Is there an addictive personality?
Is there an addictive personality?
The phrase 'addictive personality' is used so commonly in our culture that few of us question whether an addictive personality type really exists, yet many doctors and psychiatrists believe that the term means nothing. Certainly, there is little evidence for an addictive personality as such.
Personality is complex and the role of personality in addiction is uncertain. It is difficult to disentangle the effects of personality on addiction from the effects of addiction on personality. There is no single addictive personality. However, there are a number of personality types that have been associated with addiction and they are outlined below. The strongest evidence exists for 'antisocial personality'.
The immature personality
Some people never really become mature adults. They may remain unduly close to their parents. They often boast about those few things that they have actually accomplished, are unable to form close relationships with others and are self-centred.
The anti-social personality
These people are unable to accept frustration. They live for, expect and must have easy and continuous gratification. They often eat a lot, chew sweets and smoke as well as drink heavily. They drink for two reasons - to reduce the personal discomfort that results from frustration and to provide instant and dependable gratification. They are impulsive and do not learn from their mistakes.
The self-punitive personality
Some outwardly docile people are actually repressing aggressive tendencies. This results in inner tension and alcohol helps to relieve this tension. Often alcohol releases the aggression.
The stressed or anxious personality
Some people find stress more difficult to deal with than others. They may use alcohol in an attempt to cope.
The passive-aggressive personality
This term refers to someone with an outwardly calm and acquiescent shell that hides inner anger. They find it impossible to deal with anger-inducing situations.
Many addicts do not have these personality types, and of course if you recognise yourself above it does not automatically follow that you are at increased risk of addiction. It is important to remember that no personality is immune to addiction. Proneness to alcoholism is better recognised by examining someone's existing drinking habits than by assessing their personality.
Modern, well-organised studies do not support a role for personality in addiction. Most of the theories outlined above are not well supported by scientific evidence.
Comments
Yep, me too. I'm all of the above. :lol:
lol, i have part of all of those personalities, depending on my mood!
I think there is an "addictive personality" it is probably a mild form of OCD paired with the inability to cope.
My hubbs is not only addicted to porn but whatever else he can use to escape.
You know, I've heard the term "addictive personality" so much that I just assumed that there [b]were[/b] addictive and non-addictive personalities. What you have said makes sense, though.
I always thought of myself as having a non-addictive personality, just because I did drugs for so many years, and in such mass quantities, and never actually became [i]addicted[/i], although I was psychologically dependent. I realize now that it was only by the grace of God that I didn't become addicted, because the people that I used with [b]were[/b], for the most part, addicted.
I thought that anti-social types were more just isolationists?
I see myself fitting into a couple of those categories of personality type. Before I came to the Lord, these modes of behaviour pretty much defined me, but the wonderful thing about the Lord is that I really don't see myself being defined by these personality types anymore, even though I still see tendencies towards this type of behavior, especially if I wasn't walking with the Lord. The Lord can transform [b]any[/b] personality type, though.....my [i]old man[/i] was definitely defined by this (Rom. 6:6).
For example, I used to be the typical passive-aggressive.....a lot of internal anger, but never released it....at least not intentionally. Before, I would just ignore my emotions, until this anger would build up and build and I had to release it, and I would do so at the slightest little frustration, when I would reach my breaking point.
Not so anymore....the Holy Spirit has done such a healing in my life, and has helped me with so much of that anger, and has given me the fruit of self-control so that when I do get frustrated, I am able to temper it.
I'm still not sure if I understand just how much a person's personality type contributes to the likelihood of addiction, especially when we are talking about actual [i]physical[/i] addiction. We also know that pornography can be physically addicting.