Addiction Pathways

[OceanSpray]

I know there’s a lot of knowledge about trying to quit one addiction can cause another to rise up in order to fill the hole/role.

But can the opposite happen? Can making progress on one addiction *also* make progress on another?

I’ve gotten rid of social media and porn and somehow that’s translating into also reading, drinking soda and gaming differently.

I’ve always been a huge reader and now it’s changing, still reading often but I’m absorbing it more, enjoying it more, and feeling okay to set it down and wait to pick a book back up the next day or in a few hours. Previously, it was reading a lot but not retaining much and feeling stressed about it, that I’m reading too slow or that I can’t put it down because I don’t know it was just painful.

Gaming- I’ve never been a huge gamer and it was never an addiction on its own. However, in times past when I would try to avoid different things, I’d let myself get sucked in and was worried it would fill the roles I’m changing. But I don’t feel the need, at all. There’s no drive to get on any to begin with.

Soda- this may be more due to the heat and naturally drinking more water but it’s been 35 hours since I’ve had a soda. I know that’s nothing to most people but when I’m stressed I will get up to 4 or so 20 oz bottles in a day. The craving would start as soon as I finished a bottle. But I don’t want it now.


Is this just placebo effect type stuff or is this a legit thing?

 

[Rose White]

Yea I think it’s legit. The addiction pathways are pretty similar so developing strategies for one would likely translate to others. And in order to face one addiction you have to develop presence of mind and coping so you can use those for others.

Well done!

In my recovery I faced multiple addictions and it was not a linear process. The alcohol and weed was the hardest to overcome and those were last after eating disorder and ocd stuff. I guess it’s all related to habits right?

 

[Ecdysis]

I think this is a thing... You might want to look up "dopamine fasting". There's good explanations of it on youtube, for example. Basically any "process addiction" (as opposed to a substance addiction - so for example, compulsive shopping, workaholism, gaming addiction as opposed to alcohol or drugs) works by releasing your brain chemicals like dopamine, giving your brain a "natural high" with your own brain chemistry. In moderation, a "natural high" is a good thing, but when it turns into process addictions like overdoing social media, it develops into unhealthy brain chemistry patterns. By refraining from those behaviour patterns, you're basically doing a dopamine fast, I'd say and allowing your brain to relax into more natural, healthy, adaptive brain chemistry patterns. Oh, and yeah, sugar and carbs is also a way of getting "dopamine hits" and would fit into this overall pattern too.

 

[Friday]

I would suspect it depends on how you are defining addiction.

 

[Ecdysis]

I've been playing a really daft and simple and repetitive computer game for ages now as a way of getting re-regulated. I've been noticing tho, that the regulation effect is too small and so I instinctively use it more... (d'oh!) to try and get an adequate regulation effect happening. A couple of days ago, I decided to delete it from my computer and to use things like meditation and calming techniques instead. It's such a go-to for my brain tho... I notice my hands "automatically" going to click on it anytime my stress level rises... Sigh... I wonder how long it's going to take to kick this habit and whether I'll (hopefully) be successful in kicking it.

 

[arfie]

i share @Friday's wish to define, "addiction." the addiction theory sets have been bounced around long and wide enough that i often feel like i am hearing the word applied to radically different circumstances.

that said. . .

Is this just placebo effect type stuff or is this a legit thing?

healing one infection benefits the entire system. by whatever name, you could well have found your path, or at least an effective symptom management tool. girl, howdy, i would sell my soul for a clear measure on psychic dysfunctions.

 

[OceanSpray]

I would suspect it depends on how you are defining addiction.

I guess I define addiction as something that you feel like you can’t live without so badly you’ll do anything for it even if it’s damaging you and your life in some way.

Maybe by that definition these don’t quite hit? The porn does and I’ve absolutely scraped around for change and chosen to use that for soda instead of gas, so to me that counts.

But the rest, I thought I was more attached to some things than I guess I was?

Editing to add @arfie since this is in reply to them as well.

 

[Rose White]

When I went to 12-step for parents of addicted loved ones they defined addiction like you @OceanSpray . And if I recall correctly, dopamine is involved in all addictions. It’s the neurotransmitters that is released when an animal is in searching mode—in wild animals this would be things like food, sex, fighting, baby animals, resources, etc. The closer the animal gets to its target the more the dopamine pathway is reinforced.

My understanding is that advertising and corporate society capitalize on that drive by linking a commodity/product/service to food, sex, fighting, family, resources, etc. So the dopamine cycle in humans is rapid and continuous, whereas in animals it might be slower and more spread out. Animals can be “bored” for longer periods of time, thought they likely wouldn’t experience it that way.

Did you know you can only be addicted to drugs which trigger or are analogs of transmitters already being used in your brain? So people who seek out risky sports like wing-suit flying, bungee jumping, etc. are enjoying the same rush of adrenaline that is triggered by amphetamines.

Addiction is definitely a problem in modern society on a wide spectrum and people interpret it differently. I think part of the reason for focusing on addictions to schedule 1 drugs as being different is that they are so binary in their consumption and effect—easy to classify.

 

[abovedown]

Could this transference relating to addictions be at least partly due to addiction being a way for the mind to distract itself from painful things? And maybe the object of addiction (alcohol etc) is secondary to what mind is trying to avoid (anxiety, depression, boredom, painful memories and such)

 

[parrotthepolly]

Could this transference relating to addictions be at least partly due to addiction being a way for the mind to distract itself from painful things? And maybe the object of addiction (alcohol etc) is secondary to what mind is trying to avoid (anxiety, depression, boredom, painful memories and such)

I can confirm it is! My eating disorder (only addiction for past year or more) and preoccupation with food is the only thing that takes my mind completely off of memories and stressors. Whether it's looking through recipes, menus, organising and hoarding it, looking at pictures or even thinking about it. Also calculating calories and macros gives me dopamine and calmness. It might be more intense than other addictions cause food is something needed for survival so the brain prioritises it and not something I can completely give up.

 

[K Uniquely.Fab]

I know there’s a lot of knowledge about trying to quit one addiction can cause another to rise up in order to fill the hole/role.

But can the opposite happen? Can making progress on one addiction *also* make progress on another?

I’ve gotten rid of social media and porn and somehow that’s translating into also reading, drinking soda and gaming differently.

I’ve always been a huge reader and now it’s changing, still reading often but I’m absorbing it more, enjoying it more, and feeling okay to set it down and wait to pick a book back up the next day or in a few hours. Previously, it was reading a lot but not retaining much and feeling stressed about it, that I’m reading too slow or that I can’t put it down because I don’t know it was just painful.

Gaming- I’ve never been a huge gamer and it was never an addiction on its own. However, in times past when I would try to avoid different things, I’d let myself get sucked in and was worried it would fill the roles I’m changing. But I don’t feel the need, at all. There’s no drive to get on any to begin with.

Soda- this may be more due to the heat and naturally drinking more water but it’s been 35 hours since I’ve had a soda. I know that’s nothing to most people but when I’m stressed I will get up to 4 or so 20 oz bottles in a day. The craving would start as soon as I finished a bottle. But I don’t want it now.


Is this just placebo effect type stuff or is this a legit thing?

My experience has been the same