The Addictive Personality: The Struggle... Part 2

Okay, so we know a little more about addiction and the Addictive Personality... and Part 1 of this section was just a small, small piece of information available on the Addictive Personality.  With that being said, let's move on to the struggle of addiction....
There is an inner struggle that ensues a person who is suffering from addiction.  The addict also feels shame.  Although the addiction goes against the person's belief system (in most cases), the self feels shame and guilt.  In the second stage of addiction, the addict tries to set limits on their behavior, however, it generally does not work.  This is in attempt to control the addiction, however, is basically a mute point.  This shame causes isolation, even more isolation than the addict has felt before.  "A praxcticing addict is an emoptional loner,truly preferring to be alone."(TAP)  This is regardless of the fact that the Addictive Personality may be craving a human connection.  As the addiction progresses through time, the oerson who is addicted starts to become more inwwardly directed which can cause "people problems" for them.  Addiction is quite often self-centered.  Having a relationship with an object instead of with people seems attractive to the Addictive Personality because the object does not talk to them, does not harrass them, does not bother them.  Mistrust in others begins in stage two of the addictive process. 
How others react to the addict begins with trying to understand what is going on with the addict.  Then, others may begin to label the Addictive Personality of the person.  Labels such as "irresponsible", "lazy", "crazy", and others will be used in an effort to explain the addicted person's personality or way about them.  Using such words as "bum", "Not trustworthy" and the like is a sign that the addiction has progressed to the point where others such as friends and family have taken notice of it, and these people feel the need to protect themselves from the person with the addiction.  Labeling is an attempt to control the situation at hand.  Even the addict begins to buy into these labels, thus giving them more freedom to act irresponsibly. 
In stage three of the Addictive Personality, the addict has a "life breakdown".  "By stage three, the addictive personality is in total control...What it cares about is getting high from acting out." (TAP)  The enormous stress will cause the addict to literally break down because of anger, frustration, fear, and pain.  "There is a point where a person emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and, finally, physically, breaks down under the stress and pain produced by the addiction." (TAP)
The Addictive Personality will stay stuck in stage three unjtil there is some sort of intervention, an attempt to break up the addiction. Though there are many ways of intervention, not all are successful.  "To recover, the person must not only break off the emotional dependency within, but also turn to the Self and others."(TAP)
(Excerpts taken from the book"The Addictive Personality", by Craig Nakken.  Please view Part 3 -What to do to recover for further reading.)