More and more affected

Addiction: On the hunt for the great feelings of happiness

The good mood only lasts for a short time, disillusionment comes later.

(Bild: aekachai - stock.adobe.com)

There are more and more people with addictions in Austria! In addition to alcohol and medication, eating disorders are also causing increasing concern. Also interesting: according to experts, cannabis is not "the gateway drug par excellence". Everyday drugs are the biggest burden on society. There are ways out.

When it comes to addiction, outdated ideas need to be reconsidered: "The idea that alcohol and cigarettes are harmless or 'soft' drugs, while cocaine and heroin are 'hard' drugs, is outdated," explains Prof. Dr. Gabriele Fischer from the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at MedUni Vienna in her new book "Sucht. New findings and treatment options". "Likewise, there is no scientific evidence that cannabis is 'the gateway drug par excellence'. Rather, the greatest economic burdens result from 'binge eating' and the consumption of tobacco and alcohol."

Underlying psychiatric illness common
A special feature of addictive disorders is that psychiatric (such as depression or anxiety disorders) and physical (organ damage, infections) concomitant illnesses often occur over the course of a lifetime. In many cases, (untreated) underlying psychiatric illnesses are the cause of the secondary development of a substance use disorder. This makes it difficult to achieve abstinence.

Happiness messengers as a reward
"The neurotransmitter (= messenger substance) dopamine plays a special role. This neurotransmitter is released, for example, during eating, sport and sex, but also during gambling, alcohol and nicotine consumption. Pleasant experiences in particular lead to the activation of nerve cells that respond to dopamine, resulting in a strong sense of reward," says Prof. Fischer.

Book tip on addiction

"Addiction. New findings and treatment options" from MedUni Vienna's "Health Knowledge" series, published by MANZ-Verlag

Food supposedly makes you happy
These regions of the brain are also activated in people who suffer from BED (binge eating disorder, eating enormous amounts of food in binges) - particularly by foods containing sugar or carbohydrates. "In this case, food does not satisfy hunger, but is used to (supposedly) increase the feeling of happiness," says Prof. Fischer. However, the feeling of well-being triggered by the increased release of dopamine diminishes over time. Those affected withdraw more and more in order to disguise binge eating.

Lifestyle must change
Regardless of whether the addiction is to tobacco, alcohol, food, gambling or cocaine, sustainable treatment success is only possible if lifestyle changes are implemented in addition to medication. Addictions are chronic, so short-term interventions are not enough. Experts are certain that the expansion of treatment facilities must be accelerated.