When drugs and alcohol are removed from a person’s system, they may develop a new addiction. It’s vital to remember that while the new addiction could be to a regulated substance other than drugs or alcohol, it could also be something completely different.Addiction has direct effects on the brain because of how it functions. It stimulates the release of dopamine, the reward-related brain neurotransmitter. As a result, the addict feels high and continues to engage in the action that allowed him or her to get that high.
It’s not drug and alcohol abuse alone that have this impact. Gambling, shopping, sex, excessive exercise, and a variety of other obsessive behaviors could all contribute to it. In the end, you get the same high that you did when you were misusing drugs or alcohol.A person who recovers from alcohol addiction is 18 times more likely to abuse prescription pharmaceuticals than someone who has never had an alcohol addiction, according to a study conducted by experts at the University of Michigan. Here are 3 frequent cross addictions that might develop after a substance abuse problem.
Common Cross Addictions
- Gambling
The image that most people have in mind when they hear the word gambling is of a casino table covered in chips. Gambling, on the other hand, encompasses much more. It isn’t limited to casinos, slot machines, or playing cards. It can be used to buy a lottery ticket, enter a raffle, or place a wager with a buddy. Gambling as a cross addiction can develop when a gambler plays the game and places hazardous bets in order to get the emotional high that comes with taking big risks and seeing them pay off. The feeling of being in peril and on the verge of financial ruin gives the gambler a high that is equal to, if not greater than, the previous high.Approximately 1% of Americans have gambling issues.
- Addiction to Exercise
Exercising addiction seems strange. How can a person become hooked to exercises when they are supposed to be helpful for them? An unhealthy addiction to physical fitness or exercise is referred to as “exercise addiction.” Those addicted to exercise are 15% more likely to be addicted to drugs or alcohol than those addicted to cigarettes. 25% of the population suffers from other addictions like sex or shopping. Ex-addicts frequently turn to fitness to fill the emptiness left by their previous addictions.
Exercise Addiction’s Signs and Symptoms
- Withdrawal symptoms after lengthy periods without exercise
- Uncontrollable impulses to exercise
- Inability to keep to a reduced exercise schedule
- Reducing activity in other areas to create time for workouts
- Sex Addiction
This is a situation in which a person’s sexual behavioral urges are out of control. Compulsive sexual behavior affects 3 to 6% of the US population, according to a 2014 study.”Compulsive sexual disorder” is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “a recurrent pattern of failure to regulate powerful, recurrent sexual impulses or urges, resulting in repetitive sexual behavior.”
Compulsive Sexual Behavior (CSB) Signs and Symptoms
- Inability to regulate or minimize recurrent sexual conduct, despite negative consequences and a lack of satisfaction
- Constant sexual activities at the expense of one’s health, personal hygiene, and other hobbies or activities
Skyward Treatment Center Offers The Best Care
If not handled properly, cross addictions can lead to relapse. Please contact Skyward Treatment Center for a private evaluation if you or someone you love is struggling with a cross addiction.
