If we’ve learned one thing from the spread of the opioid epidemic, anyone can become dependent upon drugs and alcohol. There are, of course, genetic predispositions to addictive behaviors, but that doesn’t mean that those are the only people who become addicted to something. Some of the most successful people in the world have addictive personalities. Their brains are wired for certain kinds of rewards. Successful people can become dependent on a lot of things. Below are the addictions of the successful and how to treat them.
Gambling
Like alcoholism, gambling is another addiction in which the rich and poor find themselves. Gambling is much more feasible when someone has a lot of money to work with. According to many gambling addicts, it’s often not about winning. It’s about losing. It’s about not being able to gamble anymore. It’s about cleaning yourself of the pressure to get the buzz once again. The adrenaline pumps through their veins with either a win or a loss. Gambling is one of the top addictions for the successful.
Sex
When you become successful, more people are interested in you. You can hire a personal trainer. You can wear nice clothes. You have money for dates and experiences. It’s no surprise that successful people are prone to cheating. Single people can have sex with multiple people a week, especially if they are traveling. When someone has money, paying for sex is a lot easier. Whatever the person is like, sex is easier to accomplish when you have money, and this becomes a void these people try their best to fill. Ultimately, it’s empty like any other addiction.
Work
The most apparent addiction to success is the work itself. Workaholism is a massive problem in countries like the United States, Japan, and Korea. It is one of the leading addictions because it pays off. No one will reprimand you for working hard. Instead, they will praise you. For some successful people, no amount of success is ever enough. They are trying to fill some unfillable wells; no bank account number will do it. Workaholics depend on the feeling of work because they feel content knowing they are getting something done.
Uppers
Finally, the only narcotics the successful are typically prone to are uppers. Uppers can stay up late, focus, and get stuff done. Whether it’s cocaine or Adderall, stimulants are enticing for people who like to work and play hard. Whatever the person’s life is like, uppers make people feel powerful. They feel like they can get stuff done. Of course, there is a shelf life on this productivity. When someone gets addicted to uppers, they typically require treatment.
Successful people can become dependent on something the same way anyone else can. If it is given the rewards they are looking for, it will return again and again. Whether you are finding that peace in alcohol, gambling, sex, work, or stimulants, all of these things are some version of filling the void. Something is lacking in the person that needs to be treated by professionals. By attending a detox & rehab center, the patient can stop the addictive behaviors and begin healing the parts of them that were broken. There is hope for anyone struggling with addiction, but when money is spent on treatment, there is even more reason to commit to recovery.