Addictive Personality Disorder

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There are many psychological conditions that can affect the way a person acts, feels and goes on about their daily life. There is one in particular that caught my attention and it is the "Addictive Personality Disorder" or APD. According to Daniel H. Angres, MD "addictive personality disorder is a condition in which an individual is susceptible to addiction", which can range anywhere from drug abuse to pornography to even gambling. People are considered to be at risk of having this common but serious condition when one shows aggression, depression and lack of self control. People with this disorder can go from one addiction to the next or even hold multiple addictions at a time.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows that "in 2006, 23.6 million people aged 12 and older require treatment for alcohol or drug problems with only 2.5 million receiving help" this is only 9.6 percent of the population. There are many other causes for addiction such as anxiety, depression, social factor and even genetics, but there is no doubt that the addictive personality disorder has an impact in a lot of these peoples life's.
"The primary chemical cause of an addictive personality disorder is abnormal dopamine levels" according to an article written by Marilyn Clark. Dopamine is what helps a person regulate emotions, feeling of pleasure and everyday tasks such as movement. People who naturally have a harder time coping and dealing with everyday activities tend to be more likely to develop addictions to mood elevators but according to researchers "people who are nervous get addicted easier to downers such as marijuana or benzodiazepines" these are the people that most likely develop APD.
This disorder can also be heredit...

... middle of paper ...

... bodily functions of the brain and the emotional areas of the brain" which is what makes it so hard for addicts to seek help and stick to the treatments.
In conclusion, this is a common but very serious condition; many of the people who suffer from addictive personality disorder don't know it and it could very well ruin their lives. Any addiction is a serious problem but when one is susceptible to it, it automatically becomes worse. Throughout the course of this research paper, I pointed out facts that have been proven through science. Many people can lead a normal and healthy life while dealing with this condition if the proper support and help is presented. I hope to have helped raise the awareness of this illness and to help encourage people who suffer or think they may suffer from it to seek help so they could continue to live a healthy and addiction free life.

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