With the term "addiction" some different kinds of obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence are usually meant. Today these addiction types occur widely: drug addiction, video game addiction, crime, money, alcoholism, problem gambling, computer addiction, pornography addiction, work addiction, compulsive overeating, plastic surgery addiction.
In accord to medical terminology, an addiction is a state, when the body depends on a substance for normal functioning. With the substance a great variety of subject matter are implied. This is high range of subjects beginning with coffee and chocolate, and ending with drugs.
Usually make a distinction between physical dependence and psychological dependence. There is no clear-cut distinction exists for addition types. We can not take up the position that the drug addition, for example, is a physical dependence. A person may be in want of a drug for psychological reasons.
In recent years psychologists, psychotherapeutists and neuropathists meet with problem of addictions that are not substance-related, such as problem gambling and computer addiction. Many people also feel psychological dependency on such things as food, sex, pornography, telephone conversations, work, exercise, spiritual obsession (as a counter to religious devotion), cutting and shopping. The absence of the addiction subject causes guilt, shame, fear, despair, failure, rejection, anxiety, even depression.
Physical dependence is an irritation and a heavy requirement for a substance and characterises with a syndrome when the substance is suddenly discontinued. These are: narcomania, alcoholomania, drug dependense. On the other hand, most antidepressants may cause drug habituation. So, it turns out that physical dependency can be a major factor in the psychology of addiction.
Psychological dependency is a dependency of the mind it usually causes psychological abstinence symptoms (such as melancholy, irritability, insomnia, depression, want of appetite). Addiction may be caused by an overcare, apprehension, aching void that a person experiences in the absence thereof of the attachment object. The existence of psychological dependency itself, points at crude thoughts and psychological instability. Self-injury dependence is not limited only to substances; even activities and manners. Internet addiction, computer addiction, sexual addiction, self-injury, pornography addiction, eating, compulsive buying are all addictions of psychological group.