What Is Addiction?

Addiction is a complex illness, which is born of the mixture of genetic and environmental factors that influence the human being. There is not a single, identifiable personality trait that is responsible for the development of addiction. Addiction does not discriminate between age, sex, race, religion, social class or sexual orientation. People from all walks in life can become addicted to something at a certain point in their lives or be born this way.

Addiction has a progressive pattern and it becomes chronic after a while. The repetitive pattern of substance misuse over a period of years makes it difficult to start using one's will power alone. Many people assume that management and stopping of substance misuse requires only will power and regard addicts as people, who might be weak. What is not always understood is the complexity of addiction, which is manifested in a physical, mental and emotional dependence on various substances. Addicts often try to stop a particular substance, believing that they have a problem with it, only to find themselves dependant on another substance.

This is why, at Pathways House, we identify the underlying, personal issues that might lead a client to having an addictive behaviour. Then by providing the suitable therapy, we assist the clients in overcoming their addictive behaviours.

Myth: You have to be abusing a substance every day in order to be an addict or an alcoholic
Fact: Many addicts/alcoholics go through phases of bingeing and abstaining from their primary substance, no matter how long they have been using it.