Drug Addiction : The New England Journal Of Medicine

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.

All around the world anyone can find people that are addicted to some form of drug. Drug addiction is a huge issue that has been occurring for about thirty years now and is occurring to this day for many reasons. Some of those reasons may be that something is going on back home and they have had enough, or because of stress, peer pressure, biological reasons and the list goes on. However, there has been law enforcement due to drugs since the mid 1980’s. People have many viewpoints to when it comes to drug use and addiction. There are three perspectives people have that view the use of drugs and drug addiction which are structural functionalism, conflict, and symbolic interactionist.

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

In society, drugs have been the downfall for many people. There are many reasons that a person may use drugs such as: peer pressure, relief of stress, increased energy, to relax, to relieve pain, to escape reality, to feel more self esteem, and for recreation ("Drug addiction and drug abuse," 2011). What is it that causes the obsession and compulsion to use drugs? Why can some people stop and others go on to become addicts? Addiction is often now defined by the continuing, compulsive nature of the drug use despite physical and/or psychological harm to the user and society ("Drug addiction and drug abuse," 2011).

Substance abuse is a tragedy that touches many lives. Abuse begins with a single use event that, with continued use and overindulgence, transforms into a battle. The abuser most always loses that battle. Personal relationships, social ties, and employment suffers. Irresponsible and erratic behavior becomes the norm, and though the abuser is aware on some level of the reckless and thoughtless acts that they commit, they continue to use and abuse their drug of choice. What starts as experimentation often ends in addiction. The best hope for a person in the grips of substance abuse is immediate,

Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disorder which produces compulsive drug seeking and use. The abuse of drugs leads to changes in the function and structure of the brain. Consuming chemical substances to achieve pleasure or euphoria The most commonly abused classes of prescription drugs according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse include opioids used for chronic pain; central nervous system (CNS) depressants used in anxiety and sleep disorder treatments; and stimulants, such as amphetamine among others, utilized to treat attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy.[4]

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.

Introduction: In this essay, the effectiveness of the pharmacological treatments for opiates, nicotine, cocaine, and alcohol in relation to addiction relief and prevention will be critically evaluated. First, by analysing the definition, societal implications, and history of addiction, thus, providing a critique of the historical strengths and weaknesses leading up to the current era’s approach to addiction therapy. Second, through an investigation of the respective substances and their current treatment’s methods and levels of success, such as the use of Substitution Therapy, agonist and antagonist treatments, avoidance drugs, and relapse prevention. Lastly, by reviewing the psychological implications of interventions, support groups, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, as well as directions for future research and

When we follow a pill with a swig of water, the liquid’s coolness washes down the chemicals into a more permanent part of our bodies. We do not think about how the temporary relief will affect our future. Over time, this repeated subtle form of abuse can take a toll, resulting in something more harmful. Several articles report that the average drug has 70 side effects, and sometimes one of those is death. Why do very few know that over 100,000 deaths occur annually from known side effects of prescription drugs? The medical field receives a lot of attention in this country, with its growing financial numbers and our frequent visits to hospitals and pharmacies. Health is important to everybody, and there is always a drug advertisement for the

reasons it is so misunderstood is because there is no real consensus as to what

Drug addiction has been known to be the most common health problem in the United

It is possible to stop most drug addiction in the United States within a very short time. Simply make all drugs available and sell them at cost. Label each drug with a precise description of what effect - good and bad - the drug will have on the taker. This will require heroic honesty. Don 't say that marijuana is addictive or dangerous when it is neither, as millions of people know - unlike "speed," which kills most unpleasantly, or heroin, which is addictive and difficult to kick.

The term addiction holds many different meanings in today’s society, but in the past it has been referred to as a sort of devotion to something. Over time, a more modern definition of the term has developed that links addiction to harmful involvement with drugs that eventually has potential of produce withdrawal or tolerance in an individual (Alexander & Schweighofer, 1988). Although the word addiction holds a more general meaning in a modern context it pertains to any kind of compulsive use. Current psychological authorities refer to drug addictions as substance abuse rather than simply an addiction for many reasons; the two conditions can be differentiated by the specificity of the substance being

Most people try drugs the first time because of peer pressure and not having the strength to say no, others is because they want to try new things and be cool with a certain group of kids at school. All it takes sometimes is one time, one pull, and one session for someone to get hooked to a certain drug and be an addict. Drug addiction has a deep impact on the brain that can cause the inability to learn, make good judgment, and alters vision and memory. Addiction is chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her. (National Institute on Drug Abuse) The components of drug addiction are endless. They usually contain chemicals that tap into the brain’s communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. The

Drug addiction can be defined as a condition in which frequency of drug intake becomes much higher than the normal and it starts to negatively affect the person both psychologically and physiologically. Absence of drugs can result in violent behavior, depression and lack of self control. Drug addiction can be a result of psychological disturbances, environmental influences and prolonged dieses or very simply due to genetic structure of an individual. Any of the above reason individually or a combination of more than one factor can lead to drug addiction. Psychologically number of things like too much worrying about the future, problems related to money, family and career may result in drug addiction. Environmental influences means things like