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Dealing with Addiction
Providing the facts about substance abuse, gambling, gaming & other psychological addictions. Addresses ways to help people recover from addiction.
- Age range: 12 years and upwards
- Category: Schools
- Published: 1999
- Last revised: 2021
- Pages: 83
Price: £10.99 Now: £5.49
Addiction Lesson Plans
Problems with Alcohol
This lesson plan uses role play to examine some of the problems alcohol can cause among young people.
- Age range: 12 years and upwards
- Category: Schools
- Published: 2022
- Pages: 18
Price: £2.99 Now: £1.49
Addictions come in many forms, and they all have one thing in common — they are all linked to either dependence on a substance or an addictive behaviour towards a certain activity. How does this dependency lead to an addiction?
What is Addiction?
An addiction occurs when someone becomes physically and/or psychologically dependent on an activity or substance. Even though the addict may know the addiction is damaging to their health, finances and emotional wellbeing in some way, they are compelled to repeat the activity.
Addictions exert a long and powerful influence on the brain. Substances such as alcohol, drugs and tobacco cause a particularly powerful surge of dopamine in the brain, and it is the speed with which the substance promotes this dopamine release that leads to addiction. The same thing happens during an addictive activity such as gambling or gaming.
This dopamine hit can lead to a physical dependence on the substance or activity and create a history of addiction. As the craving for the activity continues, a psychological dependence develops.
Some of the most common addictive substances and activities are:
- Addiction to alcohol
- Addiction to drugs
- Addiction to tobacco
- Problem gambling
- Addiction to food
- Addiction to games — or video game addiction
- Internet addictions like excessive social media use
Although it is difficult to break away from an addiction, there are many routes to recovery and help is available.