We never realize that something controls our lives until we start sacrificing what once was important to us in order to feed the addiction inside. What exactly the word “addiction” means and how did it creep into people’s lives. It didn’t do so in a day, that’s for sure, so what can we do to fight the bad habit and what are common causes of compulsive addictions these days?
Addiction? It Could Never Happen to Me
First things first, let’s get it straight, the problem of addiction looms large in the commercialized society of today. There’s always something sitting around the corner that can trigger an automated response in one’s mind. Naturally, the question arises, how did we get to this point?
Well, partially it has to do with human nature and mainly, a hefty portion of advanced level advertisement channeled through all known media. Literally, the media survives on advertising. In present days obesity kills millions a year, still, nine times out of ten people opt to eat fast food to satisfy our hunger pangs because of the flashy ad with a catchy tune.
We all know that people nowadays live by what they see, and a lot of information is constantly being fed through their visual faculties. Obviously, we can’t live with our eyes shut, but we are to find a happy middle ground between seeing and believing.
How Addictions Destroy Our Lives
The high-paced result-driven white-collar society of today is spinning around like a crazy merry-go-round and everyone who doesn’t have the necessary mental fortitude is being tossed out. Some people resort to substances like alcohol, tobacco, or even drugs and hallucinogens to keep them in the game. All those are meant to deliver an instant dopamine shot to the brain and give you immediate satisfaction in an otherwise greyish life. But don’t be fooled, it’s a give and take and what you’re ultimately losing is your health. On the other hand, there’s a more ominous side of it. These days you can’t step into a bar that doesn’t offer hookah or watch an R&B music video without being ostentatiously reminded that successful people smoke marijuana. And so, the young, impressionable minds are lead into trending without even knowing it.
However, trending comes in all shapes and sizes. It could be playing the cool game that just came out because everyone does or senselessly splashing on things you don’t need only to satisfy an inner urge or a misinterpreted social construct. In the more extreme of cases, people even get addicted to pain, like in some of the obscure practices that involve piercing or cutting the body.
All of these symptoms betray an inner need to express ourselves so as cliché as it may sound – just be yourself and stay true to your own principles.
Gambling
We have a dedicated department to help those with a gambling addiction, particularly within the female population. Women are becoming heavily addicted to gambling thanks to the growing popularity of the best bingo sites in UK and Europe. We (PHFHP) are able to help with gambling addiction thanks to support from our casino friends from bestcasino.org.
Legal substances
Products such as nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, food and medicinal products are exempt from the UK Psychoactive Substances Act. Whilst We are able to support those with addictions to cigarettes, caffeine and food, it is those who abuse alcohol and medicinal products that are at most risk of ending up in prison because of the actions and behaviours whilst under the influence. With the number of problem drinkers rising each year, We offer a programme of action that can halt a decline into alcoholism.
Internet
Internet addiction is generally described as the compulsive use of the internet, which continues even when there are serious negative consequences in terms of personal relationships, the ability to work or to behave appropriately in a social setting. The addiction is such that the individual does not function well in society, but they will deny there is a problem. This description of internet addiction is one that fits any addictive behaviour.
Illegal substances
Our mission is to support addicts so that they do not enter the prison system, which means we understand current law. The UK Psychoactive Substances Act came into effect on the 26 May 2016, and banned new psychoactive substances (NPS). These had previously been sold in shops with labels stating “not for human consumption” to bypass the law. This current legislation makes it an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, import or export (including over the internet) any psychoactive substances.
Family and friends
Someone else’s uncontrolled and uncontrollable addiction can have a severe impact on your relationships with family and friends, turning love to hate, and bringing you to the depths of despair. Addictions also affect finances, can lead to violent outbursts and can make you doubt your own sanity.
Support from PFHP does not only address addictions, but also other psychological issues such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and eating disorders and more. PFHP provides care, guidance and inspiration, customising each of our tested and effective methods into a personalised treatment plan that will work best for each individual, their family and their friends.