Addiction is normally defined as a chemical, physical or psychological dependence which negatively impacts a person's life. Common addictions include addiction to alcohol, drugs (or substance abuse), gambling, sex and over-eating.
A person becomes an addict when the body begins to rely on a substance or behavior in order to function. Most addictions continue due to unbearable symptoms resulting from attempts to withdraw from addictive behavior.
Addiction was long perceived to be the result of bad judgement and lack of willpower. More recently, however, studies have found that addictions are the result of various environmental as well as pre-existing conditions, some of which are genetic in nature.
The causes of addiction can vary from between individuals. In general researchers attribute addictions as the body's way of compensating for the lack of a particular "ingredient" or substance. A "healthy" individual will naturally produce various chemicals and conditions within the body that provide internal balance and harmony. Those lacking these vital components will inevitably seek out a substitute which may lead to an unhealthy dependency or addiction.
Many individuals are addicted to one thing or another. Some addictions however are not as imparing as others, for instance an individual may be addicted to sugar or watching television but never consider the consumption of either as having a negative impact on his/her life.
Common treatments for addiction involve support groups, expensive hospital stays and medication or criminal punishment. Because of the low success rates of these treatment programs currently used in the United States (less than 20%), alternative medicine offers great promise.
A holistic approach to wellness is perhaps the most promising technique to treating addictions that are harmful to an individual. It involves examining the patient, the environment in which they live, the influences in their lives and their physical state.
A proper diet is essential to treating addictions. The body must receive the nourishment it needs through the consumption of natural foods. Once the individual has begun treatment and is no longer consuming the products of their particular addiction it is necessary to treat the withdrawl symptoms appropriately.
Some effective treatments of withdrawl symptoms include Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Herbal Medicine, Biofeedback Training and Ayurvedic Medicine. It may be necessary to combine treatments in order to fully meet the needs of the particular individual and addiction withdrawl.
