Addictive personality....what's your opinion

[pingu1997]

I've read so much recently about the whole addictive personality thing being a myth, and I'm genuinely interested in hearing other people's opinions on the matter...

Until I quit drinking I'd never given it a thought. But now all I seem to have done is swapped drinking for other addictive behaviours, and I reckon I'm susceptible to being addicted to stuff quite easily.

My thing now is shopping, man it's crazy the amount of clothes I own. Piercings, and jewellery, nail polish, vitamins.... And diet Pepsi lol...

Any comments, are people like me more prone to get hooked on things or am I alone here

Written with love
P3 :h

[Quest for the key]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

Hi P3 - well I definitely have an addictive personality !!!

I've had various "addictions" in the past - not just to AL - including chocolate, exercise and laxatives (many years ago).

I seem to swap one thing for another - like I NEED something to be in my life that's a crutch. Something to run to when I need it.

Or maybe it's just me being an oddball............

[Alcoholic]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

I've been addictive to many things usually in short spurts though: shopping, buying hair extensions, gambling, just anything that feels good at the time and I want it to continue. My husband thinks I have bipolar or OCD. He's probably right. All those other addictions are ok because they hurt my bank account but alcohol hurts my health.

But to answer your question, there's definitely people who are more prone to becoming addicted to stuff. Unfortunately even pedophiles and rapists suffer from addiction... However, we need to draw the line somewhere and say, hey, just because you have an addiction doesn't mean you can steal, kill, or rape. I digress....

[paulywogg]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

ive started smoking more than i ever had,i used to smoke maybe 5 cigs a day,now its a pack!

[K9Lover]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

Hi Pingu!

I agree that some people have more of a tendency to become addicted or overdo things. When I was drinking I didn't "stock up" on things like I do now (some may call it hoarding...lol). It's almost like I get obsessed...if I find something I like I have to buy 4 of it instead of just 1...

I guess that's just how I am, but I AM trying to work on it...

[Nelz]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

I think I would be considered guilty as charged. When I get into something I REALLY get into it, no matter what it is.

I thank God everyday I never dabbled in drugs....and to be honest, that's what keeps me away today. Im sure I would be a total burnout somewhere.

It would seem fitting that most of us with the AL problem might all have some form of addictive personality.

[LilyC]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

I agree, I've often said to friends that I'm glad I don't smoke, as I'd never be able to give up!! I think I have got an addictive personality (or a weak one). Guess my only other addiction is to watching TV in the evenings which is a relatively safer addition thank drinking, and costs less too! Oh yes I think I may have a touch of OCD (but am also extremely lazy at times!). For me, my OCD is continually picking my fingers til they bleed, have always done it since young, my fingers are often in a state! But I can't stop it. Tried once for a boyfriend years ago and managed it but not for very many weeks. So, maybe all these things are linked for people like me and others. Interesting!

[kuya]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

I think the way to look at 'addictive personalities' is that it is normal. We and every creature on the planet is wired to seek and repeat pleasurable outcomes.

That is what motivates us to survive.

But problems arise with humans when we have too many negative emotions on board so we pleasure seek in excess to block them. This leaves us vulnerable to 'bad' addictions.

I watch my daughter, who has had a happy childhood compared to mine, and she commits herself 'addictively' to lots of things. Drawing, making computer animations, playing piano, doing her homework ........ These are all things society commends and therefore she is reinforced to succeed. She will probably NOT be vulnerable to 'negative' addictions because she has so many positive ones.

It would be interesting to poll how many here had happy childhoods, not many I fear.

Perhaps that would be an interesting thread.

[Byrdlady]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

I always admired people who could eat half a candy bar, and save the rest for later. I have never been able to that. When I blow a diet, a binge follows. I am not able to pick up the pieces and move on. I think I have an addictive personality....I never smoked, but always feel like I could have picked one up and been hooked. Oy. Interesting question, Kuya....about the childhood thing. B

[paula]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

I certainly have an addictive personality, I'm also a bit ocd, constantly checking that doors are shut, oven turned off, etc. I also had a very abusive childhood, which I feel made me turn to alcohol. My brothers and sisters also suffered abuse and also turned to booze.

[Byrdlady]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

Paula....yes, I have OCD, too....every thing HAS to be level. UGG!
Abusive childhood here as well. B

[nancy]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

addictive personality

I think what it boils down to is a problem coping with emotions/bad feelings, a lack of an inner security system. Lance Dodes Heart of Addiction has a lot of good information on the drivers for addiction. So I don't think there is an addictive personality, but I think there are inner problems that can manifest in many different kinds of addictions.

[Kaslo]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

I absolutely have an addictive something or other. Not sure its my personality, but its in my genetic makeup, inherited and inevitable. I swapped out oxycodin for wine before my first hip replacement at the age of 53, and kept that up until after the second HR, and then went back to booze but by then I found I had broken the obsessive compusive AL relationship, and was able to quit pretty easily. Comparatively. Also I spent a year watching someone die of alcohol related liver disease. (Not that I recommend this as a method to quit drinking, btw).

I am pretty sure its a genetic predisposition and its obviously very common. Why is it normal people NEVER get like we did? I am not really different from most people in any other way. If the current thinking is no such thing as an addictive personality, my guess is that is being suggested by folks who have never developed an addiction. I think someone with a genetic predisposition to addiction develops one with repeated exposure to an addictive substance, whereas lucky people without that genetic predisposition do not develop addiction unless they really work hard over a number of years to develop one. Hows that for a diagnosis? Ha ha.

[pingu1997]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

thanks for the interesting discussion

here's what prompted it....

Me and my OH, watching an advert for online Bingo.. and I'm like those sort of things are scary.... and he says why.. and my addictive brain is thinking once you start you will get hooked and he says he could play once and not be bothered by carrying on...

And that's the reason I never go near online gambling sites.. LOL

[Wildflowers]

Addictive personality....what's your opinion

Hiya Purple Heart,

Well I've been reading & posting on MWO for about two hrs. Let me go have a ciggie & I'll be right back to answer.

I used to be addicted to sex, alcohol, exercise, motorcycle riding, three wheelers, tanning, jewelery, makeup, clothes, ciggies, my curling iron, hair dryer, nail polish, magazines furbabies, did I mention tall dark handsome men?

I used to jump off bridges into rivers, hitchhiking when I was a teen. There's probably more Smoked some weed, but not addicted. Tried mushrooms when I was a teen & hated it. :upset: Didn't like coke either. Never liked opioids. My babysitters downstairs asked us kids when we were 7 or 8 to smoke weed. I didn't, but feck.... Mom didn't know.

If bungee jumping was the thing, or I'd had money when I was young, been properly channeled in my youth, I suppose I'd loved sking, snowboarding, skydiving or any other risky ~ dopamine rushing, pleasure seeking thing my brain & body could find. Maybe climbing Everest, playing piano, but think the saxaphone would have suited me better.

After I became married, had babies, bought a house I straightened my act up. Had no money left. Except I smoked after preggies. Binged drank in 20's -30's & a little weed. Still had most all above addictions. But, had to curb my spending.

Today ciggies, chocolate, hair, nails, sometimes makeup & tanning, sometimes shopping, flowers & my 27 house plants. I use to be obsessed with fish aquariums. Really tho the ciggies & chocolate are the main ones. Geez I'm boring now.

Oh I forgot I did go thru a gambling addiction thing. Periodic sobriety stints. I have to stay away from casinos. Like this summer we went to one & I stayed on the penny machine & it was very hard to stop. All the noise, bells & whistles. I felt hypnotized by all of it. Even after I won I didn't want to stop. :upset: No more of that!!!!..... I will only buy a lottery ticket if it go's way up & just a couple of bucks.

I think I'm definitely addicted to life, my family, my kitties, nature, my HP. :h

As for the theories behind all this addiction & transfer of it. I believe in what they all said. It's just that I combine it all. As it's very complex & individual. I believe in the science behind it like Kaslo believes. If you put a young child into a bad environment like Kuya says, then ya end up with a emotional & mental health problem like Nancy says.

Now if only there was funding for geno-mapping to prove this theory. :-) Well at least we have MRI scanning that shows the nucleus accumbens. It definitely plays a central role in the reward circuit in our addictive brains.