RE: Addiction : a definition
>> At 21:46 19/01/1997 -0500, Byron Lewis wrote:
>> <...>
>> >Any compulsively repeated behavior, whether drinking, using, gambling,
>> >eat-purging, certain sexual activities, etc. which negatively impact an
>> >individual biologically, psychologically, socially, or spiritually is an
>> >addiction.
>
>Does an addiction have to have a negative impact? Addiction to sweets seems
>ok for me..... BTW...I'm not fat, neither am I getting fat! It keeps me
>awake at lectures.....
>
>Rdgs
>Alex
Yes. I think that I'd amend Byron's definition above something along the lines of:
Any behavior which is compulsively repeated, frequently in an inappropriate
context, and has adverse effects on the individual's physical, psychological,
intellectual, social, or spiritual health.
Part of the development of addiction is abuse of the behavior. e.g. You go
to a party feeling nervous. You have a few drinks, you feel good, you chat
up a person with whom you have a great relationship. A few weeks later you
have a big test, you're nervous so you have a few drinks, you feel great,
you fail the test. You feel lousy because you failed, you have a few drinks
to feel better...
Get the pattern -- a behavior which worked once is repeated in inappropriate
situations to the exclusion of other, more appropriate behaviors. Eventually
the addictive behavior(s) are used exclusively.\
Blessings,
Jen