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Non-Substance Addiction Paper
03/20/2012
SWCK 4143 – Addiction and the Family
Non-Substance Addiction Paper
The non-substance addiction I decided to address is the theory of tattooing being an addiction. I had spent thirteen years in the military before being medically retired after my tour of duty in Iraq; throughout my years serving in the armed forces I received several tattoos as did many of my fellow soldiers and friends; it’s my belief that for the lion's share of us received tattoos for personal reasons. Individuals with multiple tattoos typically have a variety of reasons for wanting and receiving them; tattoos usually honor various life events or symbolize important concepts to the individual who wears them. Many people who are tattooed warn others who are considering getting their first tattoo that they are addictive, and it's hard to stop at just one. This warning has increased the idea that it is conceivable to become addicted to tattoos; yet this is a tad distorted in that addiction is extremely complicated, and while people may receive tattoos spontaneously, tattooing rarely crosses the line into truly addictive behavior. Addiction itself can be challenging to define, and the language used to describe addition has shifted in reaction to more information about the way the brain works.
The 5th Edition of the Social Work Dictionary defines addiction as “Physiological and psychological dependence on a behavior or substance. Behavioral addictions (sex, gambling, spending, obsessive internet use) and consumptive addictions (alcohol, drugs, and food) often have similar etiologies, prognoses, and treatment procedures. Most professionals now use the term “substance dependence” for consumptive addictions” (Barker, 2003). As a common rule, an addiction is described as something which someone depends on, either physically or psychologically, and sometimes both. For example, those addicted...