Answer by Craig Bilton

Anything that has the capacity to change someone’s mood or state of mind has the capacity to become addictive i.e. substances, behaviours, people etc. While different people find or use different things to change their mood or state of mind, addiction can be defined as becoming totally dependent on something.

What we generally see with all addictions are the following things:

1. Diminished control over or total loss over the behaviour
• I only meant to have 1 drink
• I only meant to spend R500
• I can’t seem to control how much I use/drink/gamble/eat etc.
2. The behaviour appears obsessive and compulsive
• My mind is controlled by thought of using/drinking/gambling/having sex etc. (obsessive)
• Once I start I can’t seem to stop (compulsive)
3. Pre-occupation with the behaviour or the use of the substance/device
• Where I go, who I go with, what I do is centred around my addiction
• (pre-occupation)
4. A sense of loss, disequilibrium, distress or craving when the object/substance/ is unavailable or the behaviour is stopped
5. Continued use despite problems that may have arisen as a result of the behaviour.