The topics of self control and addiction often go hand in hand. Self control can be defined as “the ability to control one’s impulses when faced with challenges or temptations” (Science Direct, 2019). A question is raised: do people become addicts due to lack of self control, or does addiction to something reduce self control and therefore make it difficult to quit? UCLA found that “drug addiction is responsible for decreased impulse control while at the same time increasing the addict's desire to take more drugs” (UCLA). Furthermore, while poor impulse control can lead to the initial taking of substances, it is also shown that ``A person develops a complete loss of control over their behavior” and/or “A person develops a decreased ability to control cravings for pleasure” (mentalhelp.net). The following video proposes that looking beyond our current thoughts regarding self control could be very beneficial.
Why don't they just stop? addiction and the loss of Control. Mental Help Why Dont They Just Stop Addiction and the Loss of Control Comments. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.mentalhelp.net/addiction/why-cant-they-stop/
Which comes First: Addiction or impaired impulse control? Which Comes First: Addiction Or Impaired Impulse Control? | Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.semel.ucla.edu/dual-diagnosis-program/News_and_Resources/Which_Comes_First_First_Addiction_Or_Impaired_Impulse_Control
Willems, Y. E., Boesen, N., Li, J., Finkenauer, C., & Bartels, M. (2019, February 26). The heritability of self-control: A meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763418307905
I really enjoyed reading your post! the quote "drug addiction is responsible for decreased impulse control while at the same time increasing the addict's desire to take more drugs" really stuck out to me, and I feel that more people should take a look into this, as it is ongoing in our world today!
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer! I enjoyed reading your blog post! You definitely picked a very interesting topic that is a huge concern worldwide! Therefore, it is extremely important for us to gather a greater understanding on the role of self control in addiction to be able to help those struggling.
ReplyDeleteHey Jennifer, I was just writing about addiction and I really enjoyed your post! This is a serious matter and its really horrifying that so many of our world's population are addicts. I think what matters is getting help and doing any thing that can make a person understand drugs are not the way to a persons life.
ReplyDeleteHi! I really enjoyed reading your post and the TedTalk you included was very interesting and helpful!
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