Non-Substance Addictions

Writing this blog means very much to me because some people don't even realize that they have an addiction that may be causing issues in their life.  I am in recovery from alcohol and it seems that drug and alcohol users seem to always be the ones looked at by the people with non-substance addictions. It's just really important to me to help anyone who may need help with any addiction. And everything doesn't always have to deal with drugs or alcohol.

Below I will be listing different subjects that are just as easily addictive as drugs or alcohol. Under each subject, I will post a link for help with that subject.

~ Gambling Disorder / Compulsive gambling, also called gambling disorder, is the uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it takes on your life. Gambling means that you're willing to risk something you value in the hope of getting something of even greater value.Gambling can stimulate the brain's reward system much like drugs or alcohol can, leading to addiction. If you have a problem with compulsive gambling, you may continually chase bets that lead to losses, use up savings and create debt. You may hide your behavior and even turn to theft or fraud to support your addiction.Compulsive gambling is a serious condition that can destroy lives. Although treating compulsive gambling can be challenging, many people who struggle with compulsive gambling have found help through professional treatment.
If you're struggling with a gambling addiction or want to find out more information, please click the link below!

~ Food Addiction / The idea that you can be addicted to food has recently gained increasing support. That comes from brain imaging and other studies of the effects of compulsive overeating on pleasure centers in the brain. Experiments in animals and humans show that, for some people, the same reward and pleasure centers of the brain that are triggered by addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin are also activated by food, especially highly palatable foods rich in: Sugar, Fat, and Salt . Like addictive drugs, highly palatable foods trigger feel-good brain chemicals including dopamine. Once you experience pleasure associated with increased dopamine transmission in your brain's reward pathway from eating certain foods, you may quickly feel the need to eat again. Reward signals from highly palatable foods may override your signals of fullness and satisfaction. As a result, you may keep eating, even when you're not hungry. Compulsive overeating is a type of behavioral addiction, meaning that you can become preoccupied with a behavior (such as eating, gambling, or shopping) that triggers intense pleasure. When you have food addiction, you lose control over your eating behavior and spend excessive amounts of time involved with food and overeating, or anticipating the emotional effects of compulsive overeating. You also may develop a kind of tolerance to food. That means that the more you eat, the less you're satisfied. 
If you think you have and addiction to Food, please click the link below!

~ Pornography Addiction /  Porn addiction is, in theory, when you can’t stop looking at porn, even if you want to. The obsession gets to the point that it interferes with work, relationships, and other parts of daily life. It’s easy to understand how this could be a problem given the widespread availability of internet porn today. In 2023, for example, the popular site PornHub reported more than 100 million daily visits. Whether it’s an addiction or not, those who use pornography regularly have intense urges or cravings for sex. They turn to porn when they’re anxious. They also tend to struggle at work and home. Some experts believe there’s a link between heavy use of porn and dissatisfaction with relationships.
Definitions about how much porn is too much vary. But most experts agree that if it gets in the way of your day-to-day activities, you could be watching too much. Worrisome signs include:

• Porn becomes a central part of your life. You stop doing things you really enjoy so that you can see more of it.
• You neglect personal care.
• You lose interest in other activities.
• You become less interested in social encounters.
• It damages your relationships.
• You let go of other responsibilities.
• It affects your job or schoolwork.
• You’re looking at it or watching it in places that aren’t appropriate, such as work or school.
• Your sex life starts to be unfulfilling.
• You have a craving for more.
• You can’t stop looking at or watching porn, even when you try.
• You can’t quit even though you don’t enjoy it as much.
• You’ve been heavily looking at or watching porn for 6 months or more.

If you think you have a porn addiction please click the link below for help

~ Shopping Addiction /  Shopping addiction, otherwise known as compulsive shopping disorder, is a type of behavioral addiction. It is characterized by an irresistible urge to shop and spend money excessively, often resulting in emotional distress and financial problems. As with other behavioral addictions, people with a shopping addiction engage in these self-destructive purchasing behaviors to achieve a ‘high’ or temporary satisfaction and are unable to stop despite adverse consequences. As a result, shopping addiction often has little to do with the purchased items, which the person may or may not have any real need for. Instead, the focus is on the act of the purchase itself. Of course, not all shopping behaviors can be categorized as shopping addiction. For example, there is a clear difference between the occasional splurge and shopping addiction, as the addiction consists of persistent and repetitive behavior and self-destructive behavior.
The signs and symptoms of shopping addiction may vary. Common factors, however, include:

• An uncontrollable urge to shop
• Excessive spending beyond one’s means
• Purchasing items with no purpose or utility
• Feelings of guilt or shame after a shopping spree
• Neglecting other responsibilities in favor of shopping
• Negative personal relationships as a result of shopping behavior
• Financial instability as a result of shopping behavior

In addition to these symptoms, those with a shopping addiction may also suffer with co-occurring mental health disorders such as anxiety, mood disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder or more.

If you think you have a shopping addiction please click the link below.

~ Shoplifting Addiction /  AKA- Kleptomania is a rare condition. It is an impulse-control condition that causes the affected person to be unable to resist stealing objects even if the objects are unneeded. A person with kleptomania does not plan to steal items in advance. He or she often feels great remorse after the anxiety and lots of anxiety before and during. There is a great deal of tension before committing theft and a sense of relief after the theft is complete. However, this relief is often tempered by guilt and regret. Like other mental health disorders, kleptomania may be accompanied by a substance use disorder as a person tries to relieve pre-theft anxiety or post-theft guilt. This isn’t a real solution to any problem and complicates mental health and treatment. Although individuals with kleptomania may not initially be able to control their impulses to steal, they can make the choice to get professional help and change these automatic behaviors. Kleptomania doesn’t have to rule a person’s actions, emotions or life. No matter the reason for shoplifting, it isn’t fun. Even people who experience temporary relief from anxiety or feel “high” after the act find themselves trapped by negative emotions and the need to shoplift again. Neither shoplifting addiction nor kleptomania get better on their own.
If you have a shoplifting addiction please click the link below.

There are also many other forms of non-substance addictions such as Exercising, Dieting, Having Sex, Video Gaming, Using the internet and More.
If you think you have an addiction, you can always click the link below for the Lifeline where they will help you with any addiction.