Addiction is a difficult challenge for many people. Ask anyone who is struggling with this problem, and you’ll likely to hear them say that they never meant to have an addiction problem. Furthermore, you may hear many people say they feel like they don’t have control over their actions. People with substance use disorder may think that they were born with an addictive personality, which draws them to drugs. Is there such a thing as an addictive personality, and if so, what is it? The answer is, it seems that some people do, have addictive personalities.
What is an Addictive Personality?
Although there is no official psychiatric diagnosis for an addictive personality, many people will identify with this label. You may know people who take a drink or use a drug one time, and they go down the path to substance abuse and addiction. Other people don’t have that problem. This leads to the theory that some people have a more addictive personality than other people. While there may not be an official diagnosis of this, there are other indicators that addictive personalities do exist.
Scientists have studied people with drug addictions and found that many of them do have a close family member that also has drug addiction problems. There is evidence that scientists say that your genes are partially responsible for whether you become addicted or not. Although they don’t know exactly what gene it is, the connection is undeniable.
Other Factors Influence
Another influencer of having an addictive personality or not is your environment. If you are brought up learning to repress your feelings by using food, medicine, alcohol, or shopping, then you may be learning an addictive response to inner conflict. People who healthily deal with their feelings are less likely to have an addictive personality.
Many other factors may play a part in someone being easily addicted to a substance. The people you associate with, your education, and exposure to a substance. Also, if you have an addiction to one substance, you are more likely to become addicted to another substance.
Traits of an Addictive Personality
From studying people with addictions, studies show some common personality characteristics. These are as follows:
- A desire for thrills
- A quick tolerance to substances and the need to increase the amount
- Impulsive
- More emotional
- Difficulty quitting things or exercising self-control
Not everyone has the same traits. Personalities are nuanced and complex, which makes it difficult to say that a person must have certain traits to have an addictive personality. However, a person who continually struggle with addictions, whether it’s with drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping, and so on, must take precautions about exposing themselves to any type of drug.
Find Healing At Casa Palmera
If you feel that you may have an addictive personality, then Casa Palmera is here to help. Our compassionate therapists and doctors are equipped to assist you in discovering a brighter tomorrow.
Casa Palmera offers a top-quality rehab center for those who struggle with drug addiction. No matter what type of drug addiction you have, our evidence-based techniques will help you find healing.
We offer a wide variety of treatment options, some of which include:
- Residential Treatment Program
- Inpatient Treatment Program
- Outpatient Treatment Program
- Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program
- Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program
Begin recovery by verifying your insurance. We are in-network with a variety of insurance agencies, such as Cigna, Anthem, Blue Cross, and Aetna.
Don’t let addiction steal your joy and peace. Now that you know more about an addictive personality reach out for the help you need. Contact us today, and we’ll get you on the pathway to healing.
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