Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Physical vs. Mental addictions the differnces

pan6467 · 09-11-2005, 08:35 AM

I'm not saying that a physical addict has no psychological pain or underlying reasons, they do.

And yes, a physical is a mental addiction also, but once you take the stimulus away the mental part is far easier to work with and you can do so at a pace that can span years. Some people, probably the majority, may never deal with the issues and recover, saying they just liked the feeling and lost control because they chased. They altered their reality because of the euphoria and then to fight being sick.

With a solely mental addiction the stimulus totally is in the psyche and you have a short time to find the underlying issues before relapse. While this type of addict, usually did so to escape reality in different way than the drug addict. This type chose to alter reality to escape, to achieve dreams, to believe their life was more important, etc.

However, most physical addicts once detoxed, can attack those problems slower and in some cases never (depending on how they choose to try to recover), while the gambler, chatter, E-Bayer, etc. (the 100% mental) usually has to focus on their underlying issues immediately in order to recover.

If you talk to a cross addict (one who has had both the physical and mental) , they will tell you the physical one is far easier to quit.

You'll see in GA meeting the Heroin cross addict that says he would gamble his last $100 away thinking he could get more money to buy more smack, and he'd build the money (and not feel 1 craving) but would eventually lose and then be in bad shape because he was broke and sick. But that the mental pain of the (the anguish, loss and so on) was more devestating than the physical withdrawal of the heroin.

Addiction is addiction and the loss of control over anything is something that one should seek help over.

It's just my contention, the 100% mental addiction needs to be treated in different ways and recognized as a different and in some cases harder addiction to overcome and treat than a physical addiction.

09-11-2005, 08:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
pan6467 Lennonite Priest Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA	I'm not saying that a physical addict has no psychological pain or underlying reasons, they do. And yes, a physical is a mental addiction also, but once you take the stimulus away the mental part is far easier to work with and you can do so at a pace that can span years. Some people, probably the majority, may never deal with the issues and recover, saying they just liked the feeling and lost control because they chased. They altered their reality because of the euphoria and then to fight being sick. With a solely mental addiction the stimulus totally is in the psyche and you have a short time to find the underlying issues before relapse. While this type of addict, usually did so to escape reality in different way than the drug addict. This type chose to alter reality to escape, to achieve dreams, to believe their life was more important, etc. However, most physical addicts once detoxed, can attack those problems slower and in some cases never (depending on how they choose to try to recover), while the gambler, chatter, E-Bayer, etc. (the 100% mental) usually has to focus on their underlying issues immediately in order to recover. If you talk to a cross addict (one who has had both the physical and mental) , they will tell you the physical one is far easier to quit. You'll see in GA meeting the Heroin cross addict that says he would gamble his last $100 away thinking he could get more money to buy more smack, and he'd build the money (and not feel 1 craving) but would eventually lose and then be in bad shape because he was broke and sick. But that the mental pain of the (the anguish, loss and so on) was more devestating than the physical withdrawal of the heroin. Addiction is addiction and the loss of control over anything is something that one should seek help over. It's just my contention, the 100% mental addiction needs to be treated in different ways and recognized as a different and in some cases harder addiction to overcome and treat than a physical addiction. __________________ I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"