Biological Factors Of Addiction

In contrast, other people can influence drug abuse. Social psychology is the study of how culture and environment affects behavior. It is common in our lives to be put under some sort of influence. It is possible that one’s peers partake in these actions. They may feel the social influence put onto them in order to strive socially, so they join

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

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.

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

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 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

Many things can cause addiction, it could be sex, marijuana, gambling, or alcohol. Once an individual is addicted to a substance or activity, his or her health, relationship, and efficiency at work will dismantle. Addiction generates a compulsive craving, but also brings detrimental side effects. Addiction is a more common illness than individuals believe. In 2014, around twenty five millions Americans aged twelve or older, experienced substance abuse.

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 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

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)

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

As stated earlier there is more to addiction than just substance use, such as genetic factors which account for about fifty percent that individuals will develop an addiction. Environmental factors can play a role in the addiction process and can pave the way for the genetic factors to manifest and aid in the addition process. Repeated long term use of substances, rewire the brain reward circuitry. Other factors such as cognitive and affective disorders, aid in self-deception and an inability to deal with feelings. Lastly, the developmental stage of the person. This by no means is a complete list of factors and at this time no one can say with any reasonable certainty why some people are addicted, and others are

When people start taking drugs, they don't plan to get addicted. They like how the drug makes them feel. They believe they can control how much and how often they take the drug. However, drugs change the brain. Those who use drugs start to need the drug just to feel normal. That is addiction, and it can quickly take over a person's life.

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

The common behaviors displayed by those with a particular psychological disorder are more probable of substance abuse depending on the type of behavior created by the disorder. The prime example of this is the correlation between ADHD and addiction. Those who have ADHD are more likely to abuse substances. 25% of adults suffering from substance abuse also have ADHD and one third of teenagers with ADHD will develop some type of substance abuse. The big question is why do people with ADHD have a higher probability of developing a substance abuse. Those who have ADHD lack the ability to control their own concentration and self control. Low academic performances are common among those with