Hooked and Sinking
Understanding addiction.
By Stanton Peele
TWEENS & TEENS News January 2008
Fifteen-year-old Sam spends all of his free
time playing video games. He doesn’t play
sports or get together with friends. Sam begrudgingly
puts his Wii remote aside when his parents tell
him he must do his homework. He’s no longer
interested in school.
Can people get addicted to games, iPods, the
Internet or food, the way they can to drugs?
To answer this, we first have to pinpoint what
drug addiction really is. Then, we can shed
light on how to avoid addictions of all kinds.
Psychiatrists and psychologists now use the
word “dependence” to describe drug
addiction and alcoholism. People who are dependent
on a substance can’t get along without
using it, even if the substance causes serious
problems in their lives.
Problems associated with dependence involve
substance users’ families, work or school
life, health and sometimes the police. Some
users think of nothing but using a drug or drinking.
And when they cannot use the drug or drink they
become extremely uncomfortable— which
is called withdrawal. Substance abusers’
lives are dominated by obtaining the substance,
using it and recovering from using.
People become addicted to other drugs besides
heroin and cocaine, such as painkillers like
Oxycontin and Vicodin. People can also become
addicted to drugs used to treat ADHD, such as
Concerta and Adderall. Though doctors prescribe
these drugs, they can also be obtained illegally.
In fact, painkillers are the fastest growing
illegal drug used by teens; one in five has
used a painkiller recreationally. Quite a few
teens also use ADHD drugs without prescriptions.
Even more kids use marijuana. By the time they
are seniors, more than half of high school students
have used some illegal drug.
However, the substance most teens use illegally
is alcohol— by far. By the time they are
18, 75 percent of teens have drank alcohol.
Moreover, 44 percent of teens drank in the last
month and almost a third of them drank excessively.
Not all kids who abuse substances are dependent
on them. But even if a kid is not addicted,
use of alcohol or other substances can cause
problems. For example, teens may dangerously
combine alcohol with painkillers or they may
drive while drinking.
Young people often drink or take drugs in an
attempt to feel grown up, or to be independent
of their parents. Tweens and teens may also
welcome the feelings that drugs and alcohol
provide. Alcohol and painkillers temporarily
eliminate stress and thus offer a transient
sense of well-being. Such substances may also
make an adolescent feel more attractive or less
inhibited. Of course, this is risky when using
the substance leads to drunk driving or reckless
sexual activity.
Only some users become dependent on drugs. Often,
they are kids with problem backgrounds who are
most vulnerable to dependence. These high-risk
kids may come from abusive or neglectful homes,
may do poorly at school and may get into all
kinds of trouble. Usually, they associate with
other kids with similar backgrounds or problems.
Kids like this may believe their choices in
life are severely limited and that there’s
no use for them to try to get ahead.
Obviously, not only high-risk teens use illicit
drugs and drink alcohol. Any adolescent may
have this side to them, and even sturdy kids
can wobble in adolescence.
Yet, most teenagers who drink or use drugs get
beyond this risky phase without damage and without
becoming dependent. I do not want to say that
using illicit drugs or alcohol is acceptable,
even though many kids do use such substances.
Kids must be especially careful to avoid doing
dangerous things, like combining painkillers
and alcohol or putting themselves in risky situations
when they drink.
On the other hand, it is not only drugs and
alcohol that people become addicted to. Do you
know any teens who spend all of their free time
and money purchasing clothes or who become transfixed
by video games, like Sam? For some kids, certain
activities offer experiences similar to substances.
Playing video games may block out worries that
teens have, and shopping may make kids feel
good about themselves.
These activities may even fulfill the definition
of dependence. (See “Addiction Quiz.”)
For some kids, their entire lives revolve around
video games, the Internet or television. When
such a primary part of a kid’s life hurts
his or her ability to function, as well as a
person’s relationships, family life, schoolwork
and health— for example, if the kid becomes
excessively out of shape— then that person
may meet the criteria for addiction.
Do you know of other things besides video games
and shopping to which teens may be addicted?
Be wary of signs that you or someone you know
may be doing something in an unhealthy way or
may be dependent on an experience.
Adversely, you should be aware of what enables
people to resist addiction. Certain resources
such as afterschool programs prevent some kids
from being at risk. In fact, if you are engaged
in school pursuits, extracurricular activities
and sports, then you are less likely to become
addicted. This is because active teens and tweens
often enjoy life without needing to escape.
Associating with other positively oriented kids
is also a good antidote to addictive tendencies.
Nothing completely protects you against addiction.
But keeping your eye on the prize— the
positive life you can lead addiction-free and
the joy and success it will bring you—
is an important way to resist self-destructive
addictions. Even if you should stumble at one
point or another, you can right yourself and
continue on the dependence-free path that spurs
the most satisfaction. Addicted people are not
happy people.
Addiction Quiz
Five ways to determine if you have an addiction.
1. Is your life focused on one activity? Do
you spend much time each day thinking about
it, doing it and dealing with its effects
on your life?
2. Is this activity hurting any relationships—
with friends or family members? Is it detracting
from your schoolwork? Is it unhealthy in other
ways?
3. Have you gotten in trouble from doing this
activity, or been criticized, broken any laws,
suffered any negative consequences because
of related behavior?
4. Do you ever think about stopping the activity,
only to continue doing it?
5. When you can’t do the activity, do
you feel something is missing in your life?
Do you become upset or uncomfortable? Do you
sleep instead, or do you lose sleep?
You should pay attention to any of these
signs of addiction. If you answered yes to
two or more of the five questions, you may
have a serious problem. Talk to your doctor,
a parent or a trusted adult at your school,
church or synagogue to discuss your possible
addiction.
Stanton Peele is a psychologist, attorney
and addiction expert. He recently published
Addiction-Proof Your Child (Three Rivers Press).
Peele is about to become a grandfather and
has a daughter in college.
