Addictive personalities refer to a person whose personality tends toward addiction. Several medical doctors oppose that idea. It can be tempting to attribute addiction to personality, to understand how the person is feeling about them.
However, it has its advantages. Often addiction can cause people to blame them personally or be part of who they really are in some way. However, there’s a real possibility that anyone will develop a true trusted source addiction. Addictions are also treated. Some characteristics, however, have higher association to addiction.
The Myth of the Generic Addictive Personality
Fiction focuses around one particular, addictive character’s personality. Many researchers are still skeptical that a single personality that has a tendency to be addicted could be a generic personality.
Scientific American has compiled a report confirming and demonstrating the existence of different personality types that lead to addiction. Many people have been shown to be addicted to alcohol or drugs because they seem similar in nature. Despite the various characteristics a substance abuse disorder has, it is not all that common for people to get addicted.
Being Unable to Self-regulate
All three traits share the inability to regulate behavior, thoughts, and emotions, which may have enabled the ability to reduce or eliminate the use of alcohol.
The findings of research by the University of Rochester Medical Center suggest that a lack of control in the anticipation of receiving a reward could contribute to addictive behaviours.The researchers found this study helpful.
But it doesn’t end the whole situation. People with such a strong belief in reward experience less pleasure when they receive rewards, as many people do not.
Obsessive compulsive behavior
Often addictions have something to do with lack of impulse control, and this isn’t just inability to resist an impulse. Those who are not flexible about their impulse management can even use drugs to manifest an obsessive-compulsive pattern. In reality addiction often becomes a compulsion for using substances because they are built from an old habit rather than from one specific desire. People with heightened attention and habitually active behavior can also develop addiction as they cannot stop impulsively.
Purported Addictive Personality traits
However definitions of addiction personality vary and sometimes use the phrase addictive personality to mean individuals who have certain personality traits have a higher likelihood for relapse. This expression indicates people with this personality type are also inclined to engage into repeat enjoyable actions rather than doing other important tasks. People who use such activities are likely to become addicted to food and alcohol. Although the label itself is damaging the label should not have any effect.
Traits of People with High Risk of Developing Addiction
There is, however, a tendency among individuals to become addicted to psychoactive substances and to not only moderate behaviour around these drugs. The highest addiction risk is found among people that have the characteristics described above. Genetic makeup can cause an individual to develop addiction. In fact, it’s possible for a family member struggling with an addictive condition or for someone to get addicted to alcohol to a particular drug if it has an addictive nature.
Disconnected, Cautious traits
Scientific American said that the bold risk taking type with substance abuse has a tendency toward being more masculine. Some shy individuals who have difficulty in social life can also develop addiction. This person type is often women. People with such personality traits may have trouble controlling symptoms of loneliness or disconnection or depression by drinking alcohol to calm them.
Experience other mental health problems
Another health attribute which may correlate with a heightened risk for addiction is preexisting mental health conditions. People who suffer from various mental disorders have a heightened risk of dependency or abuse. Among the many other conditions described in brain facts are schizophrenia and nicotine addiction. Moreover, nicotine may temporarily decrease the onset of schizophrenia.
Tell me the definition of an addictive personality?
An addictive personality is a hypothetical personality trait that might increase an individual’s vulnerability to addictions. Despite being widely known this term itself is very controversial, and there are few evidences for the existence of addiction. Several personality traits were linked to various addictive behaviors. It should be noted though that the underlying causes are many
Adventurous, risk-taking traits
Many traits are more susceptible to addiction. People who are willing to take risks are more likely to attempt drugs. This can be due partly to the individual’s levels of dopamine. Dopamine may reduce brain activity if people have higher levels or have more intense experience to experience its benefits.
Impact of the Addictive Personality Concept
The critics have suggested that addiction personality may contribute to the mental stigma. The problem was the way it reduced the complex issue from the simple explanation. Critics of the concept of the addictive personality also suggest that it:1.
Addictive behavior vs. Addictive traits
Instead of focusing upon personality traits in evaluating relapse risk, it may help to assess behavior. Having an unhealthy lifestyle could make it harder to maintain good habits or behaviors.
Researchers do understand that a number of non-personnal factors contribute in some ways to increasing risk for addictions. This includes.
Addiction Treatment
Experiencing other mental health disorders Adventurous and risk-taking Disconnected and cautious Obsessive and compulsive Apathetic Unable to self-regulate A more thorough discussion of each of these traits is explored below. Facilities that specialize in addiction treatment Click on a pin to learn more information on a specific facility location.
These are highly addictive substances, and even after a short time, the body can become dependent on them. Around 1.6 million people Trusted Source in the United States have opioid use disorder. Stress or trauma: Psychological trauma is a mental wound that can occur as a result of any severely stressful event.
Alcohol Abuse
Suggested Resources What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families Created for family members of people with alcohol abuse or drug abuse problems. Answers questions about substance abuse, its symptoms, different types of treatment, and recovery. Addresses concerns of children of parents with substance use/abuse problems.
A person with an underlying genetic vulnerability is exposed to an environment that brings on the illness. In the case of drug and alcohol addiction, common environmental factors are stress and, of course, availability of the addictive substances.
Drug Addiction
It Doesn’t Have To Provides information about alcohol and drug addiction to children whose parents or friends’ parents might have substance abuse problems. Advises kids to take care of themselves by communicating about the problem and joining support groups such as Alateen.
A study based on social cognitive theories, included a personality-targeted intervention that was shown to help treat substance addiction. It is feasible that by changing certain elements of one’s personality, one can gain a step in the right direction towards changing their addictive personality.
Develop Addictions
Children who ultimately develop addictions tend to be outliers in a number of measurable ways. Yes, some stand out because they are antisocial and callous—but others stand out because they are overly moralistic and sensitive.
People with high neuroticism often respond to challenges or threats with negative emotions, such as anger, sadness, anxiety, and irritability. Research has revealed that people with high neuroticism are more likely to develop a substance use disorder.
