Drugs -Tolerance,Dependence,Addiction and Treatment

Addiction is a physical and or a psychological dependence on a mood altering substance or behavior that is continued despite negative consequences. In Gerald G. Mays’ book Addiction & Grace

Eventually that addiction leads to drug tolerance. Tolerance is when drug user takes more and more of their drug of choice in order to receive the same type of euphoria feeling they once felt with smaller quantities.

Whereas tolerance is the most important factor promoting addiction, withdrawal symptoms and cravings are the most important factors perpetuating addiction. At high tolerance, suddenly stopping or even reducing the amount of opioid a person uses produces

Tolerance therefore turns into an addiction by where the body cannot regulate itself without the drug. Addiction is a severe form of substance use disorder (SUD). Along with the symptoms noted with substance abuse, the user now has lost the ability to limit or stop using on their own as symptoms of withdrawal are present if the user attempts to halt use altogether.

Addiction is happening due to the addictive property of the drug, opiates attach to the body’s receptors that reduce the perception of pain. Although, the addiction must start somewhere, and it typically begins with a prescription written by a doctor. Over prescription and greedy drug companies are believed

All heroin users—not just those who injected the drug—risk becoming addicted. Individuals who abuse heroin over time develop a tolerance for the drug, meaning that they must use increasingly larger doses to achieve the same intensity or effect they experienced when they first began using the drug. Heroin ceases to produce feeling of pleasure in users who develop tolerance: instead, these users must continue taking that dug simply to feel normal.

The definition of addiction is the continuing, compulsive use of a substance despite negative physical, mental or societal consequences of the substance. (Drug addiction and drug abuse, 1) To be psychologically dependent upon a substance is to feel the need to have the substance to maintain the feeling of well being. (Drug addiction and drug abuse, 1) Physical need is determined by tolerance levels for the substance. There would be a need for increase in dosage to achieve the same feeling. (Drug addiction and drug abuse, 1)

Addiction is a term used by people who are “dependent” on something, whether it is a drug, caffeine, alcohol or anything a human being does more than once a day. Most people with an addiction do not have control over what they are doing, what they are taking and what they are putting into their body. A person’s addiction may reach a point at which it can become very harmful to themselves and to others. Most likely when a person is addicted to something they cannot control how they use it, when they use it and they eventually become dependent on it to cope with their daily life.

Positive reinforcement receives a reward for good behavior and is likely to repeat it. Negative reinforcement causes a behavior to be repeated and the action causes a bad feeling or situation to go away. Physical dependence on a substance is defined by the appearance of withdrawal symptoms when use of the substance is discontinued. Opiates induce physical dependence. Psychological dependence is a dependency of the mind, and leads to psychological withdrawal symptoms. Addiction can come from any rewarding behavior and is believed to be associated with particular areas of the brain’s reward system. A dependency of the mind involves a mental association with how a particular behavior is rewarded. Physiological dependence occurs when the body adjusts to the continued presence of a drug. These adaptations lead to negative symptoms when the drug is removed or when the dose is dramatically reduced. Psychological dependence is a change in emotional state that occurs after using a substance or engaging in a behavior over a period of time. This change in emotional state is a result of changes in brain chemicals. Physical dependence is the body's adjustment to a particular drug. The individual's body gets used to receiving regular doses of a certain medication. When the medication is suddenly stopped or the dosage is reduced too quickly, the person will experience withdrawal

There is a very high chance that an individual how abuses prescription drugs will become addicted. Addiction is defined as a persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful. There are many reasons why a person would become addicted to a substance. Family history of addiction, traumatic experiences in childhood and mental disorders such as depression or anxiety can all increase ones vulnerability to becoming an addict. When a person takes prescription

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.

One of the effects of being addicted to something is tolerance. Tolerance occurs when, after some time taking a drug, your body becomes desensitized to it, making it so more is necessary

When a person is addicted to drugs, they are dependent on the substance. when the substance is not available to the addicted person they experienced pronounce distress. this distress is known as withdrawals are abstinence syndrome. An addicted person may experience physiological dependency. this is an emotional need for the substance. In the absence of the physical dependency. Sociologist Ronald Akers believes that addiction involves two processes, dependence, and tolerance.

Another characteristic experienced in both love addiction and substance dependence is withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms are any physical or psychological disturbance experienced by a drug addict when deprived of a drug. Some drugs such as alcohol produce more physical withdrawal, while others such as marijuana produce more psychological withdrawal. Some withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, restlessness, depression, racing heart, palpitations, sweating and poor concentration. Reynaud et al. (2010) state that the absence of the loved person has similar symptoms to those of substance withdrawal; these include negative mood (irritability, anxiety, depression, anger), suffering and sensations of emptiness. “Withdrawal compels addicts to resume drug use to prevent or reduce physical symptoms and dysphoria” (Cami & Farré, 2003, p. 982). Therefore both tolerance and withdrawal symptoms are important for the maintenance of the addiction.

Even though people do not believe they are addicted, painkillers are addicting because painkillers that are being misused are deadly and they are a hard habit to break. Many people are using and abusing painkillers which are prescription drugs and some may say that they are not and will not admit it. The effects of prescription abuse are painfully obvious and needed at the same time.