Biological Factors Of Addiction

Cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, alcohol, opium, tobacco, hypnotics, just to name a few. Addiction is a chronic disease that affects the chemicals in the brain. It dysfunctions the circuits in the brain that deal with memory, reward, sex, motivation, behavior, relationships and emotions all mostly resulting in substance use or other behaviors to fulfill those circuit rewards. This world is in a current addiction epidemic on drugs. Let’s try to understand addiction to make it a little clearer.

There are also biological and genetic propensities for addiction such as genes that have been identified as taking part in the addiction process like some genes have been found to make a person more susceptible to a disease. Treatment is needed for this disease like any other disease. Sometimes medication to reduce the harm, like the AIDs cocktail or methadone treatment, is meted out to offset the disease. Healing other mental issues and behavioral changes can be beneficial also.

The meaning of a word portrays what it encompasses and if the phrase itself is misunderstood then defining what it’s trying to explain can be a studious task. Addiction has been defined by many and holds different meanings based on the context it’s used in. Addiction can be defined as a condition in which a person undertakes the use of substance, or engages in activities, which in turn brings pleasure, and tends to divert oneself from their day-to-day duties and responsibilities. Addiction is mostly related to drug use but it is also used to describe non-drug entities, such as gambling, and Internet addictions (Avena et al, 2008). Researchers (Herbert, J. D., Forman, E. M., 2010) have been keen on identifying the factors that lead to

The biological aspect of addiction takes into account the genetic and inherited components of addiction, as well as the effects of addiction on the body itself. It also includes the neurobiological and neurobehavioral theories and studies, which are becoming the most popular ways in studying addiction. The physical component of addiction primarily relies on the dependence of the substance, the tolerance that the body creates as a result, and the experience of withdrawal symptoms. The psychological

Addictions are a diverse set of common and complex diseases that are to some extent tied together by shared genetic and environmental factors. Addiction includes alcohol use disorders, cannabis and cocaine use disorders, nicotine dependence, as well as non-substance–related behaviors. Both genetic and environmental variables contribute to the use and abuse of addictive substances, which may eventually lead to addiction.

Addiction is something that most anyone has experienced at least some point in his or her life. Addiction is usually something that starts as a habit, and slowly but surely works itself into a major problem that takes a lot of attention and help to overcome. Most causes of addiction are fueled by the

There are several theories when it comes to addiction. One being that addiction is choice and the individual lacks morals and character. Another big theory is that environment has a lot more to do with addiction than any one believes so.

Addiction to cognitive enhancers is one of them. There are drug rehabilitation programs that are very specific towards their treatment approaches towards addiction from cognitive enhancers. The side effects of withdrawal both physical and mental, lead many users to continue using these drugs despite a desire to stop it. Studying without the aid of the drugs become impossible and focus is lesser without the intake. The drive for excellence and competency often pushes many college students to take extreme measures of using illicit drugs to get consistently good grades. As the pressure mounts, they seek out easier methods in studying which later develops into drug

One of the things that was talked about during the lecture was that not everyone is wired to become an addict. Some people can handle some substances really well but then be prone to being addicted to other things. There is definitely a genetic factor because alcoholism shows up in many generations of a family normally as opposed to just random people. The good thing about this is that just because someone has a predisposition to becoming addicted to a

The addict’s brain becomes overridden and continuously wants the substance which it craves. Help Guide.org produced an article titled “Understanding Addiction”. The article reads as following, “Addictive substances and behaviors stimulate the circuit then overload it. In nature rewards usually come only with time and effort. Addictive drugs and behaviors provide a shortcut, flooding the brain with dopamine and other neurotransmitters”(Understanding Addiction 1). In other words, when the brain is pleasured it feels rewarded. Normally rewards are earned, but the use of substances provides a rewarded feeling to the brain. Neurobiology is the biology of the nervous system.This research is what provides us with the information on the brain being taken over. The brain is broken up into several sections. Research has shown there to be certain genetic codes that vary from addiction to addiction. These codes can inform people what the brain’s drug of choice may or may not be. No one certain factor can determine if a person becomes addicted or not. For example, the AI allele of the dopamine receptor gene DRDR is mainly found in those addicted to alcohol or cocaine. Another example is that those with high stress level hormones have been noted to have an increased risk for addition. Individual differences have also shown to meter the effectiveness of a drug on a person. One study compared two sons, one of the son’s father's was a alcoholic and the other son’s father was not. Neither son drinks, but when given alcohol the son of the alcoholic seemed to have a higher tolerability to the alcohol than the son of the non alcoholic father. Obviously the son of the alcoholic has genes from his father that cause alcohol not to affect him as much, and this can lead to him over drinking and becoming an alcoholic

Addiction exerts a long and powerful influence on the brain that manifests in three distinct ways: craving for the object of addiction, loss of control over its use, and continuing involvement with it despite adverse consequences. (HelpGuide.org)

Both biological and psychological theories of addiction influence current practices. Biological theories emphasize the importance of physiological factors including genetics. Thus, when counselors have therapy with clients, they may think about the reason why some people tend to be unable to control themselves once they begin. It may because heredity that happen within the body. However, psychological theories have different views of addiction, which consist of personality theories and other related psychological theories. It may be explained by personality disorder

In healthy place an example of an physical addiction is “one effect of drug addiction is: children born to drug using mothers can be cognitively affected throughout life...other physical effects of drug addiction include: heart rate irregularities, heart attack, respiratory problems such as lung cancer, emphysema and breathing problems, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, kidney and liver damage, seizures, stroke, brain damage”(Tracy). Not only does this affect one’s health, but it also affects others. Second, an example of the mental effects of addictions is “one of the psychological effects of addiction involved in craving is the belief the addict cannot function or handle life without the use of the drug. other psychological effects of drug addiction include: wild mood swings, depression, anxiety, paranoia, violence, decrease in pleasure in everyday life, hallucinations, confusion, wild mood swings, depression, anxiety, paranoia, violence, decrease in pleasure in everyday life.”(Tracy). People will feel that they will not be able to survive without an addiction. last, as it states on ehow a social effect of a craving or an addition is “ Drug abuse erodes the social life of the addict, tearing apart his family, friendships and professional relationships. Without intervention the drug addict can wind up alone with the drug being his only friend."(Writer). Abuse of any craving have social consequences that follow up and destroys relationships with others. The outcomes of addictions are physical, mental, and

All types of addictions should be looked at from a philosophical and psychological point of view. Those in the fields of neuroscience, psychology and philosophy often compare their views to show the similarities of addictions whether they be substance induced or behavioral. “Behavioral science experts believe that all entities capable of stimulating a person can be addictive; and whenever a habit changes into an obligation, it can be considered as addiction” (Alaghemandan et al 290). Some addictions can affect people physically. Caffeine and nicotine provide prime examples. The body’s physical state becomes dependent on its effects and causes withdrawal symptoms without use. One of the main differences in behavioral and substance addictions is that behavioral addictions have no apparent physiological or physical withdrawal symptoms. It is not the physical body that is addicted, but the feeling that one gets mentally. The physical body is only affected by the

Addiction is commonly associated with drugs and alcohol. Addiction is not only related to drugs or alcohol, but it is also tied to things and activities. Addiction to drugs or alcohol are quite similar, but in some respects, slightly different to addictions to activities and other things. Addiction to drugs and alcohol, over time, leads to a buildup of tolerance. Tolerance causes the user to need more of what they are addicted to in order to experience an equal or increased effect than previously needed to obtain the same effect. They use drugs to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms. Addicts put people close to them at risk and jeopardize their social life for just a little more of the addicted substance or activity. Addiction to an activity can be just as detrimental to someone as an addiction to a drug. Addicts will put their addiction to whatever activity before the rest of their normal lives. When an addict is not doing such activities, they are thinking about it, and letting their addiction consume their mind.