1E – Addiction

This module aims to help you explore and gain understanding of the following:

• The difference between addiction and compulsion
• What role addiction played in your online behaviour
• How you can start to address your addictions

What do we mean by a compulsion or addictive behaviour?

Addiction: a condition characterized by a chronic, compulsive need to repeat a behaviour, despite the associated negative consequences.

Compulsion: an irresistible inner force that compels the person to perform certain acts persistently and repeatedly even though he or she disapproves of them. Failure to perform the behaviour is a source of anxiety.

Typically an individual becomes dependent on something to reduce the pain of certain emotions. Usually they get pleasure the first time they try it and then they return to the behaviour to get the same feeling of pleasure. Continual usage leads to a reliance on the behaviour to feel normal, which ultimately leads to psychological dependence.