Addictions can develop from the overuse and/or dependency on a substance (e.g. alcohol, nicotine or drugs) or from compulsive behaviours (e.g. gambling, technology, shopping or internet pornography), whereby the addiction starts to cause significant distress or disruption in a person’s life. It may take increasing amounts of a substance to achieve the desirable “high” and there are often unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that arise from attempts to refrain from using the substance. The disruption can interfere with a person’s health, relationships, work performance, finances or overall quality of life.
