Addiction ANDREW ETGEN, LAUREN RAICEVICH, CASSANDRA LANDRES, KAYRISHA TAYLOR, AND HAILIE SMITH

“ ” “Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance or engages in activity that can be pleasurable, but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health.” Common thought: When people hear the word addiction they automatically think drugs and alcohol.

The Types Possible addictions:  Sex  Gambling  Shopping  Eating  Working  Drugs  Alcohol  Working out  Internet  Video games

Addiction People may not realize what they are doing is wrong. Due to this:  Family may have functioned this way.  Friends may do the same things as them.  May be the only way for them to get some type of relief.

Addiction Cues: Triggers for the person with the addiction to keep going with the addiction. Example: Alcoholic Triggers:  Walking by a bar.  Seeing people buy drinks.  Seeing people having a good time. Due to these triggers they will want to continue their addiction. What is a Tolerance?  “A biological state in which the body adapts to the presence of a drug so, that drug so longer has the same effect.” Body can only handle so much and this is when overdose comes into play.

Overall Concerns: Health Risks “A risk factor is something which increases the likelihood of developing a condition or disease” (Nordqvist).  Drug Addiction: chance of overdose, which could lead to permanent impairments or death. Also more likely to engage in riskier behaviors.  Food Addiction: at a high risk for becoming overweight or obese. Also at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes due to their high calorie intake per day. Due to obstructed brain function and inability to properly comprehend risks, those individuals with a mental illness such as depression and ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) face a much higher chance of developing an addiction.

Overall Concerns: Genetics Individuals with a close relative that have an addiction of some kind (drug, alcohol, food, sex, etc.) are at a much higher risk of acquiring an addiction themselves.  The most common explanation for this is: Exposure. Important to note that environmental and other external factors outside of the family can have an affect on the likelihood of developing an addiction. These factors can include school environment, job status, peer groups, etc. During pregnancy:  Drug addiction risks  Alcohol dependency risks Fathers can also have an affect because of exposure of the act or substance.

Overall Concerns: Social Interaction Skills Higher risk of experiencing:  Separation from family and friends  Loneliness Some causes could be:  A way to hide their addiction from loved ones.  An act of refusal to face others while indulging in their addiction (drug, alcohol, food, sex, etc.) Individuals who have developed an addiction are likely to lose sufficient social interaction skills due to their dependence on an act or substance.

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Relation to Stress Theory: What is stress? In an addict’s eyes:  The substance keeps them going and feels good whenever they are doing or using it. As a result:  The addict and the addict’s family as well as friends begin to not understand one another. This causes stress, confusion, and denial within the family. “Stress is any pressure or tension in the family system, a disturbance in the steady state of the family” (Boss).

Relation to Stress Theory: What is denial? The problem is NOT the addiction. The problem is:  The underlying cause needs to come to the surface. Once this comes out the addict is then able to slowly break though denial and admit to themselves there is a problem. When the process of breaking through denial begins:  They will then start to gather facts and information about the cause. Through this the individual will then begin to receive the help they need. “Denial is a refusal to believe or accept a physical reality” (Boss).

Relation to Stress Theory: How does it relate? “Boundary ambiguity is understanding who is in and out of the family” (Boss). Two types of Boundary Ambiguity:  Physical presence: determined by the actual bodily presence in the home  Psychological: presence of a physically absent family member in one’s mind, cognitively and emotionally. Addicts are physically presence and psychologically absent from the family.

Relation to Stress Theory: ABC-X Model A (Stressor):  Individual within the family has formed an addiction. B (Resources):  Family members, friends, support systems helping the individual manage. C (Perception):  Unsure how to proceed with helping the addict, confusion, and the addict is distant from the family. X (Stress):  High stress within the family that may move into crisis.

Relationships Relationships: Friendships and Family Intimate:  Limited or No Affection  Sexual control limited; No erection  Addiction making things complicated Family:  Children are abused and often have a lot of covering to do

Relationships Extended Family are stressed and feel shame and humiliation.  Feelings of neglect, lack of affection, physical violence, crime, and traumatization Recovery:  Support from Friends and Family  Counselor

Society Cost  $180.9 Billion on drug abuse  Due to deaths from needle injections from Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS  20.6 Million with addiction over the age of 12 in 2011  100 people die from drug overdose, tripled over 20 years  2.6 million with addictions have dependence on alcohol and illicit drugs  6.8 million people with an addiction and mental illness

Prevention and Intervention Prevention  Helps stop the formation of a addiction before it even begins, or continued use of an addiction before it happens. Intervention  A planned process that typically involves the family, who want to help the person with the addiction to overcome it and see the effects it has on themselves and their family.

Prevention  Understand how the addiction develops- seeing how an addiction starts.  Avoid temptation or peer pressure- stay away from family or friends who may have a certain addiction/ avoid those who try to pressure you into an addiction  Finding Support needed- some may have experienced an emotional distress and without having learned the right coping skills may lead to an addiction  Practice Healthier Living Habits- exercising and eating well help to avoid addictions, results of this helps resist temptation of certain addictions Prevention of disease must become the goal of every physician. -Henry E. Sigerist

Intervention  Forming the intervention team- who all are going to be there for the intervention for the loved one who has an addiction  Decide on consequences- making a decision about what the repercussions will be if the person does not accept treatment  Pre-Plan what to say- all family members will talk about the emotional and financial problems their addiction caused the family  Hold the intervention-the person with the addiction is ask to show up to the intervention site, where family members will voice their concern and feelings

How To Get Help     

References Addictions and Recovery : What is Addiction. (2016). Retrieved March 13, 2016, from Boss, P. (2002). Family Stress Management: A Contextual Approach (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Psychology Today, ( ).Addiction.Retrieved from Nordqvist, C. (2016, January 4). Addiction Risk Factors. Retrieved March 16, 2016, from Tracy, Natasha. Types of Addiction: List of Addictions. Healthy Place America's Mental Health Channel. N.p., 12 Jan Mar Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction. (2016, January). Retrieved March 13, 2016, from