Drug Abuse
Many people in the world have abused drugs at least once in their lifetime and some of those people abuse it every day. Lots of drug abuse often turns into a drug addiction which is much more serious and can even be deadly.Many people do not understand that people who have drug addictions choose to continue their behaviors or that they lack the will to quit. Many people just assume that a person with a drug addiction could just quit anytime they wanted to but that is not the case. Because of the ways that drugs change the brain quitting is extremely hard, even if a person wants to quit. Although the decision to take drugs for the first time is a personal choice, eventually the brain changes to reduce self control and their
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Only drugs that actually contain addictive substances can cause physical addictions and once addicted it can be very hard for a person to stop.
Some drugs however can still cause an addiction even if the drug itself has no addictive properties inside it. Unlike with a physical addiction a person with a psychological addiction will not actually have a reaction in their body due to not having the drug but they can still mentally develop an extreme want for it. Psychological addictions are more common in people who abuse drugs like marijuana. Marijuana itself has no substance inside of it that are actually addictive but the brain can still develop a desire for the dopamine that marijuana releases making a person want to do it. Some people say that this is not a real addiction however because a person can develop a psychological addiction to anything. A person with a psychological addiction can usually just kick the addiction themselves or have a friend help monitor them but sometimes seek professional help anyways. Although not as severe as a physical addiction a psychological addiction can still negatively affect a persons life.
People who have really bad addictions are usually easy to identify buy some people with minor addictions can not be spotted unless a person knows the symptoms of an addiction. People with addictions often get confused about things
It is shown that people that tend to be involved in the use of drugs do so after making a voluntary choice (Heyman, 2009). The major use of drugs for social and non-medical preferences can lead to dependence and further addictions, it is a choice that people tend to make and from that it can lead to wanting it more, do it more with friends and further it becoming an addiction, that then effects the brain and body. When drugs are used in the wrong way they can cause many health issues but some people still tend to refer to drug addiction as a disease. Yes, There has been compelling evidence that addiction is a disease, however the result shown are weak and inconclusive. Results of different brain scans are shown by The National Institute of Drug Abuse (2017) are used to back up that addiction in fact is a disease, however the brain scans used in this research are not symbolic of any abnormal changes. The research by The National Institute of Drug Abuse do point out that changes in an individual’s brain is shown as evidence that addiction is a brain disease, however this argument can be shown as mistaken as changes in many human brains can be seen as not exclusive in addicts, although they can occur when a person is normal (Branch,2011). To top it off the information that is stated by the NIDA however doesn’t show evidence of the behaviour of addicts being involuntary or
A common assumption that is made is that people who are addicted to drugs are suffering from a lack of willpower or moral fibre. People assume that these people could stop using if they simply tried a little harder. Unfortunately for those who are addicted, it is not that simple. When someone takes a drug regularly, heroin, for example, their brain chemistry becomes altered. The body produces less natural dopamine and begins to require more and more of the drug to feel its effects. Eventually, the body will begin to crave the drug, and going without it will lead to nasty withdrawal symptoms, including vomiting, increased heart rate, and
Drug addiction is a complex disease, even when the person is ready to quit, it may not be possible for it to happen. To fully comprehend drug addiction
Once addiction sets in, certain behaviors quickly develop to sustain the need for more and more drugs to get the same effect, and ultimately just to stop 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.
The word addiction is used in very many ways. One would be physical addiction. This is a biological state where the body adapts to a drug and that drug no longer has the same effect, this
Addiction is considered to be more of a behavioural disorder that may or may not include physical dependence. It is present when an individual continues to use a drug regardless of negative consequences on their life. They can sometimes gives up important activities such as work, school, family or other relationships because of the substance use, uses a substance addictively and is unable to stop once they have started, uses a substance for reasons other than that for which it was intended and craves the substance even when they are not in pain.
Lots of people have the wrong idea of addiction, they think that it is a choice and something that a person can control. “Addiction is a chronic brain disease that causes a person to compulsively seek out drugs, despite the harm they cause. The first time a person uses drugs, it’s usually a free choice they’ve made.” (NIDA). Addiction is a sickness that causes someone to feel as if they have to have the drug their addicted
Throughout the world so many people become addicted to drugs, they try to hide and numb their feelings through the use of drugs. Just because people use drugs once, it does not mean they will automatically become addicted to the substance. There are actually only a small number of drugs that people take compulsively, which consist of alcohol, narcotics, nicotine, marijuana, and others. The more you consistently you use a drug the easier it is for your brain to become addicted to that substance. It becomes so comfortable and used to the feeling while under the influence that it begins to think the brain needs the substance to function.
However one defines addiction, the addicted person has to first start using a substance, and this is where other key factors come in.
Addiction is a dangerous illness. It can literally claim a life in a heartbeat. Once addiction develops, it is hard to stop using. It takes hold like a vice, squeezing the addict into submission to become a slave to the opioid.
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 awfully commonly associated with drugs and alcohol. Addiction is not only related to drugs or alcohol, but it is also tied with things and activities. Addiction to drugs or alcohol are quite similar yet slightly different to addictions to activities and other things. Addiction to drugs and alcohol over time leads to a buildup of tolerance, causing the user to need more of what they are addicted to in order to experience the same or more of an effect than they once needed to attain the same effect. They take drugs to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms. Addicts start putting people close to you at risk and jeopardizing your social life just for a little more of what you are addicted to. Addiction to an
One of the more common addictions that were mentioned is substance or drug addiction. In the medical dictionary substance abuse means, “Excessive use of a potentially addictive substance, especially one that may modify body functions, such as drugs.” The effects of substance abuse can show a discrepancy between physical and psychological effects. Essentially every drug has dissimilar physical effects on the body; they all have an effect on the brain initially in a similar manner. The physical effects of substance abuse includes; respiratory issues, cardiac issues, and even gastrointestinal issues. With these issues, they can get severe enough to lead up to further severe issues such as lung cancer, heart attacks, and kidney or liver damage, which can ultimately lead to death. The psychological effects of this addiction can be just as harmful. The psychological effects included; hypothermia, paranoia, anxiety, violent behavior, hallucinations, depression, loss of interest, loss sense of reality, confusion, flashbacks, sense of distance, and catatonic syndrome (which affects the body’s central
Some may believe those who deal with an addiction, or a family members addiction, may be horrible people, liars, and criminals.