Beyond the Surface: A Deeper Look into the Hidden Struggles of Addiction

Today’s post will be a bit “heavier” than most – because today, we are talking about addiction.

“Addiction.” What an emotionally charged word it is, attached to so many assumptions.

If I were to introduce you to John and tell you that he stops by the liquor store every day on his way home from work, you would see a man with an addiction. And some might be inclined to see a man who just has no willpower. But there is so much more going on beneath the surface that you wouldn’t see.

You wouldn’t see the late nights that John’s father spent drinking himself to sleep. You wouldn’t see that his mother wanted to intervene but was burdened by her own struggle with depression. You wouldn’t see just how much John was impacted by his upbringing, or how determined he was to overcome it.

You wouldn’t see how much pressure he faced in college to drink at parties or in groups, or how long he held out because he was so scarred by his childhood. You wouldn’t see that he was actually genetically predisposed to both addiction and mental illness, so it took very little for a habit to form once he gave in to the social pressure.

You wouldn’t see how isolating and shameful his habit was to him, and how that pain drove him deeper into his addiction. You wouldn’t see how the alcohol altered his brain over time and how its reward system was actually working against him. You wouldn’t see that the more he drank, the more he needed to drink to get the relief.

You wouldn’t see that even though he continues to drink, he knows how much his addiction is costing him.

Now, John’s story may be just an illustration. But that does not mean that this is not the true story lived by millions of people suffering from addiction. Of course, every case is unique, and a person’s choices are their own. But when someone is dealing with addiction, recovery is not as simple as “just say no.” There are number of factors at play:

1. Genetic makeup. Studies have shown that as much as 60% of a person’s vulnerability to addiction can be determined by genetics. That statistic alone should be enough for us to consider addiction in a more compassionate light.

2. Neurotransmitters and reward pathways. When we do something that feels good, the brain produces dopamine, one of our primary “happy” chemicals. Addictive substances can wreak havoc on this reward system. And the more the individual seeks the reward, the more the brain becomes used to that particular source of dopamine.

3. Brain adaptations. Our bodies love equilibrium, or balance. So when it notices a lack of something, it makes up for that lack by producing more, and vice versa. When your brain gets overwhelmed by dopamine, it produces less and less of its own, so you have to keep returning to the source to get your “feel-good fix” – and after some time, to even feel good at all.

4. Mental illness. Mental illness and addiction are often comorbidities, or afflictions that occur together. Addiction can form as a result of self-medication of the mental illness, and then it can worsen the symptoms of the mental illness, causing a toxic cycle.

5. Environmental influences. Last week, I wrote to you about neuroplasticity. Our brains have the ability to change even as we age, but young brains are the most “plastic” – and the most impressionable. Early life exposure to alcohol and other elements such as poverty or peer pressure can increase someone’s likelihood of developing addiction.

I will not tell you that addiction has nothing to do with personal choice and responsibility. But I also will not tell you that that is all addiction is. Unfortunately, like many things related to mental health, addiction is not so simple.

So, how are we to address addiction?

Educate the public on the complex and nuanced nature of addiction, as well as healthy coping mechanisms and stress management techniques. Pursue evidence-based prevention programs for at-risk individuals. Support access to mental health resources and addiction treatment services. And of course, encourage open discussion about addiction – and other mental health topics – to end the stigma and empower recovery.

Make today your masterpiece!

Florina

P.S. Who do you know that you could share this post with to start a conversation about destigmatizing mental health? Feel free to pass it along.