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GLOSSARY AND FAQs
What is Addiction?
Addiction or Addictions are defined as the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity. With words like dependence, craving, habit, and fixation as similar words we can see how addiction does not only apply to severe drug or alcohol abuse. People are addicted to many other things as well. In fact, many people have sugar addiction, food addiction, and shopping addiction. There are also many habits that people become dependent on and have a difficult time functioning without like people-pleasing, overloading their calendar, work, the gym and so much more. The bottom line is what truly warrants investigating is the level of severity, how negatively is the addiction, habit, or activity impacting the person’s life.
Is dependency the same as addiction?
When people talk about addiction, they are usually referring to the harmful behavior associated with substance abuse. Dependence refers to the physical symptoms of withdrawal and tolerance.
What is Behavior Addiction?
Behavior Addiction such as internet addiction, shopping addiction, people pleasing or codependency is similar to drug addiction except that in the former, the individual is not addicted to a substance but the behavior or the feeling brought about by the relevant action. In addition, the physical signs of drug addiction, are absent in behavioral addiction. Behaviorally addicted individuals have certain symptoms and will undergo the same consequences brought about by addiction to alcohol and drugs as well as other obsessive behaviors.
Which of the following is an example of a process addiction? (hint… all of them)
Common process addictions include shopping, gambling, sexual activity, pornography, eating disorders, internet use, exercise, and work.
What is Food Addiction?
What is considered a food addiction? Some people use the term food addiction to talk about a compulsive or uncontrollable urge to eat food that does not relate to feelings of hunger. This behavior may occur in response to an emotion, such as stress, sadness, or anger. Other times it is more of a habitual need for one or more specific types of food, such as sugar, white carbohydrates, process packaged food items, caffeine, carbonation, etc. that without, the person experiences withdrawal or withdrawal type symptoms.
What is the main cause of Food Addiction?
Consuming “highly palatable” foods, or foods that are high in carbohydrates, fat, salt, sugar, or artificial sweeteners, triggers the pleasure centers of the brain and releases “feel-good” chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin.
Why do I love food too much?
Some people who overeat have a clinical disorder called binge eating disorder (BED). People with BED compulsively eat large amounts of food in a short amount of time and feel guilt or shame afterward. And they do this often: at least once a week over a period of at least 3 months.
What is Process Addiction?
Process addiction, also called behavioral addiction, is characterized by an overwhelming impulse to engage in a certain behavior despite negative consequences. While involved in the behavior, the individual experiences an elevated mood often followed by a sense of shame or guilt once the behavior ends. Common process addictions include shopping, gambling, sexual activity, pornography, eating disorders, internet use, exercise, and work. Process addictions harm the individual’s physical and emotional health, damage interpersonal relationships, and may cause legal or financial problems.
What is a Recovery Coach?
A Recovery Coach is a trained professional that promotes recovery and serves as a guide for individuals, families and communities to identify and remove barriers to recovery. Who a Recovery Coach is and what his/her roles are varies from individual to individual. Here are some common ideas regarding a
Recovery Coach:
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Recovery coaches are not therapists, Peer Recovery Mentors or Peer Support Specialists.
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They do not provide clinical help; rather, they help the person engage with treatment, and also help with various skills needed for recovery.
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Recovery coaches are professionals who should be paid for their work.
What is Shopping Addiction called?
Oniomania (compulsive shopping, or what's more commonly referred to as shopping addiction) is perhaps the most socially acceptable addiction.
Is compulsive shopping a mental disorder?
Compulsive buying behavior (CBB), otherwise known as shopping addiction, pathological buying or compulsive buying disorder, is a mental health condition characterized by the persistent, excessive, impulsive, and uncontrollable purchase of products in spite of severe psychological, social, occupational, financial consequences.
What does being Sober Curious mean? What Is Sober Curiosity?
Unlike sobriety, which is often a lifestyle chosen as a result of alcoholism or alcohol use disorder, sober curiosity is often defined as having the option to choose, to question, or to change your drinking habits for health-focused reasons (mental and/or physical). Part of living a sober life is establishing healthy boundaries and understanding the negative or positive impact of the people and things you choose to surround yourself with. As you continue to live a sober life, setting these boundaries will become more natural and you will reap the benefits daily. Sober conscious have the capacity or desire to purposefully not become intoxicated. When sober curious, you have chosen to avoid alcohol for personal or wellness reasons. It involves curiosity about the reasons fueling your desire to drink and the way alcohol affects your life.
What does it mean to live a sober lifestyle?
I say this is your life too! It gets to look, feel, be however you want it to. You get to choose. Living a sober life after going through addiction gives you a new perspective on life. This is because it allows you to see the world through new eyes after being clouded by alcohol and drugs for so long. Recovering from addiction also teaches you about yourself.
Tricia has helped me come such a long way from where I was 6 months ago. She's helped me turn my life around by learning coping skills, cognitive thinking skills, and how to balance my life out properly. I appreciate everything she's done for me and all the progress that she's helped me make as well as the accomplishments I've earned through working with her.
~Grace Collins