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Staying in Active Addiction Is a Choice Even If Addiction Isn’t a Choice

Nnatasha Tracy

Staying in an active addiction is a choice. This is not to suggest that addiction itself is a choice -- it isn't -- addiction itself can be considered a mental illness, and an illness is never a choice. That said, when a person continues in their addiction, that is a choice. I wish people would acknowledge that.

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Can Eating Disorders Change?

MQ Mental Health

But a person diagnosed with anorexia might develop binge eating disorder, or other types of eating disorders, as this personal story backed by research can attest. This Eating Disorder Awareness Week we consider whether eating disorders can change throughout a person’s life. But it’s certainly got ‘different’.

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Can Eating Disorders Change?

MQ Mental Health

But a person diagnosed with anorexia might develop binge eating disorder, or other types of eating disorders, as this personal story backed by research can attest. This Eating Disorder Awareness Week we consider whether eating disorders can change throughout a person’s life. But it’s certainly got ‘different’.

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Antisocial Behavior and Drug Addiction

Gateway Foundation

Many people who struggle with substance use disorder (SUD) may also display antisocial behaviors. Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) or antisocial behavior can include poor impulse control, which can cause people to engage in risky behaviors, such as sharing needles with others, resulting in HIV or hepatitis.

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Why Doesn’t Punishment Stop Addiction?

Gateway Foundation

Addiction is a medical condition, not a character flaw. Yet, despite the research and overwhelming evidence in favor of this position, drug addiction continues to be stigmatized. It’s crucial that we understand substance use disorder for the complex yet treatable disease that it is.

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Why Playing the Lottery Is So Addictive

Gateway Foundation

The lottery is a common entertainment source that can quickly become addictive. Playing the lottery can become addictive when an individual develops an unhealthy compulsion to engage in it. While purchasing lottery tickets occasionally does not indicate an addiction, playing the lottery excessively can become an addiction.

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How to Talk With Patients About Substance Use Disorder

Gateway Foundation

When a patient with substance use disorder (SUD) visits, it’s essential to talk to them in a way that shows sensitivity and empathy while avoiding stigmatizing language. Here’s how you can alter your language to avoid these stigmas and create a safe, supportive environment for patients with addiction: 1.