Describe The Causes Of Addictions

Addiction is a chronic brain disease that often results in some sort of relapse. Addiction is characterized by inability to control drug use which results in problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships. This disease causes compulsive behaviors such as the need to use drugs despite the many harmful consequences that affect the addicted individual and those around him or her. Although for most people, the initial decision to use drugs is a one time lapse in judgement, the brain is easily affected by these drugs if the person decides to use these drugs multiple times. The changes that occur to the brain over time will cause the addicted person’s ability to resist the intense impulses of drugs to be altered causing the addict to often give into the temptation of these drugs. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death. Drug addiction is an issue that many people deal with whether they are the addict or the addict is their loved one; but with a good source of support anyone can over come the challenges and consequences 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.

Addiction is a disease that causes individuals to be compulsive and seek for substances in order to relieve craving. Addiction is commonly associated with drugs and is a great concern to the well beings of people around the world. The physiological and psychological effects of drug addiction can be deadly. Mood swings, hallucinations, and confusion are common physiology side effects, while psychological effects include inevitable depression, cravings, paranoia, and anxiety. By researching and gathering more data about substance addiction, it could lead to a decrease in the number of deaths associated to drug abuse and find healthier alternatives.

To understand addiction further, it is important to look at how drugs have neurological effects in a human body. Drugs can be ingested in various ways; while some are taken orally, some are smoked (cannabis) while others are injected directly into the blood stream (Heroin). Once in the body, they mainly affect the reward pathway in the brain, known as the dopaminergic pathway, which in turn gives pleasure. Even though all drugs affect the reward and motivation pathways in the brain, their speed depends on the way the drug has been consumed. Over constant use of drugs, the cognitive functions are impaired as the effects become more prominent in learning, memory

Addiction can be separated into three categories: mind (neurological), body (physical), and spirit (psychological). Within in this breakdown addiction can possibly be explained and properly understood.

Addiction affects 40% of the population in the Western world (Lewis, Marc). There are many different kinds of addictions such as: food, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling or sexual aspects. When

Americans today tend to not realize we’re slowly being separated from each other. Whether it be electronics keeping us away from the family at night or just social media that keeps us from going outside and actually socializing. It has become a serious problem and it happens more and more as we continue to advance in technology. Not to mention it's forming another problem in the way we’ve shaped our societies so that it's extremely easy to be cut off from human connections without even realizing it. Johann Hari, The author of “The Likely Cause of Addiction” pulled my attention towards realizing that this addiction is a fast paced growing problem. Hari Specifically states,"We have created human societies where it is easier for people to become cut off from all human connections than ever before." He’s basically stating that it’s become way too easy to be disconnected from our society and its gotten worse over time. Honestly I agree with how he thinks, we don’t realize it but we’re all being slowly cut off from our society. Whether we like it or not we’ve created our society to be the way it is, and it caused us to be so easily disconnected from one another.

There is a belief that addictions only ever occur because the human brain is triggered once a new drug is introduced and after just one usage, the brain begins to release endorphins whenever the drug is thought of or consumed. It is akin to the feeling humans get when they spot a delicious sweet they adore; the temptation to eat the dessert is strong because the endorphins released essentially trigger a desire for consumption. However, as Maté discussed in his book, In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts, there are more perspectives than just the biological one. While the aforementioned statement about endorphins and drug usage is scientifically true, it is not the only thing that causes the addiction and dependency on substances to develop. In 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 is like all behaviours “the business of the brain”. Addictions are compulsive physical and psychological needs from habit-forming sustenances like nicotine, alcohol, and drugs. Being occupied with or involved in such activities, leads a person who uses them again and again to become tolerant and dependent eventually experiencing withdrawal. (Molintas, 2006).

There are several theories of addiction. All of them are imperfect. All are partial explanations. It is for this reason that it is important to be aware of and question addiction theories.

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

When a mother brings her young son along with her to a methadone clinic for her daily dose, each nurse and staff members looks upon the little boy with worry. Is this child in risk of falling into the same patterns simply because his mother will find it difficult to teach him differently? Or, is he predisposed to drug dependence due to his own DNA? While drug dependency has not yet been reduced to a few "undesirable" genes in the human genome, most, if not all, scientists will agree that the risk of drug dependence is largely heritable. Why does drug dependency depend on genetics, and are there environmental factors as well?

Have you ever dealt with the effects of drug addict? A drug is a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, which has a psychological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. The effects of drug use can vary depending on the person. According to “Causes and types of narcotic addiction: A Psychosocial View” in the Psychiatric Quarterly it says, “The causes of drugs stem from the manner of which you were introduced to it whether it be by abnormal curiosity, chance encounters with addicts and narcotic peddlers, or prolonged illness” (Ausubel). The effects of drugs can be have different effects on everyone differently depending if its for pleasure or for relieving pain Most of the effects of drugs occur in the brain, where it increases the level of dopamine at a specific site possibly giving the addict the pleasure they were feigning for (Robbins). As a child I didn’t know much about drugs except for what your parents and teachers at school tell you which is, “Just Say No.”

Addiction is defined as an overuse of any substance that changes the natural chemical balance of the brain. It is generally agreed upon that addiction includes biological, psychological, and behavioral factors.