causes of depression. They can range from biological, genetic and chemical to circumstantial causes.

Common causes of depression include:

Family history

You have a greater chance of developing depression if you have a family history of depression or history of another mood disorder.

Early childhood trauma:

Some events affect the way your body reacts to fear and stressful situations and cause you to become prone to depression.

Structure of brain:

There’s a greater risk of depression to grow if the frontal lobe of your brain is less active.

Medical conditions.

Certain medical and psychological conditions may put you at higher risk of developing depression i.e. chronic illness, chronic pain, sleeplessness or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder etc.

Drug use.

A history of consumption of illicit drug or alcohol misuse can affect your risk.

Biological causes of depression:

It is likely that in clinical depression, neurotransmitter function that carry signals from one part of the brain to the next is disrupted. It is also seen that increase or decrease in serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine (i.e. hormones that are regulators of mood) can also cause depression.

What are the risk factors of depression?

Depression is usually observed in 20s or 30s, though it may occur at any age. Women are more affected by depression than men. The factors which increase the risk of developing depression include:

Specific personality traits, such as low self-esteem and being too much dependent, self-critical or pessimistic. Traumatic events, such as suffering from physical or sexual abuse, death of a loved one, a difficult relationship, or financial issues.
Close relatives with a history of depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism or suicide.
History of other physiological or psychological disorders, such as anxiety disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Abuse of alcohol or illicit drugs.
Serious illness, e.g. cancer or heart disease.
Certain medications, such as some high blood pressure medications or sleeping pills etc.

Complications of Depression:

If depression is not treated it results in serious physical and psychological issues that affect every area of your life, examples of complications associated with depression include:

Sudden weight loss or obesity, which might lead to diabetes and heart diseases
Body ache or physical illness
Alcohol or drug addiction
Panic disorder, Anxiety or anti-social behavior
Relationship difficulties and work problems
Social isolation
Suicide attempts
Self-harm

Early childhood trauma:

Some events affect the way your body reacts to fear and stressful situations and cause you to become prone to depression.

Structure of brain:

There’s a greater risk of depression to grow if the frontal lobe of your brain is less active.

Medical conditions.

Certain medical and psychological conditions may put you at higher risk of developing depression i.e. chronic illness, chronic pain, sleeplessness or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder etc.

Drug use.

A history of consumption of illicit drug or alcohol misuse can affect your risk.

Biological causes of depression:

Diagnosis of depression:

Diagnostic evaluation of depression includes a consultation and a physical examination. In some cases, a blood test might be done to make sure the depression is not due to a medical condition like a thyroid issue, heart disease or a vitamin deficiency etc. The assessment will specify the symptoms and discover medical and family history and also the environmental factors to make a diagnosis and a treatment plan according to specific type of depression.

How to prevent Depression?

Following are the strategies that are seen to help prevent depression:

Management of stress, to increase your strength, resilience and to boost your self-esteem.
In times of crisis reaching out to family and friends, to help you go through difficult times.
Considering getting long-term treatment helps to prevent re-occurrence of symptoms.
Seeking treatment at the earliest stage of problem helps to prevent depression from getting worse.
Keeping a track of your triggers and learning to avoid and manage them.
Making some leisure time for yourself.
Regular exercise
Getting plenty of sleep
Maintaining medicinal treatments
Practicing meditation
Spending some time in nature
Practicing gratitude
Keeping your focus on the brighter side

When to seek help for depression?

You should seek medical help for depression if you are facing following symptoms lasting for two weeks or more:

Sleep problems
Loss of appetite
Unexplainable emotional changes
Sudden loss of interest in almost everything
Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
Palpitations (irregular heart beat)
Suicidal thoughts
If you are not feeling like yourself and want help to understand, make an appointment to visit your health care provider. It is very important to be honest so they can completely understand what is wrong and get a clear understanding of what you are feeling and they may decide the appropriate type of treatment for you

Treatment of Depression:

Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. 80% to 90% of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment. Almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms. Different approaches like medicinal, therapeutic and natural remedies are used to treat depression.

Medicinal treatment:

Anti-depressants, which include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are commonly used to treat depression.
Anti-anxiety medications: These include drugs, which can help to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Mood stabilizers: When antidepressants don’t work by themselves these drugs may be used to stabilize mood and decrease the emotional instability.
Vitamins: Deficiency of vitamin B-6, vitamin B 12 and vitamin D are seen to increase depression symptom therefore the supplementation of these vitamins is helpful.

Therapeutic treatment of Depression includes:

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT):

It is a medical treatment that is commonly used for patients with major depression who have are not responding to other treatments. It involves a short-term electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anaesthesia.

Psychotherapy:

Speaking with a therapist can help you in learning skills to cope with negative and depressive feelings. You may also benefit from family or group therapy sessions.
Natural remedies for depression Include:
⦁ Exercise
⦁ Stress management
⦁ Meditation
⦁ Use of essential oils like lavender oil and bergamot oil which have anti depressive properties
⦁ Aromatherapy

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April 6 2021

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is a mental health disorder which features a pattern of unwanted obsessions, irrational thoughts and excessive unreasonable urges that lead you to follow repetitive behaviors over and over again. Obsessions include intrusive thoughts that activate intensely distressing urges to do certain things no matter useful or useless. Compulsions are the patterns in which affected individual gets involved to get rid of the obsessions to fulfil and satisfy his/her urge or to decrease the distress.

Overview

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic, common and long lasting disorder in which a person has reoccurring thoughts, although most of us do have obsessions or compulsive behaviors at some point in our lives, but that does not mean that we all have some kind of OCD. OCD was previously categorized as an anxiety disorder for the reason that people affected by this disorder often experience severe anxiety attacks as a result of their obsessive thoughts.
Symptoms of OCD may come and go or ease to some extent over time, or might get even worse. Individuals with OCD may try to comfort themselves by escaping from the situations that activate their obsessions, or they may use drugs or medications to calm themselves. Even though most of the adults with OCD understand that what they are doing doesn’t make any sense, some adults and most youngsters may not understand that their behavior is impractical and a waste of time. Parents or teachers usually get familiar with OCD symptoms in children over time.

Medically reviewed by

Theresa DeSantis, Ph.D. – Director

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What are the symptoms of OCD?

Symptoms of OCD usually appear slowly and can be long-lasting if not treated. Symptoms tend to come and go over time and range from mild to severe. You may have a feeling that something bad will happen if you do not do a specific task, for instance checking again and again to see if the door is closed or not. However the symptoms can interfere with all aspects of life, such as school, work and personal relationships, so far Anxiety is the most common symptom of OCD. In OCD, symptoms are divided into two separate categories, given as follows:

Symptoms of obsession:

Obsessions are unwanted thoughts or ideas that won’t go away, they get in the way of your normal thoughts and cause anxiety or fear, the symptoms include:
⦁ Aggressive thoughts towards oneself or others.
⦁ Fear of contamination or germs.
⦁ An urge to have everything arranged in a certain order.
⦁ Urge to bring perfection in every matter.

Symptoms of compulsion:

Compulsions are behaviors/tasks that have to be done over and over again in response to obsessive thoughts to relieve anxiety and to satisfy your inner self. Symptoms include:
⦁ Washing hands or stuff repeatedly in order to get rid of germs.
⦁ Organizing things in a precise way.
⦁ Counting stuff again and again to make sure about accuracy.
⦁ Compulsive counting.
⦁ Repeating things.

Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder-3-1024x683

What are the causes of OCD?

The exact causes of OCD are yet not known, but there are some factors given below, which are thought to play a role in developing OCD:

Chemical factors in brain

A theory suggests that OCD comes from a disruption of transmitters in the brain that filters the thoughts and impulses. Consequently, you may experience obsessions and compulsions.

Family history

You can be at greater risk of developing OCD if there is a family history of this disorder. Researches have shown that if you, your parent, or a sibling has OCD, there is a 25% tendency that another immediate family member will also be having it.

Genetics

Even though a single gene of OCD has not been identified, OCD may be related to specific groups of genes.

Pressure and stress

Tension from relationship difficulties, financial issues, problems at school, work, illness, or childbirth and such traumas in life can trigger symptoms of OCD.

What are the types of OCD?

There are a lot of types of OCD, it can have influence on any thought or any subject, common types include:

⦁ Checking

It involves the constant need to check the stuff in order to avoid damage and major hazards e.g. checking whether the door has been locked, or the stove have been turned off or not.

⦁ Mental Contamination

Mental contamination can be triggered when you feel yourself being badly treated either physically or mentally by criticism or abusive behavior.

⦁ Hoarding

It is the inability to dispose of useless or worn out assets/goods.

⦁ Ruminations

It is in fact a series of persistent thinking about a query or theme that is purposeless and fruitless

⦁ Intrusive Thoughts

Obsessional, disturbing and repetitive thoughts that are horrific in nature for example, thoughts of causing violence or harm to loved ones which don’t involve specific direct compulsions.

⦁ Symmetry and Orderliness

The obsessive fear of symmetry and orderliness includes the assurance that everything feels just right to prevent discomfort. Compulsion includes the need to have everything organized in an organized/symmetrical manner

⦁ Contamination

It includes he fear of being dirty and urge to clean the hands or stuff again and again.

What are the risk factors of OCD?

Risk factors of OCD include:

⦁ Age

OCD usually tends to develop in late adolescence or early adulthood.

⦁ Genetic factors:

Genes also play a role in the development of OCD. A person having OCD has a 25% chance of having a blood relative who has OCD.

⦁ Presence of other psychological conditions:

OCD is often seen to occur in people who have other anxiety disorders, a psychological trauma and depression, etc.

⦁ Stress

OCD often occurs during stress from major life changes, such as the death of a loved one, relationship difficulties, divorce or abuse etc.

⦁ Pregnancy and postpartum period:

OCD symptoms may worsen during and immediately after pregnancy, fluctuating hormones can trigger symptoms of OCD.

Complications of OCD:

Problems and complications that are the result of OCD can include one or a combination of the results below:
⦁ Loved ones may find it difficult to deal with individual having OCD.
⦁ Anxiety and stress
⦁ Suicidal behavior or thoughts.
⦁ Dermatitis from continual hand washing and other health issues like weakened immunity.
⦁ Unsatisfied life.
⦁ Excessive time spent engaging in impractical behaviors.
⦁ Difficulty in attending work or social activities.
⦁ If left untreated, OCD can lead to other severe mental health conditions, such as anxiety and panic attacks, and depression.

Issues occurring with OCD:

Some of the common mental health issues that are seen to occur with OCD include the following:
⦁ Social anxiety disorder
⦁ Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
⦁ Eating disorders
⦁ Major depressive disorder
⦁ Tourette syndrome

How is OCD diagnosed?

A diagnosis of OCD needs the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that are time-consuming and causing significant suffering, and impairment in work or social functioning. Several brain imaging tests like MRI are also performed to diagnose OCD.

How to prevent OCD?

OCD might tend to be difficult to prevent but here are some ways given below to cope with it:
⦁ Practicing relaxation techniques to overcome anxiety helps.
⦁ To overcome the unnecessary fears expose yourself to things causing anxiousness, little by little enough to win against it.
⦁ Learn to accept changes.
⦁ Try to maintain daily schedules.
⦁ Sleep on time.
⦁ Eating healthy food maintains the feeling of satisfaction and good levels of Hemoglobin which help to control anxiety.

How to treat OCD?

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can be treated. Although the treatment is not always long lasting and permanent, sometimes it again requires treatment sessions or long term medications. The treatment recommended will depend on how much it’s affecting your life and the severity of disorder. Following are the types of treatments recommended for OCD:
⦁ Psychological therapy: It helps you face your fears and obsessive thoughts without putting them right with compulsions. Two main types of psychological therapy for OCD are cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy.

⦁ Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT gives you tools to think, act, and react to your unhealthy thoughts and habits. The goal is to replace negative thoughts with productive ones.

⦁ Exposure and response prevention (ERP): In ERP patient will be exposed to the things that trigger your ⦁ anxiety, a little at a time. You’ll learn new ways to respond to them in place of your repetitive rituals.

⦁ Medication: Antidepressants are often the first medications to treat anxiety related to OCD. Your doctor may prescribe clomipramine (Anafranil), fluvoxamine (Luvox) and fluoxetine (Prozac) etc.
There are some other treatment options, for the patients who are not responsive to treatments mentioned above:
⦁ Deep brain stimulation (DBS).
⦁ Intensive outpatient and residential treatment programs.
⦁ Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

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March 31 2021

A Guide to Anxiety and Anxiety disorders

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A Guide to Anxiety and Anxiety
disorders

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by the feelings of panic, nervousness, tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like sweating and increase in blood pressure. It might cause you to feel tense and restless, and have a faster heartbeat. It can be a common reaction to stress. Anxiety is an emotional reaction to an immediate danger and is more related to a fight or flight reaction .It refers to anticipation of a concern about future and is more linked with the avoidance behavior and muscle tension.

Overview

Episodic anxiety is a part of life. Anxiety disorders often involve repeated periods of unexpected feelings of intense fear, anxiety or panic that reaches a highest level within minutes can be also referred as panic attack. Though, people with anxiety disorders habitually have intense, persistent and excessive fear about routine situations. Anxiety can be helpful in some situations. It can alert you to hazards and helps you to get ready for panicking situation and pay attention.
The feelings of panic and anxiety affect daily life and are challenging to control. You may ignore specific situations or places to escape from these feelings. Signs of anxiety might begin to appear during the childhood or teenage and persist during adulthood.

Medically reviewed by

Theresa DeSantis, Ph.D. – Director

Our Latest Blogs

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What are the types of anxiety?

There are many types of anxiety disorders based on the circumstances, some of the major types of anxiety include the following:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder:

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by continuous and extreme level of worry that affects your daily activities. This constant worry and stress may be associated with physical symptoms, like fatigue, restlessness, concentration difficulty, muscle stiffness or sleeping problems. Usually the worries emphasize on everyday things such as job related stuff, family matters and chores etc.

Panic disorder:

It involves recurrent periods of impulsive feelings of extreme anxiety and fear that reach a peak within minutes. During an attack several of the symptoms that occur in combination include Palpitations (i.e. irregular heart rhythms), trembling of limbs, faintness, sweating and shortness of breath etc. Panic disorder involves a combination of both physical and mental distress.

Selective mutism:

It is a constant failure to speak in specific situations, such as work or school, even when you can speak in other situations where you feel yourself to be at ease, such as at home and with close family members. This can interfere with social functioning and is usually observed to occur from early childhood.

Separation anxiety disorder:

Separation anxiety disorder is characterized by the state of being in an excessively fearful or anxious situation about separation from those with whom you are attached. Symptoms of separation anxiety often develop in childhood, but persist though adulthood, symptoms include nightmares of being abandoned, or being left behind from the crowd.

Phobias:

A phobia is an excessive and undying fear of a specific situation, activity or object that is usually not dangerous. You might be aware of the fact that your fear is unnecessary, but are not able to control it. Examples include hydrophobia (fear of water), metathesiophobia (fear of change) and heamophobia (fear of blood) etc.

Agoraphobia:

It is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel stuck, abandoned or ashamed. Examples include the fear of using public transportation, being in enclosed places and fear of being in highly crowded areas etc.

Social anxiety disorder:

It is commonly known as social phobia and involves high levels of fear, anxiety and escaping of from social gatherings due to feelings of humiliation, self-consciousness and concern about being judged or perceived negatively by others.

What are the causes of anxiety?

The intrinsic causes of anxiety disorders aren’t fully understood yet. Life experiences such as stressful events seem to cause anxiety disorders in people who are already predisposed to anxiety. Hereditary characters also can be a cause.
Factors such as, environmental conditions, family environment, brain biology and chemistry, stress and your environment are also observed to play a major role. Commonly seen examples are:
⦁ Stress at school
⦁ Stress at work
⦁ Natural disasters
⦁ Financial issues
⦁ Emotional trauma e.g. death of a loved one
⦁ Stress from a medical issue
⦁ Relationship issues
⦁ Side effect of medicines
⦁ Drug addiction
⦁ Family problems etc.

What are symptoms of Anxiety?

The different types of anxiety disorders can have different symptom, yet they all have a combination of the following symptoms:
Physical symptoms:
⦁ Restlessness
⦁ Higher breathing rate
⦁ Higher heart rate
⦁ Fatigue
⦁ Sleep disturbance
⦁ Trembling of limbs
⦁ Stomach problems
⦁ Sweating
Psychological symptoms:
⦁ Poor concentration
⦁ Noise sensitivity
⦁ Depersonalization
⦁ Obsession
⦁ Irritability
⦁ Inability to control anxious thoughts
⦁ Nervousness
⦁ Avoidance behavior for the triggers of stress
⦁ Intuition of danger

social-work-practice-with-asylum-seekers

What are the Risk Factors of Anxiety?

⦁ Suffering from a trauma: Kids who suffered trauma or watched traumatic occasions are at higher risk of getting an anxiety disorder. Likewise adults who go through a traumatic event can develop anxiety disorders too.
⦁ Stress due to health issues: Having a serious illness can lead to stress about the concerns related to your treatment and your future.
⦁ Stressful events: A big stressful event or a buildup of smaller stressful situations of life may generate excessive anxiety.
⦁ Personality type. People with certain personality types e.g. introverts are more susceptible to get anxiety issues.
⦁ Mental health issues. People with mental health issues, like depression, often also have anxiety disorder.
⦁ Family history. Anxiety disorders do run in families, if a parent or a close relative has anxiety disorder you are more prone to develop the condition.
⦁ Use of illicit Drugs: misuse of drugs or alcohol or the withdrawal can aggravate anxiety.

What are the complications of anxiety?

⦁ Chronic stress
⦁ Depression
⦁ Drug abuse
⦁ Social isolation
⦁ Negative behaviors
⦁ Overthinking
⦁ Decreased performance at work
⦁ Suicidal tendency
What are the conditions related to Anxiety?
Conditions related to anxiety disorder include some other psychological disorders and obsessions like:
⦁ Acute traumatic stress disorder
⦁ Posttraumatic stress disorder
⦁ Obsessive compulsive disorder
⦁ Adjustment disorder
⦁ Decision making difficulties
⦁ Confusion

Medicines:

There are different type of medicines to treat anxiety disorders which include anti-anxiety medicines and certain antidepressants i.e. selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are generally considered first-line therapy for anxiety, Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are also used to treat anxiety, other medicines such as beta blockers are used to treat hypertension related to anxiety some other medicines are also used accordingly.

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March 31 2021

Facts to be known about Addiction:

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Facts to be known about Addiction:

Factors

Types of addiction

Addiction Effects

Signs of addiction

Prevent addiction

In simple words addiction / addictive disorder is defined as a persistent, repetitive behavioral disorder characterized by obsessive seeking of drugs and non-stop use of stuff no matter how harmful the consequences might be and it causes long term changes in the brain. It is considered as both a psychological illness and a combination of brain disorders. There are many examples of addiction e.g. addiction of mobile use, nail biting etc.

Overview:

Addiction is a biopsychosocial condition regarded as repetitive engagement in a behavior such as lying, stealing and gambling etc. regardless of damage it produces to one’s own self and others. It is the changing of reality to make it more bearable. Addiction is a primary disease, which has an emotional impact on the brain, made up of a collection of signs and symptoms. Precisely, it influences the area of the brain that deals with reward, motivation and memory. Addiction changes the way in which body responds to a stimulus or reward. Also, it includes an obsessive habit to strive for those rewards. The origin of the addiction is due to Social, Biological, Psychosocial and Genetic factors. Researches have shown that there are neurochemical changes involved in the brains of people with addictive behaviors and biogenetic tendency also is also present to give rise to the disease. However addiction is a curable disease and the treatment is possible. Two of the most common types of addictions involve the mobile phone addiction and coffee addiction which both include the over consumption of both dangerously above the recommended level

Medically reviewed by

Theresa DeSantis, Ph.D. – Director

Our Latest Blogs

What is Depression?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

All You Should Know About Acute Traumatic Stress Disorder

A Guide to Anxiety and Anxiety disorders

What are the factors that are leading you towards addictive behaviors?

You know you are addicted when you find yourself unable to follow a habit which involves repetitive behavior. There are many causes of addictive behaviors, you might be affected by several of them at the same time and some of the causative factors of addiction are given below:
⦁ Relief of stress
⦁ To relax
⦁ Family history of addiction
⦁ Early use of drugs
⦁ Anger
⦁ To relieve pain
⦁ Curiosity
⦁ Increased energy
⦁ Neglect, abuse or other traumatic experiences in childhood
⦁ Pressure from peers
⦁ Rejection
⦁ Mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety
⦁ To escape the reality
⦁ For sake of recreation / pleasure
⦁ To boost the self-esteem

The 5 c’s of Addiction:
⦁ Cravings
⦁ Chronic
⦁ Compulsion
⦁ Loss of control
⦁ Use (of substance) despite of its negative consequences

What are the different types of addiction?

There are different kinds of addictions you might struggle with in your life. These different types of addictions are often categorized as either drug addictions, behavioral addictions or substance addictions.
Behavioral addictions: It is the obsessive nature of the conduct that is often suggestive of a behavioral addiction, or process addiction. Behavioral addictions at times come out suddenly and when it is least predictable.
⦁ Gambling addiction
⦁ Food addiction
⦁ Shopping addiction
⦁ Exercise addiction
⦁ Gaming addiction
⦁ Sex and love addiction
⦁ Porn addiction
⦁ Social media addiction
⦁ Habit of doing something useless / insane repetitively e.g. nail biting, making paper balls, smelling other persons, playing with hair and chewing bubble gums all the time.

Substance addiction:

Substance addiction usually includes utilization of a substance for sake of satisfaction, it usually includes the involvement of following types of substances:
⦁ Recreational drugs addiction, which involves Drug abuse i.e. intake of Hallucinogens, Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, Amphetamines and inhalants using these drugs reduces the level of stress for the time being, by making you feel light and euphoric.
⦁ Prescription drug addiction which is referred as using a prescription medication in a manner other than that your doctor has prescribed, i.e. using over the counter drugs such as multi vitamins and pain killers for no serious reason.
⦁ Alcohol addiction
⦁ Use of different substances for physical and sexual pleasure.

What are the effects of addiction?

Addictions can have different types of affects that might be categorized as pleasing effects such as satisfaction, pleasure and stress reduction etc. and negative effects of addiction involve distressing you, your family, and the society in specific, measurable ways involving financial burden, loss of productivity, waste of time, impairment in physical and mental health and reduced quality of life. Specific effects of drug addiction include increased crime, increased violence, nausea, reduced appetite, confusion, obsession, abuse and neglect of children, sleep issues, anxiety, dependence on non-familial support systems for survival and expenses for treatment.

What are the common signs of addiction?

These signs are further classified into 4 categories given as follows:
Behavior changes:
⦁ Lying
⦁ Relationship issues
⦁ Sleep disturbances
⦁ Decline in work performance
⦁ Abusive behavior
⦁ Criminal record

Psychological symptoms:
⦁ Depression
⦁ Anxiety
⦁ Irritability
⦁ Tantrums
Intellectual changes:
⦁ Hallucinations
⦁ Obsessions
Bodily symptoms:
⦁ Weight loss
⦁ Weight gain
⦁ Migraines
⦁ Body aches

Are you among the stake holders of addiction?

Risk factors of Addiction involve the aspects which can foretell your chances of getting addict in future some of the common factors are:
⦁ Family history of addiction:
40-60% of addicts have a family history of addiction, genetics play a major role in addictive behaviors.
⦁ Family Life:
If a child gets to see poor family environment, negligence and traumatic behaviours during childhood it increases their chances to become an addict.
⦁ School life and friends:
Friendships and company during early teenage can impact on your addiction risk.
⦁ Early consumption of Drugs:
The earlier you take a mood-altering substance, the more likely it becomes that you will develop a disorder of substance abuse addiction.
⦁ Metabolism:
The manner in which you absorb and process compounds can determine the impact a drug will have on your body and the sensation it causes.
⦁ Pressure:
High levels of stress may increase your risk of turning to a substance, such as alcohol or marijuana addict to reduce stress.
⦁ The mode of delivery:
The way in which you take a drug can impact the development of your addiction. E.g. injecting substances and smoking means that the brain receives their influence in a matter of seconds.
⦁ The nature of addictive substance:
Some drugs, such as nicotine or heroin contain particular components or set off receptors in your body that can trigger your addictive responses sometimes only by having a single dose

How to identify your addictive behaviors:

Sudden changes in your behavior can be indicative of addiction, some of the common behavioral changes are
⦁ Poor work performance
⦁ Secretive behaviors
⦁ Impulsive behavior
⦁ Lying
⦁ Aggression
⦁ Procrastination
⦁ Obsession
⦁ Unexplained anxiety
⦁ Lack of motivation

When to seek help:

We all have addictions but it is not always worrisome if your addiction is not dangerous in nature and is under control but if your addiction is out of control or causing serious problems you should get help. The sooner you look for help, the better are your chances for a long lasting recovery. Talk to your health care specialist or visit a psychologist if:
⦁ You can’t stop using a drug.
⦁ You continue to practice addictive behavior despite of the harm it causes.
⦁ Your addiction has led to an unsafe behavior, such as using needles or having unprotected sex.
⦁ You are having withdrawal symptoms after stopping the consumption of drug.
⦁ You are getting overdosed
⦁ You have trouble breathing
⦁ You are having seizures
⦁ You have concentration issues
⦁ You have physiological ailments i.e. possible signs of heart or liver disease or any other emergency situation caused as a reaction to your addiction.

How can you prevent addiction?

Addictive behavior can be prevented by
⦁ Awareness of harmful effects of addictive behaviors
⦁ Strengthened support systems
⦁ Psychological counselling
⦁ Practicing self-care
⦁ Staying close to family and friends
⦁ Consuming time in positive activities
⦁ Learning about healthy comping skills
Treatment of addiction:
Addiction is a complex but curable issue that influences the brain function and behavior. No specific treatment is effective for everyone some of the
⦁ Behavioral / Psychological counselling.
⦁ Medical devices to treat the symptoms of drug withdrawal.
⦁ Treatment and assessment for psychological issues arising at the same time such as anxiety and depression.
⦁ Long-term continuation of treatment to prevent re-occurrence.
⦁ Detoxification
⦁ Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy it can support you to understand your negative thoughts and provide you means to win against the feelings of self-harm.
⦁ Contingency Management (CM) this therapy supports your positive conduct by offering rewards

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