An addiction is an activity or substance we repeatedly crave to experience, and for which we are willing if necessary to pay a price (or negative consequence).

In recent years researchers have considered as examples of addiction both substance addictions (alcohol, cigarettes, food, street drugs, etc.) and activity addictions (gambling, impulsive sexual activity, shoplifting, overspending, etc.).

This article discusses techniques and concepts which can be helpful in coping with both kinds of addictive behavior.

  Relatively minor addictions, such as watching too much television, eating a certain kind of candy, or lying in bed on weekend mornings, are often not even considered addictions, because the price paid for indulging them is not high. On the other hand, we tend to use the term "addict" to describe the person who, at least in the eyes of others, continues an addictive behavior long after it may have been clear that the substantial price being paid was not worth the benefit.

The individual who has lost career, house, family and friends because of cocaine use, but is unwilling to consider stopping, is an unfortunate example.

  Negative addictions range from those with very minor negative consequences, to those as serious as the cocaine addict just mentioned, with much area in between. Although it is sometimes true that a negative addiction grows stronger (i.e., worse) over time, this is not necessarily or even typically true. For instance, most overweight individuals do not keep gaining and gaining weight, but rather settle into a weight range that, if far from ideal, is also not morbidly obese. On the other hand, even a constant level of addictive behavior (e.g., overspending $200 a week) can lead to an increasing level of negative consequences.

  You may be surprised to learn that addictions can also be considered positive.

Positive addictions are those in which the benefits outweigh the price. A common example would be exercise. The price of membership in a gym, the time involved, and any clothing expense, is outweighed by the benefits of better health, energy, self-confidence and appearance. As with negative addictions, positive addictions may not get stronger (i.e., better; greater benefits are obtained) over time, and there is a broad range of how much benefit is actually obtained.

<

  What is common to both positive and negative addictions, and what helps us realize that they are two sides of the same coin, is the urge or craving to engage in the addictive behavior, and the satisfaction that is felt when the urge is acted upon. The urge is a state of tension and anticipation that is experienced as a desire for the substance or activity. The urge is also experienced as uncomfortable, perhaps intensely so, especially if it lasts long enough. Because we experience relief when the urge is acted upon, there is an increased likelihood that we will act on the urge again.

One of the primary benefits of an addiction for many individuals is the fact that the urge can be driven away by the addictive behavior. Hunger, and eating to satisfy it, provide a good example of a (positive or negative) addiction. We might even describe hunger (along with thirst and sex) as one of the original addictions. Even if there were no other benefits to eating (i.e., nutrition and survival), it would be satisfying to eat simply because eating makes hunger go away.

  Sometimes addictive behavior appears to be engaged in without the presence of an urge, such as when a smoker is three puffs into a cigarette before realizing that it is lit, or when an overeater is three bites into a chocolate cake before realizing that this is no longer the living room but the kitchen. However, if these individuals were kept at a distance from their substance or activity, such that deliberate effort (rather than behavior so habitual that it is unconscious) were required to obtain it, urges would again be observed. In the examples described the addictive behavior is used to prevent the occurrence of an urge, which would nevertheless appear eventually if it were not prevented.

  An addiction is an example of a habit. Like other habits, addictive behaviors are learned behaviors that we acquire through trial and error (e.g., we happen to gamble for the first time, having known little about it, and experience it as exhilarating and captivating), or through observing others (e.g., our parents had cocktails each evening before dinner to relax).

If we have ongoing experience with the substance or activity, and if (and only if) we enjoy at least some aspect of that experience, an urge or craving for it gradually emerges after repeated experience. The urge is a way of saying to ourselves: "I know this is going to be good; I will enjoy this." Someone who has never experienced a substance or activity cannot be addicted to it, nor will an addiction develop if the experience is not pleasurable.

Because of the uniqueness of each individual, what is pleasurable for one person may not be for another. For instance, many individuals report not enjoying alcohol, even in small amounts. Such an individual would not ordinarily become addicted to alcohol.

Paradoxically, in a very strong addiction much of the original pleasure may no longer be experienced. In this case the primary satisfaction comes from driving the (uncomfortable) urge away.

  The pleasures of an addiction can be diverse. In addition to promoting an increase in positive mood (feeling more relaxed, feeling more "up"), the addiction may also be a means to decrease negative mood (if I do this I won't feel stressed, anxious, angry, depressed, bored, lonely, afraid, frustrated, etc., anymore). There are many variations on this theme. If I am feeling bad because it seems I am not "fitting in", I can reduce that negative feeling by doing what others are doing (drinking, using drugs). If because of a conflict with someone I am so upset "I can't stand it", I can change this feeling through addictive behavior.

Because the pleasure of the addiction can be used to block out or replace an unwanted emotion, an addiction can be a "way to cope". If the addiction is used in this way, urges tend to occur in response to those negative moods for which the individual has few other effective coping methods