T4 E25 Adicciones: ¿Qué son y cómo nos afectan?

It is estimated that at least one of each ten people will develop some kind of behavioral addiction throughout their lives. The most common is even addiction to the game, social networks, compras compulsivas, consumption of pornography and excessive use of screens. Many times these addictions are not so easy because they do not imply a substance, but the impact may be also deep. These conducts can generate deteriorate in the mental health, problems in relationships and a loss of progressive control. Get out of a difficult addiction, but not impossible. And you never have to do it alone. If you, a family or a friend, are crossing problems with some behavioral addiction, you can receive free and confidential help contacting the treatment centers of addiction of your locality, or ask for professional orientation of mental health. Marcos, look at the clock. They are the three of the drug. Your phone does not live, but it does not have it. It is immersed in its computer, surpassing the same position that failed at night. Preparated to try again, this time it surely comes out. The adrenaline flow when it clicks to hit it makes it feel invincible. Martín feels that his life is in pause because Sofia does not respond to it. Two days ago they discussed a theory, but for him it is the apocalypse. I hope it is unsupportable. So give me the phone and write a message. The rhythm full of excuses that he believes. The device sends and feels a little more calm. But it knows that in a few hours it will return to the same cycle. Check if they are in line, read the chats and what they are going to say in that need. Constantly that she responds to it and it is valid. Anna is on another planet. She is not able to wake up from the infinite scroll of the social networks. She has already taken three hours watching TikTok videos. Only one more and I regret it. But it can not stop. Clara has everything under control. Or does she believe that? She is shot in the room surrounded by boxes of bios that she did not even open. Her cell phone vibrates with another notification. It offers for time limited 20% off. It does not click, no doubt. They are already moving between shoes, clothes. And those robot aspirators who swear to need it, but who will never use it. Every time she confirms a purchase, it feels like a slow motion. But when the screen returns thanks for her purchase, the motion disappears faster than the target's jump. Laura is in war with her head. Every night when everyone calms, she reaches the storm. The boss, who doesn't know what to do in that meeting, the mail that she will send us, that feeling of being a disaster. It appears all anxiety. And as always, her solution is the ice cream. Open the door and race with everything. Chocolate, ice cream, rest of pizza. It puts everything inside its body, as if it were spreading inside and inside. When the term ends, only the arms remain. The inch are the evil star. Because the problem was never the shoulder, but the chair. Each of these stories, although they seem very different scenarios, share something. They are very daily and innocent actions that suddenly become an uncontrollable need. Play, look around, buy things that we don't need. Give us food grains. They are so daily things that seem unoffensive. But all share the potential to transform themselves into something bigger. A addiction that can take us completely. And when you want to realize, you don't know what to say. What is the finite line that divides the pleasure of the compulsion? What happens to our brain when activities are apparently unoffensive and addictive? I am Marina Mamoliti. Psychologist. And this is psychological disorder. The mental health of Psyma Moliki. Where we wake up together in the depths of the mind. Today we present addictions. What is the first thing that comes to mind when I tell you the word "addiction"? Yes, okay, without thinking about it. I'm almost sure that you thought about drugs, alcohol, or other substances, right? And that's vital because they are the addictions that we know historically. But in the last decades, the researchers of all disciplines are putting the eye on other types of addictions. Addictions that come calling for a lot of attention through the deep consequences that have the life of the people. And in general, we are all a bit victims. Yes, me and you too. Even if we don't know them, they call addictions without substances or add behaviors. behaviors that are simply seen are unoffensive and daily, but they let it go. Addictions to behaviors or behaviors that are behaviors that we repeat compulsively. And even knowing that they have an impact in what we do or we let it do, and that they don't make us understand well, they don't rest much longer than their sea. The word "addiction" comes from the Latin "addictus", which means slave or condemned. In the old Rome, an addictus was someone who could not pay their debts. And as a punishment, the legal system delivered it as a slave to its creator until he left what he should. That is, if you could not pay your debts to that person, and you have to work for her until you leave what you should. The day is that the word "addictus" comes from there, because someone is being accused of something. In that case, it was an addictus. That is exactly what we are when we are trapped in an addictive pattern. It is slaves of a substance or of a conduct that we feel that we cannot leave. The place of an economic debt is a psychological or emotional debt. In the last decades, the world has turned into our most crazy fantasies. We had imagined. Internet changed everything. And when I say everything, it's everything. Consolular is in hand, computers, al alcance, all the time and the cards of credit that allow us to spend without seeing a ticket. It is the perfect context for some addictions to be disparated at levels never before seen. We lived and connected with access to 24/7 digital stimulus that bomb us without rest. Of course, it is the perfect cocktail for these conducts to be disparated at the end. The ideal cocktail for the pleasure becomes a compulsion. To enjoy it, it becomes a necessity. Although we do not have exact numbers because the addictions vary according to the country and the context. The next numbers are impacting. Listen to this. Between 150 million and 750 million people present a problematic use of Internet and social networks. These are data of international society for the investigation about Internet addiction. That is, as if all the inhabitants of Latin America had attached to their screens with the phone addiction. One of 624 million people are trapped in the behavior of compulsives according to the international review of mental and addiction. Yes, 624 million. That is, two times the population of the United States. Two times. The World Health Organization tells us that between 77 and 231 million people suffer addiction to play. Ludo Patia. It is like joining the entire population of Brazil in a casino. And if we talk about addiction to pornography, the African-American Association of Psychology has a problem affecting about 424 million people. As if all the European Union was leading with that. The numbers are strong and are not only statistics. They talk about millions of affected fractured relationships, of seeking help from this hope. And above all, people talk about the issue. The big question is, what is it that something it gives us to do? It turns into a necessity that we cannot control. How is it that something that started like a simple, time, ends up observing us completely? As it is such an broad issue and so fascinating, I'm going to disclose it in several episodes. This is the first. An introduction to mental addiction. Then we're going to focus more on the addiction to the game or empathy, social addiction, pornography, buy them. But we're going to start by the basics. What are the mental addiction? So, put yourself comfortable, put yourself comfortable, that we already started. There are a lot more bad habits or conducts that we repeat. The addiction in which it takes its shape has a common nucleus. There is a loss of control. In the case of mental addiction, we talk about a conduct that, like a substance, is going to place us, calm or escape, and with time, we can finish taking the reins of our lives. What began like something casual, daily, something that all do, like, review a little social networks, play a video game, see pornography, or buy online. It can be converted into a compulsion that affects our relationships, because we stop being present in real games, to our work, because it starts affecting concentration, or we stop responsibilities, and our mental health and physical. Because it takes us as well as anxiety, guilt, or isolation. In 2017, I ran a post-grad about consumption, problems of substances and behaviors, in the psychology faculty, in which I received. And of course, among the ideas of finding simple answers, you ask how, because someone becomes addicted to something, or how there is. But, as soon as it started, the first class told me something, there are no simple answers. The first thing I understood, is that the phenomenon of addictions is not something we can reduce, one does not know how to control, one does not have the will to stop. The addictions, both substances and behaviors, are phenomena complex, in which factors, biologists, psychologists and socials are not only a question of the will of the will. And the post-grad made me into a world that I am passionate about. The professor said in the first class, something that I am resonating. When we talk about addictions, the important thing is not the substance or the behavior in itself. We do not focus on alcohol, in cocaine, or in the machines, including coins. No, no. The important thing is the relationship that the person establishes with that. What did he say? That not everything the one who takes alcohol, plays video games or does compras on life will always end up being addicted. The problem is not in the object or in the perceived conduct. But in how? And why? Something that could be offensive is transformed in the center of someone's life. And there is where the question is complex. And here it comes, why is this look passionate me? Why is it focused? It changes everything. We stop worrying about alcohol, we stop worrying about social networks, pornography, or food. And we started to look a little deeper. What is looking at that person and that relationship with that substance or with that behavior? What is he asking? Do you want to escape something? Do you want to escape a emptiness? Do you want to calm down anxiety? And I say it changes everything. Because when we understand that we have to stop demonizing the substance and understand what the person is looking at when it is relationship with that. The way to delete the addiction is not only stop consuming that we do not know yet. It goes deeper. It is actually to understand what is what we need, what we are asking for that, to give us it, but in a more healthy way, without need to go back to the addiction. Because perhaps it is not hungry. Maybe it is an emotional way. The only thing you really need is to relax after a day heavy. And when you realize that, you can change the treatment of the side for another thing. A hot shower, to walk and suddenly and on the other hand, the treatment is to be the only solution. Maybe it is not cruel, hours, hours on social networks, only for entertainment. But what you are looking for is connection because you feel alone. And in that case, send a message with a friend to meet a cat. And that can give you what you really need, without need to give you hours on the screen. Or perhaps you buy online compulsives. They are not because you need that blouse or that brand new. But in reality, you want to get out of the environment or the monotonous. When we understand that empty is filling the addiction and we give this in reality we need the addiction disappears. And why are the mental today more and more common. Mainly, because we live in a designed society to capture our attention. Today everything is a click of distance. Do you want a Netflix movie? Do you want food? Some of the delivery. Ropa has stores online what you are looking for. Or even company has apps ready to play with someone. And there it is. To the reach of your cellular computer, you need to import where you are or what time is it? Now, that same stimulation is on your side. You can put in the risk and open the door so that those conducts are met in our routine until they control us more than us to them. And what is the difference in an addiction where it is the limit between pleasure or a dependency that complies your life. The addictions share a lot with the addictions like alcohol, cocaine, or other drugs. Why? Because they activate exactly the same areas of the brain. If those same they tell us more, I want more. The difference is in the detonation in the descendant here, there is no chemical substance. It's a conduct. But no, any conduct. If not, one that wants us and does not to understand it, we need to put in our brain. Let's see. We all have a brain compensation system. Something like the central motor in the brain. It's a complex system and is composed by several structures. It's a system. It's great. Because it's designed so we can repeat things that are essential to survive. Eat, socialize, have sex or achieve achieved. And in this system, the "stray player" is called dopamine. It's a hormone that we could say that it's something like the good news in the brain. It's an internal chemical that is activated when something gives us pleasure. Like when we eat our favorite food or we listen to a song that we love. It's the chemical of satisfaction. And the work of dopamine basically is to say to your brain. Hey, that was very good. I loved it. Let's do it again. Its function is super noble. It imposes that it's what makes us good. It's all perfect. But here comes the problem. In the addictions, this system is so noble, it's hacked. The inductive conducts are kidnapped to this recompense system. When an active conduct is activated by the happiness of too many times, or in a little healthy way, the brain begins to need more and more to feel the same level of satisfaction. So what at the beginning was pleasure now becomes an emergency. For example, buy something after a bad day and feel free. But with time that free lasts less. And you need to do another purchase. And another bigger to return to feel the same. The brain is used for extra. And the need is more and more to feel the same level of satisfaction. The recompense system is adjusted and begins to demand more stimulus to function. That is to say the need to repeat that conducts again more intense. While the pleasure we will do what we will do. For example, after a stressful day we will buy that blues that we love. For a few minutes we feel free. As if it is to buy to compensate the bad day. But the effect lasts less and less. And with time that feeling of rewards more and less. And next time we will need more to do another purchase. More big, more frequent to feel that same level before. And there we lose control. And although we see the negative consequences we cannot stop. Despite the gaps that we accumulate or the emotional state the only way to calm uncomfortable. But don't you believe as before? You will only have caught. Maybe until now you are thinking, "No, I am not addicted to anything." Or for the contrary, you ask if everything you like could be an addiction. Because we are a lot in the life that the word "addict" fits. "No, I am a super addicted to Netflix." But hey, not everything is an addiction. Now, we also minimize what it is. So to stop the clear things, we are going to put a name and affection to the addictions. We are not going to define them only with the subjective feeling that something has been hooked on us. But what we are going to do with the characteristics of science and in particular the DM5, which is the manual diagnostic and statistical of mental disorders. And we are going to go with that to identify when we are in front of a real addiction. Let's see how this looks in carnivorous. I'm going to tell you the story of Juan. Juan has 24 years. And as many of us started using Instagram as much as that. One day he went to a photo. And for his surprise, I liked to explode. But I didn't expect to see so much validation. But he was there. A wave of comments, of emotions, of fires. He said that it looked incredible. And that wave of validation touched something inside. Although sometimes it feels insecure, with his body, and his commentaries came back, an image that he loved. And of course, his brain didn't stop from releasing dopamine from being pure. Of course that later he did more. And with the time, Instagram left a reflection of his life and became the reason to live it. He began to be thinking all day in red. What photo to upload. How to pose. How to edit. He was in class and could not be paying attention to his mind. And in how to generate better content. Instagram became his daily routine. How to wake up. And the first thing he does is check if his followers went up. During the day, he feels like a kind of emergency. He has to upload a photo. Although he has to upload a photo. Although he has to upload a photo. Although he has to upload a photo. Although he has to upload a photo. Although he has to upload a photo. Although he has to upload a photo. When the people around him say, "Wow, you are all day with the cello. He dominifies you. Not exaggerating. Everyone uses it." And there is the problem. Why? It has a reason. It is so common that no one taught her how to act. It is so natural, that it would be offensive. This type of diction is perceived. But while it is not a problem, the consequences for Juan start to accumulate. But there is the story of what is going on. The faculty of Juan caught. The family scenes are just a moment to take out a photo and upload it. Their relationships start to more and more superficial. Their followers continue to upload. And he thinks that makes him happy. Until a day something happens. His phone doesn't stay without batteries. In the marriage of his aunt. The anxiety invades. It feels nervous as uncomfortable. It feels like a bad star that can't explain. His family is dancing, is enjoying. But he can't be present. And not to think that he needs a charger, that he does not wear a scarf. And suddenly all the events start to charge the cell phone. He comes to the house, connects the charger and waits. And when the screen turns on again? His spirit. From there something changes. He realizes that his phone is controlling his humor. Those likes don't fill the same emotion. The happiness begins to dilute. But even though it does not enjoy it as before, it still publics. Why? Because he solidizes a book. Fugas. A small chapter of things in which he doesn't want to think. His notes are low. Many of his roles or vacations. Or that feeling of solidity that he begins to invade. And so what he began as fun. Now is a drama. When he uses Instagram. Now Instagram uses it. And he loses the ability to deal with the sadness with the environment with the stress. Every time something is uncomfortable, the only thing he does is refugiate in the networks. He becomes his comfort zone. Now your story can sound quite extreme, right? Well, you would be surprised to know that the case of Juan today is very common. And the hardest is that when the screen is what is not satisfaction. If not, it is not easy. There is a question that I do many times when I think about this topic. And it is at what point we cross the line. Because we all use the phone. We all buy, we spend time in social networks. But when it is already an addiction. When it comes back to the point. There are nine criteria to determine that something is an addiction according to the S.M.5, this manual diagnostic. The S.M.5 says that it should be at least two criteria for a period of two months to consider that we are in front of an addiction. We are going to know those nine criteria. The first is to make a dangerous use. When you use something more planned. A situation that implies physical, emotional risks. For example, someone says that the cell phone while is driving. Although you know that maybe you could drive an accident. It is exactly the same. When someone consumes alcohol, starts with a copy, occasionally. But then, it ends up living in excess exposing all the time dangerous. As driving under the effects of alcohol. The indicator number two is very bad to be emotional and physical intense. When you can't realize the conduct. The person begins to feel insomnia. It is irritable. And even in some cases it is physical. For example, someone is extremely nervous. I am very scared when he has access to his phone or the internet. It is exactly the same when a person consumes alcohol. For example, it is anxious or irritable. Because it can't access his doubts. The third indicator is the toleration. It is necessary to make the conduct more and more to obtain the same level of pleasure or satisfaction. The need more and more to feel the same. For example, someone needs to spend many hours to feel the same satisfaction. This is the parallelism. We could say that it is the same that the people who increase the amount of alcohol that consume to feel the same effect that before. The fourth indicator of addiction is intention. Repeated to leave it or to control it. When the person tries to reduce the frequency or the intensity but can't be successful. For example, it decides to install an application of your phone to avoid spending so much time but at a little time it can't download it again. Parallelism with substance addiction is the same that when someone tries to stop smoking but can't resist the impulse of smoking a cigarette every time it feels stressed. Fifth indicator A lot of time dedicated to that behavior. In exchange for excessive thoughts, to do, plan, or recover after conducting it. For example, to someone who spends all his days thinking in the next position that it will be investigating strategies, waiting the moment to play. This is the same that when a person dictates to drugs all his days thinking in the substance in how he has to look for it, buying it, consuming it. Time to recover without realizing of all that time he's wasting. Number six is the impact in daily life. When an addiction affects negatively your family, your social life. For example, when a person despises of his work because he comes all day because he's wasting until he's drugged or without any sleep, watching videos or playing video games or betting. This is the same that when someone who consumes alcohol or any drug, takes care of his work or his relationships because his priority is to get or consume the substance. The seventh indicator is the desire to continue making the activity busy with the consequences. Even knowing that he's going to use problems, the person can't stop. For example, someone who follows buying clothes online, even if he's in debt to the body. And every time he feels more guilty, but the book of the purchase is quite strong that he can't leave it. It's the same that he spends a person addicted to drugs, that continues to consume, although he sees that his life is deteriorating around that addiction. The eighth indicator is problems social or interpersonal with other people. The conduct already begins to generate conflicts in the relationships of the person. For example, the couple becomes angry because they spend more time looking at the phone or choosing to see pornography instead of leaving or instead having intimacy with someone. It's like when a person with addiction to a drug prioritizes the consumption of his important relationships. On the other hand, who keep it or keep it coming near that are super important for the person. And the ninth is the incapacity to fulfill important roles. The conduct begins to interfere in key obligations. Like the study, the work or daily tasks. For example, someone who doesn't pay the rent of the department because he spent all his money in purchases that he didn't need. The priority is to obtain the pleasure of the purchase even though it will affect his economic stability. This is similar to what happens to someone with substance addiction that lets you fulfill your responsibilities as working or taking care of your family. Because the only thing that matters is to get that substance. As you see, the problem is not the activity of itself. But the relationship we build with that behavior. Using the regular social media compras, videogames is not at all for nature. The conflict arises when these conducts take control. When they interfere in our daily life and they take away what really doesn't matter. What are you trying to calm down? What are you trying to fill and avoid with that conduct? Behind each addiction there is a need not solved. And that's what we have to discover. Speaking of addictions and the other day with friends in a scene the question is possible to recover from the addictions. And the answer is a routine yes. Yes, absolutely yes. Now, as important, addictions disappear if the sun no, the dark time or the strength of the conflict. The addictions are deep that requires a sustained change and especially accompanied. Because no one comes out of this alone. In addictions looking for help is unnegotiable. The most effective treatments to come out of an addiction include the therapy with a conductual that is today the most recycled intervention scientifically to work with addictions. This therapy is accepted as a promise or act that is focused in learning to handle anxiety and the malestar without escaping through the addictions. Also, there are the support groups such as the alcohol groups anonymous narcotic anonymous all the groups of the 12 steps or others. And this is key. Because the addictions often is sustained in the isolation and in the vergüenza. And to share the experiences with other people that pass by the same help to break that cycle. The recovery is not only the strength of individual and the groups work giving support and content. And also listening to those who are in different stages of the process allows you to see that you can come out. And that there are practical tools that really work. Ah! And here it is not necessary to touch deep walls or spaces. In fact, when you look to help better. There are also other techniques that work like mindfulness, emotional or meditation and even. That are keys to manage anxiety and impulsivity. That are two key factors in the addictions. Because many times the addictions is not an attempt to calm down more deeply. The anxiety, the anxiety, the emptiness, then learning to manage is fundamental. And there are a lot of other interventions. If this topic resists and you feel that it is the moment of making a change. I tell you that we work with focus based on evidence. So, if you feel that it is the moment of making a change. Or if you know someone who could need it, you can visit us at www.melity.com and ask a session. Very good. We get to the practical part. It is the moment of making a change. Something you have to know is that working with addictions is complex. And to do it, you have to look for professional help. Today, I bring you to this part, three practical exercises that are more than a part. The first first step. They are tools that can help you to see with more clarity and push you to make the step to make a real change. So, I invite you to do something to note you will open your notes in the cell phone or you prepare to do it on a mental note. Let's start. The exercise number one will have to be able to explore your relationship with this conduct. Do you have a suspect on some conduct that could be affecting you more than what you thought? So, bring that conduct to your mind. It can be something that you feel that takes more space than it should in your life. I don't know, the excessive work social networks, shopping, pornography to video games, the series, food, what it is. And now, with that on the head, I want you to answer to yourself. So, more this activity of what I think is that or even the six situations that could be ridiculous. For example, you stay in networks of what you thought or you have more money than you said. Do you feel uncomfortable, anxious or irritated when you can't do the activity? For example, if you stay on the internet, nervous or at a total you need to do more or dedicate more time to feel the same as you felt at the beginning. For example, something that started as a start now you worry hours. Try to reduce or leave the activity but you can't. For example, you decided to limit the media to be in networks but you ended up scrolling for hours. You dedicate so much time to this activity or even thinking of this activity that you take care of other important things. For example, you spend more time watching videos or thinking in food more than studying, working or sharing with important people or whatever is important for you. That conducts. It affects your work to your study or your relationships. You keep doing that activity even if you have problems. For example, you buy things you don't need even if you're in debt. This conducts. It generates conflicts. Well, friends, relatives, for example, you complain because you are very dependent all the day of the phone. Much more than being in the conversation. I would be very clear how to study, work, take care of yourself, for example. Good and what do you notice? Once you have this recognition, we are in conditions then of going to exercise that will be a record of habits. Let's see this step that has to do with record. The goal of this activity is to identify the time and the frequency with which you realize the behavior. Do not give you an idea of the potential that the record has. In fact, to register, it is already an activity of the treatment of the addictions. Because it shows us, it makes us see, it makes us realize how long we spend in that activity. So, we are going to choose that behavior that you are dedicating much more time than you should have. It does not matter that this record is uncomfortable and heavy at first made made. How are you going to do it? Good. We are going to register. That conduct that can be coming out of control for a week, for seven days. And you are going to notice three things. When you do it, you are going to notice the duration of the activity. For example, check Instagram from 8 to 8 and a half. Or, I was thinking how to do that post from 9 to 11 and a half. You will also notice how you feel before making the conduct. You have laughed, sad, anxious, without desire. And you will also notice how you feel after making it. That is probably relieved or you can also be guilty, tired, frustrated. Those three things. Nothing more. Simple. But that will help us to see the complete panorama. Because sometimes we are aware of how much space occupies our life. Until we see it flat in paper or in an application. The record allows us to see patterns. As moments of the day in which we tend to fall more, or the emotions that tend to tone that conduct. Or even specific situations that are disparate. And at the end of the week, check your record and detect patterns. How many hours do you dedicate to the conduct? What emotions appeared before and what emotions appeared after? In what moments are the most active situations? And at the exercise, number three, call me "dare el paso". This is going to be if you identify that there is something that would be good to work. First, you are going to investigate a resource of helping close your eyes. It can be a group of support, a community online, a professional of the mental health, a course, a specific book about the topic. What is sought is something concrete. And look, I tell you, it is not necessary that you are committed to but enter the web page to read, send a message, call, to see what is the process, nothing more than that. And tell someone to trust what you discover about you. It can be a friend, your partner, a family, you don't have to enter in details, if you don't want to. But share, I would like to do something with the respect of this conduct. To say it in your mind helps that commitment is more real. The addictions in the background are attacks that we take to lead with the pain, with anxiety, with incomodity. A temporal part. A quick solution that in the end leaves us empty. Not only a question of volunteers, a character problem, not a personal failure. They are complex patterns, they are surrounded with our emotions, our fears, and many times, with the most vulnerable parts of ourselves. If you reach here, I want you to take a moment. Breathe in, and think of everything you heard today. With this episode, I said a first step, which is to understand, because the knowledge gives you power. And now, you know, how the addiction works, it's important. And now that you know, you can start looking with more clarity of your own habits. Or, help someone close that you think maybe has some addiction. If you think this episode can help someone share it. Let's do the circle information. We don't know how much we can help someone share it. In the next episodes of this series, we will measure in each one of the mental behaviors. So, if one of these themes in general curiosity does not ask you what is coming. A episode of podcast can be the first step to explore us. But, if you want to be more profound, I want to invite you to be part of the club of Bienestar from Psyma Moliti. It's a safe space, with experiences in life, exclusive resources, a emotional laboratory, a lecture club and much more. It's our space to grow in community. Enter everything about our club in Psyma Moliti.com Barra Club.