Addiction is around us constantly, whether it is that person you spot gambling online during a lecture, drinking 20 cups of coffee per day, or sucking on a vape and blowing smoke into their sleeve to hide it. Addictions can form from any substance or action that a person depends on to function in their daily lives. But do these addictions indicate a deeper issue?
The Mirriam-Webster dictionary defines addiction as “a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behaviour, or activity having harmful physical, psychological, or social effects and typically causing well-defined symptoms (such as anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea) upon withdrawal or abstinence”. Addictions of any form occur when an action causes the pleasure centres in the brain to become overwhelmed. This causes the brain to feel “rewarded” by the action, and thus the continuous cycle of repeating the action to get the “rewarded” is formed.
Over time, the flooding of dopamine into the pleasure systems destroys these systems, leading to the desensitisation of dopamine reception and forcing the brain to require and seek out the action that has previously flooded the system. Different factors are responsible for someone being prone to addiction, such as social influence, self-medication, peer pressure, genetic factors, mental health, stress, and biological factors.
All of this leads to the ultimate question: is addiction a form of self-harm or self-medication? Unfortunately, there is no definite answer. Many addictions start as a “pick me up” to help someone get through the day. But as time goes on, it often becomes the reason that a person gets out of bed.
The consumption of substances can indicate an underlying issue. Take caffeine, for instance. A student consumes an energy drink to stay awake after a long night of studying. The caffeine makes them feel awake and engaged, but soon after, the effects wear off. This causes their lethargy to return, and leads to needing another caffeine “hit”. The cycle continues until the student needs caffeine to wake up, function and engage with life. This example of a caffeine addiction illustrates how a simple substance used as a “quick fix” for an issue (tiredness) can lead to a bigger issue.
Someone can become addicted to anything that gives them dopamine. This ranges from caffeine, alcohol, drugs and vaping to cell phones, exercise, or anything that causes the system to flood with dopamine. If the body’s receptors are already struggling to cope, even the slightest dopamine increase can cause a reward sensation. This leads to the behaviour being repeated to allow the reward sensation to reoccur. Eventually, the original amount is no longer enough, and the action is done more frequently and in larger volumes to receive this reward “high”.
An important aspect to remember is that addiction is not just one dimensional. Many students do not have access to mental health professionals or do not have the funds to pay for medication needed to address the mental disorders that they have. But life goes on, and for most students, a quick fix can help them get out of their rut or help ease the symptoms they experience because of their disorders. Addiction has become symbolic of the deeper issues in society. Students need caffeine because they have too much work to do. People smoke because they constantly feel stressed and just want one moment of peace. Young adults turn to drugs to ease their pain, whether that be mental or physical.
Experimenting with substances does not automatically lead to addiction. Addictions form when the dependence on a substance or action becomes something that someone cannot live without. Addiction is a serious medical condition and various steps should be taken to ensure one’s long-term health.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the UP Student Careline at 0800 747 747.
Gabriella van Niekerk
Originally posted on the PDBY site: Vapes, Betway and a caffeine fix : Is addiction self-medication or self-harm?
