Recognising addiction in yourself and others
Back to Topic
Click to Print
Useful Websites
Glossary Term Selection
By Emma Pawsey
We all know what an addict looks like right? It’s a down-and-out person, someone without a career or home, or a washed-up rock star. Wrong. Addicts can be anyone and many demonstrate no outward signs of their addiction. The majority are employed and regularly successful, have active social lives and are fun to be around. They hide their addictions from even those closest to them. These are known as high functioning addicts.
Functioning addicts are becoming more commonplace in modern society. In particular, alcoholism is not what it used to be. Alcoholics vary greatly from moderate drinkers to those at-risk of long-term damage. Not every alcoholic or substance abuser has the train-wreck image that we imagine or is portrayed in the media. Signs of a functional addict are far more subtle and the advancement of the condition can be slower. High functioning addicts set themselves limits but inevitably go over them and are unable to quit this behaviour.
Functioning addicts ...
Want to see the rest of this article?
Would you like to see the rest of this article and all the other benefits that Issues Online can provide with?
- Useful related articles
- Video and multimedia references
- Statistical information and reference material
- Glossary of terms
- Key Facts and figures
- Related assignments
- Resource material and websites
