Addictions can ruin lives. Whether you are addicted to nicotine, drugs, sex, or shopping, once you are unable to say “no”, your addiction is firmly in control and you are powerless to stop seeking your “fix”. But while many people struggle to quit smoking, some people are far more likely to suffer from addictions than others, so what are the addictive personality symptoms?
People with addictive personality disorder are more prone to dependency on a wide range of different habits and behaviors. Whereas a normal person is able to take control and stop the behavior or habit, an addictive person will find it impossible to break the habit without some kind of intervention. They are also more likely to move from one addiction to another.
What are the addictive personality symptoms?
Addictive people are often extremely secretive. The addict is ruled by fear and shame, so they hide their addictions from those around them in order to continue with their addictive behavior without fear of punishment.
Addicts usually feel terribly guilty when in the throes of an addiction. They know their behavior is wrong and that it is hurting the ones they love, but they still cannot give up the addiction, and the more they continue with the behavior, the more they feel guilty—it is a vicious circle.
Addictive personality types are often linked to antisocial behavior disorders, which can cause extra problems. Patients in the throes of addiction who also have an antisocial personality are far less likely to seek help for their problems because they are afraid of reaching out to others.
Guilty feelings about the addictive behavior often go hand in hand with depression and an addict is likely to suffer from associated problems of depression and anxiety. Conversely, addictive personally types suffering from depression and anxiety disorders are also more likely to turn to addictive behaviors as a way of coping with their emotions.
Mood swings are extremely common in those suffering from an addictive personality disorder. Addicts are always on the defensive and are supremely sensitive to any perceived criticism of their addictive behavior. The minute a loved one dares to question their unhealthy behavior, the addict will feel persecuted and react with anger. Such feelings are also closely tied to guilt.
When faced with their addiction, an addict soon loses control. For example, an alcoholic is incapable of having “just one drink”—they literally cannot stop drinking, no matter what the personal cost of the drinking might be. Once an addict has lost control and is consumed with their addiction, their behavior will become erratic and their every waking moment is ruled by the desire to feed their addiction.
Once an addiction takes hold of a person, they will very likely isolate themselves from family and friends. This type of behavior is partly because of guilt—they do not want to hurt their loved ones—but it is also so their family and friends are kept in the dark as to the true nature of their addiction: if other people are none the wiser, the addict does not have to face up to their issues.
An addict rarely makes long term plans for their future. Their life revolves around the instant gratification of their addictive behavior and nothing else matters.