There are other types of addictions besides drug and alcohol addiction. However, when people hear the word addiction, often the first thing they thing about is being addicted to drugs or alcohol. There are countless types of other addictions, including being addicted to technology, being addicted to shopping, or even being addicted to cigarettes.
Throughout this website, we will talk about all types of addictions and mental health issues. The truth is, almost anything can become an addiction; anything can cause a person to become engaged in addictive behaviors.
What Are The Other Types of Addictions?
When we start talking about other types of addictions, it can be hard for some people to understand how a mood altering substance can be just as addictive as drugs or alcohol. What some people fail to recognize is that just about anything can cause our brain to react the same way that it reacts to drugs and alcohol.
Shopping, for example, is able to activate the brain’s reward system in the same way that drugs or alcohol active that part of the brain. When someone who is addicted to shopping engages in that behavior, dopamine and endorphins the same way substances do.
Someone who is actively addicted to shopping will engage in the same types of behaviors that any other addict does: hiding their behaviors, experiencing cravings, and continuing to engage in that behavior despite serious negative consequences. You could replace shopping with just about anything.
One of the more recent addictions people are talking about is technology addiction. It seems that our entire world is powered by technology, which is definitely a double edged sword. While technology can be a great thing and undoubtedly improves our lives in certain ways, it can also have detrimental effects. Many people think technology seriously cuts down on real, personal interactions – but that’s just the beginning of the problem. The problem becomes more serious when there is an actual addiction to some type of technology, which absolutely happens with some people.
Some other ‘common’ types of addictions include caffeine, nicotine, sex, relationships, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We will go through all of the different types of addictions throughout this website, as well as possible treatment options for them.