Drug addiction, a new major phenomenon in our society today. In this paper, we will look at different drugs, the compulsive cravings, the people that have become addicted to them and affects it’s had on their lives. Many people abuse drugs but don’t consider themselves addicts. Addiction is like all behaviors “the business of the brain”. Addictions are compulsive physical and psychological needs from habit-forming sustenance’s 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, 2007). The narcotics disable the neurons that would usually keep the dopamine neurons in check; becoming over stimulated. Endorphins are produced and released within the brain, creating a high and reinforcing the individual’s positive associations with the activity. Hence “the rush” (Molintas, 2007)
Every year, alcohol and drug abuse lead to thousands of deaths all over the country. Addiction to these harmful substances is a major problem for society. It can only be solved when people understand the reasons that cause it, and see the full scope of the effects it produces.
The reasons that push people into an addiction to drugs or alcohol vary greatly. Every person is unique, so it is not surprising that the causes of their troubles are different as well. However, there are certain factors that increase the risks of a person developing this
The definition provided above is accessible and easy to understand; however, it initiates false beliefs among individuals because it fails to acknowledge that drug addiction is a mental health problem. Moreover, when words such as, “dependence”, “control” and “craving” are used to define drug addiction, it leaves an impression to the reader that addicts are indeed “people who cannot control their impulses.” Consequently, when we fail to recognize that drug addiction is a mental health problem, our focus is diverted towards the physical aspect of drug addiction. This could cause the belief among individuals that drugs alone cause the addiction. It is essential to acknowledge that there are chemical hooks in drugs; however, individuals need to understand that drugs alone do not cause the addiction. We need to identify and distinguish the “root cause” of addiction and ask ourselves: what caused the individual to take the drug in the first place?
Substance use addiction is a multifaceted occurrence that challenges the unpretentious and tradition clarification or explanation (Frances, Miller, & Mack, 2011). According to Frances, et al., there is an interwoven collaboration of influences that contributes to an individual 's experimentation with, consumption, and perhaps succeeding abuse of drugs (2011). Regardless of the combination of causative dynamics, the actions and effects employed by drugs of abuse cause all substance abuse and compulsion.
Addiction is a complex disease that is influenced by several factors including: genetic, developmental, experiential and environmental factors (Goldstein & Volkow, 2002). Alcohol dependence, otherwise referred to as alcoholism, is characterized by frequent use of alcohol resulting in intoxication, a preoccupation with alcohol, compulsion to seek and consume alcohol, the inability to limit alcohol intake and the emergence of negative emotional state when the drug is absent (Gilpin & Koob, 2008; Ernst et al., 2012; Kunce, & Newton, 1989; Crews, 2012). There is an estimated 85,000 deaths annually caused by unhealthy alcohol consumption. Medical issues such as liver disease, neurological problems and malignancies, in addition to behavioral and
Drug addiction has caused many problems for people and the community. It has caused illness and diseases, car accidents, loss of self respect, and family problems. When addicted to drugs, a person should always seek help before its to late to be
Select three to five research studies which investigate the particular topic above. Write a short summary of each of the studies.
Americans today have many different views than 100 years ago about addiction, alcohol and drugs. In the early days of the 19th century, it was only a dream that a drug could save a life. Today drugs are used for specific treatments of specific diseases. However, they are also a multi billion-dollar business both legal and illegal that is not only saving
Addiction refers to a brain disorder that is caused by continuous exposure to a certain substance that is beneficial irrespective of possible negative consequences. Wise and Koob (2014) continues to define drug addiction as a ceaseless sickness portrayed by impulsive medication chasing and use, notwithstanding results that are hurtful. It can be described as a brain disorder since medications is known to change the mind; it changes both the structure and function of the brain. These changes can be enduring and can lead to practices that are unsafe and self-dangerous. This paper attempts to answer the question whether drug addiction is a choice or a brain disease.
According to the United Nation, drug abuse kills 200,000 people worldwide each year. Substance abuse is a huge issue we are fighting in today’s world that everyone seems to ignore or pretends not to notice. Although there are many factors to contribute to someone’s drug addiction, fortunately many treatments are available to save that person from the horrible life they would suffer from. Substance abuse is not just heroine, amphetamines or cocaine it also could be alcohol, prescription pills or club pills (roofies, ecstasy, LSD…). These are just to name some of the many types of drugs people get addicted too.
Addiction is a neurological disease. It is like a disease as is cancer and heart disease. Addiction is caused from substance abuse and affects your brain in only negative ways. Many people suffer from addiction but not everyone wants to believe it is a disease.
What the sole cause of addiction is a highly contended issue as it is an illness that stems from both physiological and psychology factors. This essay will focus on drug addiction and in order to effectively evaluate its potential causes and treatments, I will examine the effects of cocaine. Drug addiction is a complex illness that entails countless physiological and psychological changes in a person. There is no singular cause that has been determined to onset addiction but rather an accumulation of social, environmental and even genetic factors (Agrawal and Lynskey 2008). The best approach to counteract cocaine addiction involves behavioral intervention programs as well as incorporating medication to assist with the onset withdrawal symptoms
Addiction is an unexpected problem defined by excessive drug consumption. Whereas each drug produces peculiar physical effectiveness, any mistreat usage of drugs of the same manner: more than often usage can affect the behavior of the brain.
Alcohol and drug addictions are the greatest dangers to a healthy society nationwide. An addiction is “a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (e.g. alcohol, nicotine, cocaine) or engages in an activity (e.g. gambling) that can be pleasurable but the continued use/ act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health.” An addicted person may not be aware of their altered behavior or the problems that their behavior is causing. To help an addicted person it is important to understand the psychology behind addictions, the symptoms, drug trends, and the options for treatment.
Substance abuse and addiction have cumulative and profound effects on an individual's life, body, and mind. Though the experience of addiction tends to vary to an extent from one addict to the next, the constant is that the effects of drug addiction are damaging and extensive, takes many different forms, and serves as symptoms of a disease that require lifelong effort and strength of conviction to recover.
Drug addiction is influenced by many factors. Not only does the brain change when taking constant doses of a certain drug, but life as you know it changes to. Drugs are misleading they cause you to think that your life is becoming better, when it actually is becoming much worse. “Fooling” is what drugs do best; they fool the brains receptors by sending abnormal messages to the brain. After all, what good really comes from drugs? When someone starts taking it they just simply can’t stop, even if they wanted to. However, if they actually do stop there are many side effects to this, “persistent vulnerability to relapse long after drug taking has ceased”. They lose total control over their brain and bodies. How lamentable is it watching someone’s life shatter in to pieces right in front of your eyes, and there’s nothing you can do about it. How sad is it knowing they had a reason for living before this all began, that they wanted to actually achieve something before they leave this world. All the drug dosage did was completely destroy them. Hence, drug addiction leads to greed, treachery, murder; dreams fall to pieces and life is nothing but a living hell.
November 15, 2017, The music industry lost a very young alternative rap artist by the name of “LIl Peep” The cause of death was an apparent drug overdose due to the amount of Xanax the artist consumed. Throughout Peep’s career, the often talked about drugs and his obsession with them. On his social media he showed drugs and even videos of him consuming them. Sadly he isn’t the only artist or public figure influencing drug abuse. From the trunk of an unknown car, to your doorstep. The amounts of ways drugs can be transported to you are copious. What is a drug?. A drug is a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body.