Am I an Addict? How to tell if you have an addiction.

Hi I'm Beth Burgess from Smyls Recovery Coaching. Now you're probably watching this video 'Am I an Addict?' because you've got some kind of problem with substances; so that could be drink, drugs, sugar, caffeine, nicotine - whatever it is. But you might be asking yourself are you actually addicted? So I'm just going to give you some pointers so that you can tell whether you are actually an addict or not. Now for example, alcohol. This is something that gets disputed all the time. I mean there's one clear thing, if you think you've got some kind of problem, then you have. And you should sort of deal with it, but some people get confused as to what is addiction and what isn't and people sort of say, well why is that important? And it is important because actually the treatment for theses things are different depending on whether you're addicted or not. So how can you tell of you're addicted? Right well there are some very sort of simple things. Number one is when you're addicted to something, you actually end up having a mental obsession with it. So it's not just something you can take or leave. It's something that you actually end up being pretty obsessed with. You might find that you worry about things running out. So if it's drink you might sort of buy more than you need, otherwise you start to panic. Same with other things like sugar - you might sort of stockpile it. So other indicators are things like stockpiling it, lying about it, trying to hide it from people. Feeling guilty as well. If you ever feel guilty about whatever substance you're using or you worry that you're using it too much and you really feel quite guilty about it, that's another good indicator. But you can have some of these things and not, you know, not have the complete obsession. But that's what addiction is, it's a complete obsession. And one of the most important ways of classifying addiction is also the inability to stop. Now I've heard of, for example, alcoholics who say that, you know, well actually I only drink once a week, but when I stop, no sorry, when I start, I can't stop. I just can't stop, like you know if there's a bottle of wine or a bottle of whatever it is they have to continue until it's gone. Until you know or they pass out or whatever. So that's another sign of addiction, is when- it doesn't matter how often you actually use the substance, but when you start you can't stop. I mean I'm actually an alcoholic. For anyone that doesn't know, I'm a an alcoholic and when I quit drinking, I picked up a nasty little sugar addiction. And it was an addiction and I didn’t have it every day. But I did all those things. I snuck around with it, I y'know kind of hid it, and I didn't have it every day, but when I had I couldn't stop. You know, that was it. One biscuit wasn't enough for me - I had to have about three packets - and then some. And then I'd be wanting to go out and get some more. So that's the kind of pattern of addiction for you. So another thing. A bit like the fact I mentioned that once you start you can't stop, is I mean I'd term it as a compulsion. Because I know plenty of people that drink quite a lot or y'know eat too much or whatever, but aren't compelled in the same way to do it that you are when you have an addiction. So it's that, I used to have, I used to call this my elastic arm because what I would do, I would when I was drinking, I would sort of buy a bottle of spirits or something and I would promise myself I'd just have y'know a little bit of it,. And then it would just be impossible. I'd pour myself like a shot and I'd maybe try and so some little trick on myself like buying myself a measuring thing, and I'd be like 'Oh well I'll only have two shots tonight do you know what I mean? But I would like my arm would just go out for the bottle, like whether I wanted to or not and more often than not I didn't cos I'd promised myself I wouldn't do it. But I just was completely compelled to do it, So those are some of the signs. I mean this isn't to say, and this is something really want to make clear, if you're not an addict, this doesn't mean that 'oh y'know I can can get away with it then.' So say you're drinking too much and you know you are and you want to know if you're an addict or not, and you're like' Well OK I don't tick any of them boxes.' Well the point is, if it is a problem. If you';re watching this video, I'm assuming it's some kind of problem for you. You're having some kind of consequences to it,. So I would just say that just because y'know, you find that you don't have an addiction, then you're very, very lucky because you've still got a lot of choice in the matter. And in that case it's just a case of y'know modifying your behaviour in order that you're living a more healthy lifestyle. But if you are an addict, obviously it's a different matter and you have to treat it differently. But whichever the case, if you’ve got a problem, or you think you have - then you have! OK so I hope that's cleared it up a bit about what addiction actually entails. Have a look at my website which has got more information. I'll give you the web address at the end. www.smyls.co.uk. And I'll speak to you soon. Thanks. Bye.