Behavior of Addicts

Addiction is a medical issue and, like most medical issues, there are certain elements that go unseen or misunderstood. A diabetic who regularly enjoys a pound of Angel Food cake isn’t seen as having dangerous behavior until they end up in a diabetic coma. Likewise, the behavior of addicts isn’t always identified as having anything to do with the addiction until the situation becomes dangerous. You can find out specific behaviors that apply to an addict you know when you talk with their counselor at an affordable drug rehab center, but, until then, you may not even notice them.

Poor Emotion Regulation

One of the biggest reasons that people are actively addicted is because they have difficulty experiencing or controlling their emotions. They become overwhelmed easily and are unable to express themselves in a healthy manner. Some of the more obvious signs of this are listed below:

• Individual is unable to express emotions.
• Individual expresses extreme emotions.
• Often declares they “can’t take anymore,” or something similar.
• Seeks out activities or other elements to help them avoid experiencing emotions.

Manipulation Experts

To say that addicts are manipulation experts makes it seem as if they are bad people, but that isn’t the case. They simply use the tools required to fulfill their needs. It is no different than a workaholic blowing a new deal out of proportion as an excuse to stay at work rather than go home. Addicts have excellent bargaining skills that almost always lead to them getting something that applies to their addiction. The word “no” simply doesn’t exist for them, and they will try to circumvent it any way they can.

Poor Priorities

The first priority of an addict is to maintain a certain degree of activity involving the addiction. This comes before themselves, family, friends, work, school, or anything else. In fact, in some cases, they will not even participate in areas where their addictive substance isn’t allowed or, if they do, they will sneak the substance in without others realizing.

Emotional Manipulation

This is probably the area that makes Orange County rehab centers so effective. Addicts use the emotions of their loved ones to feed their addictions. A loving mother won’t lend money because she knows it will be spent on drugs, but the addict then pours on the guilt concerning all the ways she “failed” as a mother, so that the mother eventually gives in.

In a low cost rehab, or an expensive one, staff members aren’t emotionally involved, so they cannot be emotionally manipulated. Since this is one of the most effective tools of the addict, not being able to use it means learning to accept the word “no” and looking for other options than they are used to being presented with.

In short, almost every behavior the addict does is somehow related to feeding the addiction. You may not see it immediately, but it’s there, lurking underneath the surface. Though an addict should not be defined as a person only by their addiction, their behaviors should almost always be assessed for the potential they have to feed the addiction.

If you’re looking for help with an addiction problem, feel free to contact the addiction specialists at Yellowstone Recovery today at 888-897-1455.