When Is An Addiction an Addiction

When is an Addiction an Addiction?

‘I only have a few beers every now and then.’ ‘Sure I smoke Marijuana but I don’t have a problem.’ ‘I don’t have a gambling problem.’


I work in the area of addictions and statements such as these are quite common in my experience. Usually, in cases like these, the person making the statement has been (unwillingly) brought into my office to get help, and there is disagreement about whether the reluctant party actually has a problem.


So when is an addiction actually an addiction? I have talked about this subject before in different ways and will outline, once more, when there is a good chance someone has a problem.


Just the mere fact that a person engages in an activity frequently does not necessarily mean he has an addiction - a few additional criteria must be met before we can establish whether that particular circumstance depicts an instance of addiction. In my opinion, there is a good chance a person has an addiction if he meets three or more of the following criteria:

• Thinks about engaging in the activity continually

• Makes elaborate plans for engaging in the activity

• Hides or attempts to hide what he/she is doing from others

• Tries to abstain but is unable to

• Tends to get agitated, angry, and or belligerent when someone attempts to intervene

• Has had trouble with the law as a consequence of the activity

• Has had conflict with family and/or friends as a consequence of the activity

• Has wasted a lot of time in pursuing the activity

• Has missed work or has had problems performing at work because of the activity

• Has had problems with employer as a consequence of the activity

• Has had financial problems as a result of the activity

• Has had health problems as a consequence of the activity

• Tends to be moody and reactive

• Is restless and anxious if he/she has not engaged in activity for a while


There are other signs too, but these are some of the more prominent indicators that a problem exists.


When should a person seek help?

If a person has tried to abstain on his/her own and has been unsuccessful, then it is a good idea to seek professional help.
How long does a person have to be doing the activity before it can be considered a problem?

I am sometimes asked this question. The duration of time does not matter – some people develop a problem very quickly, others take time. If the person meets the criteria I have mentioned above, then he/she likely has a problem.


How long does it take a person to quit?

If a person has been involved in an activity for a long time, it is possible that it could take him/her longer to quit compared with someone who has been engaging in it for only a short period of time; but this may not necessarily be the case. Individual differences, personality factors, desire to quit, personal and social resources the person has, all of these play a role in how long a person takes to quit.


What is the chance a person may never quit?

Very small. An older person with an addiction is not a commonplace occurrence; in fact, it is quite rare. Most people do quit eventually, though many struggle in their first few attempts to do so. I would suggest that failure on the road to abstaining from an addictive behavior not be perceived as a failure, but instead should be seen as a person perfecting his/her approach to getting it right.


Are addicts bums?

No. The word ‘addict’ is an offensive term. It is oppressive and used to hurt people. When people think of addicts they immediately think of the images depicted on TV or what they perceive when they drive through downtown. That person downtown has more than an addiction as a problem.
People with addictions are no different than you and me, but have simply acquired bad habits- habits they themselves (most of them, anyway) would like to be rid of but cannot seem to; the habit won’t let go of them. Changing a habit is difficult business, even a seemingly benign one like changing an unhealthy diet, not eating donuts, drinking less coffee etc. To mistreat someone solely on the grounds that they possess a bad habit is neither fair nor civilized.