Do you think several addictions can be linked together in certain individuals?

Question by ThisIsIt!: Do you think several addictions can be linked together in certain individuals?
So often I see people quit smoking only to become addicted to food. I see alcoholics quit drinking but either start eating to excess or increasing their smoking. I see drug addicts who are addicted to drugs and alcohol at the same time. I see gambling addicts who are also sex addicts.

A very wise women once told me that, “Addictions are like a nest of mice. If you see one, there are more hidden away.”

What do you think about that? Do you think a super-anti-addiction drug or program could cure them all?

Best answer:

Answer by Tashi D
Hello,

There are two answers to your two questions.

1. Often, a person who has the disease of one addiction will have others. This is my own personal observation.

2. When a person deals with one addiction, they still have the disease of addiction in them, and their busy ego will cast about until it can find another to take its place. Meth addicts can go straight to food addiction, alcoholics to sex addiction, heroin addicts become alcoholics, Cocaine addicts turn to gambling, ad infinitum .Food addicts turn to sex. It’s really common.

Addicts need to keep going to their original 12-step program no matter what. There are additional 12-step programs for every disease they can come up with, and with all those meetings, and meeting with sponsors and sponsees, the theory is, they’ll be just too busy to use.

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