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Addiction and Drug Abuse
ADDICTION AND DRUG ABUSE

What is drug addiction?

Addiction is defined as chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences.  It is  considered a brain disease  because drugs change the brain- the change the structure and how it works. These brain changes can be lasting, and can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who abuse drugs.

Why do people take drugs?

In general, people begin taking drugs for a variety of reasons:
  • To feel good.  Most abuse drugs produce intense feelings of pleasure. This initial sensation of euphoria is followed by other effects, which differ with the type of drug used. For example, with stimulants such as cocaine, the “ high “ is followed by feelings of power, self confidence, and increased energy. In contrast, the euphoria caused by opiates such as heroin is followed by feelings of relaxation and satisfaction.
  • To feel  better.  Some people who suffer from anxiety, drugs in an attempt to lessen feelings of distress. Stress can play a major role in beginning drug use. Continuing drug abuse, or relapse in patients recovering from addiction. stress-related disorders, and depression begin abusing.
  • To do better.  The increasing pressure that some individuals feel  to chemically enhance or improve their athletic or cognitive performance can play a role in initial experimentation and continued drug use.
  • Curiosity and “ because others are doing it “.  In this respect adolescents are particularly vulnerable because of the strong influence of peer pressure; they are more likely, for example, to engage in “ thrilling “ and “ daring “ behaviors.
If taking drugs make people feel good or better, what’s the problem?

At first, people may perceive what seem  positive effects with drug use. They also may believe  that they can control their use; however, drugs can quickly take over their lives. Consider how a social drinker can become intoxicated, put him behind a wheel and quickly turn a pleasurable activity into a tragedy for him and others. Over time, if drug use continues, pleasurable activities becomes less pleasurable, and drug abuse becomes a necessary for abusers to simply feel “ normal “. Drug abusers reach a point where they seek and take drugs, despite the tremendous problems caused for themselves and their loved ones. Some individuals may start to feel the need to take higher or more frequent doses, even in the early stages of their drug use.

Is continued drug abuse a voluntary behavior?

The initial decision to take drugs is mostly voluntary, However, when drug use takes over, a person’s ability to exert self control can become seriously impaired. Brain imaging studies from drug addicted individuals show physical changes  in areas of the brain that are critical to judgement, learning, and memory, and behavior control. Scientists believe that these changes alter the way the brain works, and may help explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction.

Why do some people become addicted to drugs, while others do not?

As with any other disease.  vulnerability to addiction differs from person to person. In general, the more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs will lead to abuse and addiction. “ Positive “ factors reduce a person’s risk of developing addiction.

Which biological factors  increase risk of addiction?

Scientists estimate that genetic factors account  for between 40 and 60 per cent of a person’s vulnerability to addiction. including the effects of environment on gene expression and function. Adolescents and individuals with mental disorders are greater risk of drug abuse and addiction than the general population.

What environmental factors increase the risk of addiction?
  • Home and Family. The influence of the home environment is usually most important in childhood. Parents or older family members who abuse alcohol or drugs, or who engage in criminal behavior, can increase children’s risks of developing their own drug problems.
  • Peer and School. Friends and acquaintances have the greatest influence during adolescence. Drug-abusing peers can sway even those without risks factors to try drugs for the first time. Academic failure  or poor social skills can put a child further at risk for drug abuse.
What other factors increase the risks of addiction?
  • Early Use. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, research shows that the earlier a person begins to use drugs the more likely they are to progress to more serious abuse. This may reflect the harmful effect that drugs can have on the developing brain; it also may result from a constellation of early biological and social vulnerability factors, including genetic susceptibility, mental illness, unstable family relationships, and exposure to physical or sexual abuse. Still, the fact remains that early use is strong indicator of problems ahead, among them, substance abuse and addiction.
  • Method of Administration.  Smoking a drug or injecting it  into a vein increases its addictive potential. Both injected and smoked drugs enter the brain within seconds, producing a powerful rush to pleasure. However, this intense “ high “ can fade in few minutes, taking the abuser down to lower, more normal levels. It is a starkly felt contrast, and scientist believe that this low feelings drives individuals to repeated drug abuse in an attempt to recapture the high pleasurable state.
Addiction is a developmental disease – it typically begins in childhood or adolescence.

The brain continues to develop into adulthood and undergoes dramatic changes during adolescences.

One of the brain areas still maturing during adolescence is the prefrontal cortex- the part of the brain that enable us to assess situations, make sound decisions, and keep our emotions and desire under control. The fact that this critical part of the adolescent’s  brain is still a work in-progress puts them at increase risk  for poor decisions ( such as trying drugs or continued abuse ). Also, introducing drugs while the brain is still developing may have profound and long lasting consequences.