Addiction Counseling in Round Rock, TX—Counselors, Therapists

Addiction can be a devastating illness. It comes in many forms and can destroy work, family, and romantic relationships. If you suffer from addiction, a counselor at Thriveworks Round Rock can help. Our trained clinicians will help you address the complicated world of dependency. Let’s take a closer look at the signs of addiction and its potential negative impacts.

Signs Of Addiction

Specific indicators of addiction largely depend upon the specific type of dependency you exhibit. You can become addicted to a substance or a particular behavior, almost anything that gives you a “rush”. Although drug and alcohol addictions are most commonly known, behavioral addictions such as gambling, internet, video games, and sex happen more often than you probably think. These are the general signs of addiction:

1. Time

Addiction takes up a lot of time. Time that used to be spent doing other activities is now replaced by addictive behavior. For instance, you might spend hours gambling or take time out of your busy day to visit a bar if you are an alcoholic.

2. Can’t Quit

One of the hallmarks of addiction is having difficulty quitting. People who are addicted don’t want to quit doing whatever it is they are doing. They may react with anger and avoidance to anyone who suggests they have a problem.

3. Desire

There is an urge to feed your addiction. This is something that brings you physiological and psychological pleasure. When urges arise, they are difficult to resist and may override any other desires.

4. Interferes With Responsibilities

One of the best indicators that you may have an addiction is when you begin to shirk your responsibilities to take part in addictive behavior. For example, instead of getting needed work done, you watch pornography instead.

5. Tolerance

When you engage in an addictive behavior or substance use you develop a tolerance to it. Tolerance is when you require higher levels of a substance a behavior to experience the same amount of pleasure. For example, in the past you might have gotten drunk off of drinking a six-pack of beer but now you require 12 beers to get the same feeling.

6. Withdrawal

Withdrawal is when you feel physiological and psychological effects of stopping addictive behavior. For example, people with nicotine withdrawal may experience headaches, anxiety, insomnia, and irritability. Withdrawal effects are one reason why stopping addictive behavior is so difficult.

7. Uncharacteristic and Risky Behavior

For people with an addiction, nothing is more important. They will go to great lengths to comply with their urges. It is not uncommon for people to engage in uncharacteristic behavior to maintain their addiction. For example, they may steal to obtain drugs or they may lie to their wife about gambling away the family finances. This can come as quite a shock as it may not be considered a person’s “normal” behavior.

Consequences of Addiction

It is not an understatement to say that addiction ruins lives. Although it has direct consequences on the person suffering from addiction, it also affects family, relationships, and work:

1. Family

Almost any addiction is going to affect the individual’s family. They have to deal with the direct consequences of an addict’s behavior and take up the slack when they stop meeting their responsibilities. For example, a family that formerly relied upon a person’s paycheck may need to find alternate sources of income after addictive behavior leads to job loss.

2. Relationships

Addictive behavior jeopardizes relationships with friends and romantic interests. It is difficult to trust someone whose main allegiance is toward a substance or a behavior. People with dependency issues are usually ashamed of their behavior and will try to keep it secret. Those secrets will eventually surface and cause rifts in relationships. In addition, coping with the ups and downs of addictive behavior can be frustrating and some people will decide it is not worth the effort.

3. Work

Work demands a certain amount of time, effort, and consistency. An addict frequently directs much of their time and effort toward their dependency rather than focus on career. Although someone with an addiction is able to somewhat compartmentalize their problems, they will eventually bleed over to other aspects of their lives. Since work happens almost daily, it is likely to be affected at some point, especially if the addiction goes unchecked for a long period of time.

Brain Changes

When you partake in an addictive behavior or drug, the pleasure centers of your brain are activated. Neurotransmitters (i.e., dopamine) are released making you feel good. This has a reinforcing effect and makes you want to keep receiving that rush of chemicals. The more you perform an addictive behavior the stronger these neural pathways become and make it more difficult to get pleasure from other sources. This is part of the reason that people with addictions no longer find activities they used to like as enjoyable.

Emotional Problems

Addiction can lead to numerous emotional difficulties, including depressive symptoms and anxiety. Due to the secrecy of addiction, individuals are often left to cope by themselves, furthering isolation and feelings of helplessness. Addiction can also result from an attempt to cope with negative emotions. Many people with dependency problems turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate.

Physical Symptoms

A person suffering from addiction is going to undergo some physical effects. This is especially true for substance abuse where heavy usage may result in respiratory disease, withdrawal symptoms, and insomnia, depending on the substance. With any addiction, appearance is going to suffer, as the individual begins to psychologically and physiologically deteriorate.

You Can Beat Addiction with Thriveworks Round Rock

At Thriveworks Round Rock we want to help you cope with your addiction issues. Dependency issues are a problem that are difficult to treat without assistance; don’t be afraid to ask for help.  If you have addiction concerns, please call us at 512-212-7045 or schedule an appointment online.