I am wondering others on this forum with schizophrenia believe they have an addictive personality. I am wondering if the two things are connected at all, especially with the involvement with dopamine and since that’s involved in reward and addiction. If anyone does feel they have an addictive personality, does this correspond with schizophrenia symptoms at all? Is there a reduction of “addictive” type behavior upon taking APs? I am just curious, because I am very addictive. (they are not to any sort of drug by the way, more so to video games and computer stuff) .
I come from a family of addictive personality. I have a very addictive personality.
These might be connected, it’s something to think about and maybe look in to.
But for me, I self-medicated as a way of coping with my SZ. I’ve really been giving this some thought and writing it out.
The alcohol was to try and quiet the voices
The pot was to try and turn down the panic and paranoia
The meth and coke was to try and have the energy to keep going
The XTC was so I could feel something for someone.
The LSD was to try and cover up my other hallucinations.
the head circus was in town long before I started drugs.
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I have had problems with addiction. Morphine, alcohol and computer games. I have stopped them all now and I have no feelings that I need them anymore. I’ve been sober and morphine free for 3 years. I stopped playing video games when I was hospitalized and got meds. I don’t feel like playing games anymore. Maybe it’s the meds doing it. Never thought about it.
I used to smoke tobacco and cigars, but I dropped these years ago, but today I may be addicted to medical nicotine gum that I must drop now. It just makes me to feel good when I take some nicotine.
Yes, I have at least 6 addictions going right now and anything new I start may easily turn into an addiction or a compulsive routine. I have been addicted to all the usual drugs and alcohol at one time, but now that I’m older, my addictions are tamer. Coffee and cigarettes in the morning are essential though.
I know the concept of an addictive personality is considered spurious by many, but I have found it one of the keys to understanding my behaviors.
If you read about dopamine in Wikipedia you will see that it has more to do with the anticipation of pleasure than with the experiencing of pleasure, which was interesting to me. Life would be a poor place if I couldn’t look forward to certain pleasures during the day.
And to answer your question, no I don’t think addictive personalities are in any way connected to schizophrenia or antipsychotics. I was easily hooked on things like television shows and hobbies when I was 6 years old as I remember.
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Yes, I am a caffeine addict too, I am just making some coffee, sometimes I chew medical nicotine gum while I drink coffee, without caffeine I could not wake up really.
You can replace smoking by chewing medical nicotine gum …
Changed my mind on this. I see when I think about it that the gene which causes schizophrenia may be correlated with addictive personality genes. Do we know enough to tell at this point? I don’t know. Maybe I was doomed to both maladies by the same gene.
I’ve been sort of thinking the same thing. That addictive personality isn’t the cause of mental illness, but maybe a symptom. Almost everyone in the family has fought an addiction and has other mental health issues.
Since there is so much of it in my family, it tends to get look on as learned behavior. But I still think it’s a symptom.
My addiction is the cigarettes now. I was also drinking every day, i quit drinking when i went in to psychosis, now i haven’t drunk for 3 months and i am going to stay away from alcohol until days warm up, and than probably once a week whenever i go out. I don’t have any other addiction.
After a month and a half of not drinking I started craving cigarettes really bad (I had quit 6 months prior). I couldn’t take it anymore and was about to go buy a pack but decided to just try dipping instead. It took away the cigarette cravings, so that’s what I do now. But to be honest, the things I find the hardest to quit are caffeine, diet soda, and fast food.
not addicted to alcohol nor any drugs. drank and got high during college years but dont even have desire or motivation to anymore, i even tried to start cigarette smoking to help reduce some symptoms, it just doesnt work for me it helped calm me down however it just made the voices louder so i just quit cold turkey.
My addictions are food and coffee. I binge eat, especially when anxious or depressed. I used to be a big cigarette smoker, but I quit cold turkey years ago.
its always been anxiety with me I no longer drink but the anxiety and depression that comes with this illness made me want to drink ive gottn into so much trouble through drinking in the past.
anxiety is the worst part of rthis illness for me .
I do feel that addictive personality is connected to sz, I love eating gum + sugar cubes, cocacola or pepsi, and a lot of things plus obsessions about things…I do have an addiction to video games, computer accessories and stuff, they make my mind working, and keep me away from working on obsessions and delusions, but it’s hardly called an addiction, it’s a hobby…can someone holds a violin who practices most her/his time practicing to be addicted on violin ! no you can’t…I think it’s the same.
i do not get addicted, but i do have ocd and i like switches,
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take care
Alcoholism runs in my family. Both my dad and my grandfather were alcoholics. My grandfather was able to quit drinking at age 50 when he “found religion” . My dad tapered down as he got older. I never drank alcoholically, a few beers at a time was good enough for me. But I got drunk a lot too. I got addicted to crack when I was 26. Smoked it A LOT for three years. In1990 I got clean. On January 1st I will have 24 years clean. No booze, no pot, no drugs. And sobriety is WAY better than being high or drunk all the time.
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Never have I been addicted to anything. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. Not attempted any risk taking behaviors. Not interested. Not into any video / computer games. Not keen on shopping. I like nature and everything simple. Spend a lot of time on movies and hiking in the past. I like all kinds of stories. Was a keen learner. I self learn traditional Chinese medicine.
Zyprexa in the beginning. Switched to Flupentixol, after that Abilify and Quetiapine.