An addictive personality can make addiction more likely. Addictions can come in a wide range of forms, including food, drugs, alcohol, gambling, exercise, pornography, shopping, internet and more.
These substance or behaviours can give a ‘high’ or a ‘kick’ if repeated often enough. They turn into pleasurable activities that help the addict cope with stress, pressure, and conflict. Addicts then use substances or activities to deal with the troubles of their daily lives.
In the long term the ‘pleasurable activity’ has become an addiction that impacts negatively on the addict’s lives e.g. losing employment due to alcoholism; type 2 diabetes or obesity due to overeating highly addictive food; financial difficulties through gambling ; broken relationships if indulging in sexual promiscuity, etc.
Impulsive Behaviour
Acting without thinking like overeating or binge eating when you’re on a diet; staying out drinking even when you have to get up early the next day. A person who engages often in this type of behaviour is exhibiting impulsive behaviour
Sensation Seeking
A person is constantly seeking out new experiences – new food, new clothes, new relationships …. as sources of adrenaline rushes. The constant desire for new experiences can lead to more experimentation, abuse and addictions.
Social Alienation
The lack a consistent social group or social connections may lead to loneliness. The person might seek an addictive behaviour to overcome the social isolation.
Compulsive Behaviour
Engaging in activities even when they may result in negative consequences e.g. continue to consume addictive food in large quantities even if overweight or obese; continue gambling even if facing financial difficulties …..
An addictive personality does not mean that you are an addict. However, being aware of these traits and using them in a positive way might help you to live an addiction free-life.
