The first thing you have to understand about an addict is that the individual in question is sick. An addiction is an illness of the mind and one that is all consuming, 24 hours a day they will be thinking about one thing and one thing only, the next fix.

An addict is an extremely vulnerable individual, the effects of drugs on the brain reduces the amount of dopamine released which is essentially the ‘reward chemical’ produced by the brain which causes you to feel good about yourself. Eventually, the only thing that they believe will give them any sense of reward or achievement is their next fix, this is when the dependency to the drug really begins to take hold.

Many addicts have similar personality traits, such as feeling like an outsider or outcast, or having trouble ‘”fitting in”. For many individuals the only relief is to consume alcohol and/or take drugs, this allows them to relax in a social environment. Many people suffering with an addiction are incredibly sensitive and emotional, they feel as though the only way to numb these intense feeling is to get high.

Of course, each person is unique and no two addicts are entirely the same, these are just a few of the generic traits that many seem to possess. Addicts are not born or raised as liars, thieves, and breaker of relationships; these are all behaviours that the addict will develop throughout the course of their addiction. For most individuals suffering with a chronic addiction they become embarrassed of their habit and in trying to cover it up while maintaining it, they lie, steal, and hurt those they care about.

Helping and Addict

If you are struggling with an addiction and are in need of serious help then contact Step One Recovery in Spain today. You can call us on our UK Freephone number and one of our expert counsellors will be more than happy to listen to you and help you to understand your addiction.