Addiction and Personality
A voluminous literature notwithstanding, there is little convincing empirical research about the correlation between personality traits and addictive behaviors. Substance abuse and dependence (alcoholism, drug addiction) is only one form of recurrent and self-defeating pattern of misconduct. People are addicted to all kinds of things: gambling, shopping, the Internet, reckless and life-endangering pursuits. Adrenaline junkies abound.The connection between chronic anxiety, pathological narcissism, depression, obsessive-compulsive traits and alcoholism and drug abuse is well established and common in clinical practice. But not all narcissists, compulsives, depressives, and anxious people turn to the bottle or the needle. Frequent claims of finding a gene complex responsible for alcoholism have been consistently cast in doubt.In 1993, Berman and Noble suggested that addictive and reckless behaviors are mere emergent phenomena and may be linked to other, more fundamental traits, such as novelty seeking or risk taking. Psychopaths (patients with Antisocial Personality Disorder) have both qualities in ample quantities. We would expect them, therefore, to heavily abuse alcohol and drugs. Indeed, as Lewis and Bucholz convincingly demonstrated in 1991, they do. Still, only a negligible minority of alcoholics and drug addicts are psychopaths.
From my book "Malignant Self-love - Narcissism Revisited":"Pathological narcissism is an addiction to Narcissistic Supply, the narcissist's drug of choice. It is, therefore, not surprising that other addictive and reckless behaviours - workaholism, alcoholism, drug abuse, pathological gambling, compulsory shopping, or reckless driving - piggyback on this primary dependence.The narcissist - like other types of addicts - derives pleasure from these exploits. But they also sustain and enhance his grandiose fantasies as "unique", "superior", "entitled", and "chosen". They place him above the laws and pressures of the mundane and away from the humiliating and sobering demands of reality. They render him the centre of attention - but also place him in "splendid isolation" from the madding and inferior crowd.Such compulsory and wild pursuits provide a psychological exoskeleton. They are a substitute to quotidian existence. They afford the narcissist with an agenda, with timetables, goals, and faux achievements. The narcissist - the adrenaline junkie - feels that he is in control, alert, excited, and vital. He does not regard his condition as dependence. The narcissist firmly believes that he is in charge of his addiction, that he can quit at will and on short notice." Read a lot more about Narcissism, Substance Abuse, and Reckless Behaviors
Read more about the Adrenaline Junkie
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
Related Tags: personality, addiction, and
Sam Vaknin ( http://samvak.tripod.com ) is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and After the Rain - How the West Lost the East. He served as a columnist for Central Europe Review, Global Politician, PopMatters, eBookWeb , and Bellaonline, and as a United Press International (UPI) Senior Business Correspondent. He was the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Find Out About Five Tips We All Found In This Anxiety Free Today Review.
Are you in search of an honest Anxiety Free Today review that actually has useful information? If so - Review: Don't Buy Or Download The Panic Away Ebook Or Program By Joe Barry Before You Read This
There have been lots of reports lately that anxiety and panic is at the root of mental instability. - Parenting Guide For Child Discipline
The subject of how parents should discipline their children is a perennial issue. Much of the debate - Counselling With Animals
Grief is a feeling many people experience during the course of their lives. Often, these feelings be - Are You Confused About Choosing Psychology As A Career ?
Before starting further about career opportunities in psychology, why not we first consider what is - Psychology School Prerequisites
In the last few years, a psychology justice degree has earned a vast popularity. In fact, in recent - Children With Anxiety
Many youngsters will experience fear or anxiety during their youth. An editorial in the December, 20 - Subliminal Learning - Is This Future?
This article is a quick introduction to the growing phenomenon of subliminal learning. This subject - Evolve Your Personality With Subliminal Messages
Subliminal messages are a pretty new phenomenon, but they are slowly starting to take over the inter - Is There Such A Thing As A Broken Heart?
Most view women as the more emotional ones of the species. It is said by some that it is why women h
Most viewed articles in this category:
- How Accurate Can A Psychic Be?
No reader will ever hit 100% accuracy. It doesn't matter if the reader uses numerology, tarot, astr - Knowledge Of Behavior
Also known as self-fulfilling prophecies, interpersonal expectancy effects have been shown to be a s - The Narcissist in Therapy
The narcissist regards therapy as a competitive sport. In therapy the narcissist usuall - How Do Images Move In And Out of the Mind?
How do images move in and out of the mind? Begin with this. While at first glance, this question may - The Hateful Patient - Difficult Patients in Psychotherapy
In 1978, a medical doctor by the name of J.E. Groves published in the prestigious New Engl - Individual Perception And Society
People do not simply acquire knowledge about the objects in their social world. Instead, individuals - FAQ on Couple Therapy
Following questions & answers are written to help you gain a better understanding about couple thera - Balance: Entrepreneurial or Workaholic?
A workaholic is someone who has no identity beyond their work. Life is about so much more than what - Social Psychology: The Psychological Explanations of Social Phenomena
The various aspects of social psychology could be examined within the wide concepts of intelligence, - Why Does Cognitive Therapy Work?
Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron Beck, is a structured, time-limited and pragmatic approach to