Online gaming can be a fun way to spend some time, but when gaming becomes an addiction, it can have devastating consequences. Despite many people struggling with crippling addictions to online gaming for many years, the condition has only just been recognised as a mental health disorder by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It can be hard for some people to view this seemingly harmless pastime as destructive, but when young children are forgoing the toilet in favour of playing their favourite game, it is time to take action. In a report in The Telegraph, a top paediatrician revealed that a ..read more

Drug addiction can happen to anyone, despite what many people think. There are some who believe it to be a consequence of poor decision making or a lifestyle choice when it is, in fact, an illness of the brain. Furthermore, it matters not what age a person is, what their gender is, or where he or she comes from; using illegal drugs or prescription medication increases the possibility of developing an addiction. Once addiction develops, it tends to get worse over time. It is often hard for those affected to come to terms with having an addiction, and many live in denial for quite a while. While ..read more

When the term ‘drug addict’ is mentioned, most individuals assume that the individual in question is an illegal drug abuser; but this is not always the case. In fact, increasingly more people are getting hooked on prescription medications such as benzodiazepine every single year. Unfortunately, benzodiazepines, while effective at treating a range of conditions such as insomnia, panic disorders, anxiety, and seizures, are also highly addictive. The problem that most face is the fact that they do not see any prescription drugs as having the potential to be harmful. This is often to do with being ..read more

An alcohol addiction occurs when someone allows his or her use of alcohol to spiral out of control. While most people who drink alcohol do so in moderation, others regularly drink to excess. The UK government has guidelines in place for the safe consumption of alcohol, stating that no more than fourteen units per week should be consumed by adults. The guidelines also say that these units should not be used in one go and should instead be spread across the week, with a few days kept free of alcohol. Staying within these guidelines is considered low risk when it comes to the development of certa ..read more

Most people struggle with the whole concept of a sex addiction; indeed, there are still those that believe it is just an excuse for extra-marital affairs. Indeed, it does seem to be the case that celebrities who have been caught cheating on a partner will then check into a clinic to be treated for a sex addiction. But the reality is that sex addiction is a very real illness and one that affects many people all over the world. The fact that it is a real problem has not stopped the topic of sex addiction is one that is regularly the focus of comedy routines though. But for those affected, sex ad ..read more

Drug addiction can take many forms. It can begin with experimentation with drugs such as cannabis or prescription medication and can progress to abuse of substances like heroin, cocaine, or crystal meth. Many individuals develop an addiction to the aforementioned medication prescribed to treat a legitimate health problem. They might not even grasp the fact that they have developed an addiction until they try to stop taking their pills and realise that they are no longer able to function or feel ‘normal’ without them. In whichever way drug addiction begins and whatever form it takes, one thing ..read more

Addiction is a word that many people view in a poor light. Those who are affected by this illness of the brain are often discriminated against and judged as being weak or bad. The truth is often completely the opposite as there is a growing number of people in the UK struggling with drug addictions despite never having touched an illegal drug in their life. Many of these individuals do not even drink more than the recommended weekly alcohol allowance, yet they struggle with a drug addiction all the same. This is because they have become physically dependent on medication prescribed by a doctor ..read more

These days almost everyone has a smartphone that enables them to access the internet at any hour of the day. And related to this fact, very closely actually, is that social media has become quite the phenomenon. With social media becoming so important in the lives of many people, it is not difficult to see how it can end up becoming a problem. In fact, social media can become an addiction if its use starts to interfere with everyday life; indeed, there is compelling evidence to suggest that it is becoming a national problem. As internet addiction is a very real illness, it stands to reason tha ..read more

Alcohol misuse is a major problem in the UK. In fact, it is one of the leading contributors to poor health and premature death, with millions of people regularly drinking more than the recommended guideline amounts of fourteen units per week for safe consumption. The problem is that most of those who drink alcohol do not see it as a harmful substance. They instead see it as something to be enjoyed. And while alcohol can indeed be enjoyed in moderation, those who misuse it are in danger of developing a physical and psychological addiction that could literally destroy their life. The good news i ..read more

It is difficult to understand how something as innocuous as shopping could ever become addictive; however, for some people, shopping is an obsession that can end up destroying their life as they know it. If you have ever thought about the question of what is shopping addiction, you should know that it is different from simply liking to shop. In fact, shopping addiction is a behavioural disorder that can interfere with a person’s ability to live a normal life. When purchases become compulsive and you feel as though you have no control over what you are buying or how much you are spending, you m ..read more