Introduction to Addictive Behaviors: Defining Addiction, Its Physiological and Psychological Impacts, and Pathways to Recovery

This podcast episode, hosted by Dr. Donnelly Snipes, serves as an introductory unit to addiction within the context of co-occurring disorders treatment. It begins by defining addiction as the continued use of a substance, person, or activity to escape discomfort, despite experiencing negative consequences. Dr. Snipes emphasizes that addiction is often a "creative solution" to a problem when other coping mechanisms have failed, highlighting the importance of exploring the underlying functions of these behaviors with curiosity rather than judgment. The discussion covers various manifestations of addiction, including substance use (alcohol, tobacco) and behavioral addictions (relationships, gambling, gaming, sex/pornography, food), and stresses the necessity of addressing all forms to prevent "substitute addictions" which can act as relapse traps.

The episode delves into the profound physiological and psychological impacts of addictive behaviors. It explains how addictions, even behavioral ones, disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins, leading to imbalances that affect mood, pain tolerance, energy, motivation, libido, hunger, and sleep. Furthermore, engaging in addictive behaviors activates the HPA axis, the body's stress response system, which contributes to systemic inflammation. This increased inflammation, in turn, negatively impacts sleep quality, mood, and can exacerbate anxiety, anger, and irritability, creating a vicious cycle of discomfort and reliance on the addictive behavior.

Dr. Snipes encourages listeners to engage in self-reflection exercises, prompting them to consider how addictive behaviors have personally impacted their health (immune system, pain tolerance), energy levels, mood, motivation, and cognitive clarity (e.g., foggy head, obsession). These practical insights aim to foster greater self-awareness regarding the pervasive effects of addiction on various aspects of life. The episode underscores the widespread nature of addiction, noting that approximately 70% of people will struggle with some form of addiction, even tobacco, at some point in their lives, making awareness and vigilance crucial.

Finally, the episode concludes with a crucial distinction: recognizing that an individual is a "person with an addiction" rather than being defined solely by their condition. This person-first language sets the stage for recovery, shifting the focus from the problem to the individual's identity and aspirations. It prompts listeners to consider "what kind of person do you want to be" and "what does recovery look like for you," emphasizing that recovery is about rebuilding a desired self beyond the absence of symptoms, fostering a holistic and identity-focused approach to healing.

addiction is the continued use of a substance person or activity to eliminate or escape from discomfort despite experiencing negative consequences from use

addictions are a creative solution to a problem when all else has failed

it's important to explore with curiosity what functions this behavior is now serving for you so you can address them in alternate ways

it is important to address all addictive behaviors in order to prevent substitute addictions

things as seemingly benign as smoking for example can be a relapse trap for a lot of people because when they get stressed instead of coping with that stress they go out and smoke or dip or however they get their nicotine

somewhere along the lines of about 70 percent of people will struggle with addiction even if it's to tobacco will struggle with addiction at some point in their life

addictions even behavioral ones change the balance of neurotransmitters in the body which can impact your mood your pain tolerance your energy your motivation your libido your hunger your sleep and a whole bunch of other things

addiction causes surges of dopamine and surges of endorphins which throw all of the other neurotransmitters out of balance

addictions also contribute to increased inflammation and changes in your immune system

when inflammation goes up sleep quality goes down mood goes down and sometimes anxiety anger and irritability go up

you are a person with an addiction or maybe a mental health issue or physical health issue or all three when you no longer have symptoms of these problems you are still going to be a person

what kind of person do you want to be what does recovery look like for you how are you different now how are you not the person now that you want to be