An Answer to Addiction

Addiction is an insidious mental health issue – and a topic fraught with taboos and misconceptions. Addictions today go beyond better-known issues like alcoholism and gambling, offering their own challenges to sufferers and their loved ones. ANDY LEACH is an experienced psychotherapist from Promises Healthcare; he tells us more about addiction in Singapore and effective treatments.

- ANDY LEACH

What are the lesser known addictions people can suffer from?

You can be addicted to anything. It’s a compulsion to use substances or engage in behaviours to avoid how you’re feeling. Basically, it’s selfmedication through video gaming, pornography, masturbation, sex, shopping, overeating or something else. Each individual has their own particular “arousal template”. Addiction as a disease is about how we reward ourselves. People suffering from addictions have a maladapted way of seeking rewards.

What are the most common addictions you see in your work?

Some of the most common addictions I see in Singapore are alcohol, sex, gambling and prescription medication addictions. For the last one, they do what’s called “doctor shopping”, where they go to multiple doctors for prescription medications. I also see a number of kids addicted to over-the-counter cough mixture.

How can you tell if someone you know has an addiction of some type?

It depends a lot on the addiction. But what you’ll generally see is the person taking more of the substance or continuing the behaviours for longer than intended. You’ll see the person trying to stop, but it’s difficult for them. As they spend more time on their addictions, you’ll witness an increase in difficult emotions such as depression and anxiety.

You may also start to see effects on their social engagements and relationships. If you’re close to them, you may also notice irrationality, anger or aggression when you talk to them about cutting down or stopping. Basically, the illness of addiction affects every area of people’s lives: physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually.

How should family or friends approach a person who is in denial about addiction?