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Cause and effect of drug addiction essay
Essay of causes of addiction
Essay cause and effect addiction of drugs
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Addiction is characterized by strong and sometimes uncontrollable drug cravings, and use that continues even if they are facing devastating outcomes. It is very important to address addiction to a wide variety of drugs like tobacco, illicit, and prescription drugs. Addiction affects many brain circuits, including those involved in reward and motivation, learning, memory, and inhibitory control over behavior. That is why addiction is classified as abrain disease. Some individuals are more suseptible than others to becoming addicted, depending somewhat on the type of genetics, age of exposure to drugs, and other environmental factors. (National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2012) ) While at the start the person is chosing to take these drugs, over …show more content…
These symptoms are usually one year, or longer. Greater tolerance for the substance, withdrawal symptoms, ongoing desire to quit using, loss of control over use, Prioritize the substance, less focus on other meaningful activities or commitments, and continuing use in spite of negative consequences are all symptoms of being dependent on drugs.(Harvard Health Publications (2001)) The problem is that tolerance continues to build up and because people become so dependent, they begin to rely so hard on these drugs that they will begin to abuse them. Abuse in addiction is described as people who use drugs excessively on a daily basis, it could be endangering themselves, jeopardizing relationships, or falling through on responsibilities like work or school. (Harvard Health Publications …show more content…
Over 90% of lung cancer cases are due to cigarette smoking. nicotine is inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Since nicotine is so addictive, many people will return to cigarette smoking after quiting despite the negative consequences.("Psychology today") Opioids are classified as medications that relieve pain. Opioids slow down the pain signals reaching the brain. They affect an area of the brain that controls emotion, so it also slows down how you think about the pain. A few of these drugs would be hydrocodones, morphines, codeins, and oxycodone. (national institute on drug abuse 2014(2)) Stimulants are used to increase energy, alterness and increase how well you pay attention. Physically stimulants can increase blood pressure and your hear rate. Because stimulants because some addictive they stopped being prescribed as much. Now, stimulants are only really prescribed for ADHD,Narcolepsy, and occasionally depression. (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2014 (3)) Illicit drug use usually starts out as an experiment. As time goes on and the user "tries" the drug more frequently they begin to rely on the mental or physical affects of these drugs. Also as time goes on the user begins to develop a tolerance to the substance and has to use more each time thus, becoming an addiction. Most illicit drugs can make the user feel anxious, paranoid, and many can experience hallucinations. (Healthline
Almost everyone can say that they have had an experience with drugs, either it be with just witnessing it or using it. Throughout my life, I have had many bad experiences with drugs and it has taught me to stay away from them. Our society now somewhat looks up to the use of drug, with it being in the music industry or being in movies, it is in our culture and this could hurt us as a country down the road. Now, I’m not saying it is not okay to party once and awhile, but if a person is to party on a regular basis this could turn into an addiction to alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, and even caffeine. In all, there needs to be more facts and ads telling kids about these problems because they are our future and we have to set them up for success.
The multi-causal model of drug abuse takes into account social and individual causes of addiction, both distant and immediate, that lead to a disposition to using drugs, drug use and the social and individual consequences. Why a person becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol is different for everyone. Some are genetically predisposed, some learn it from their environment (i.e. family or friends), and still others use it to avoid a trauma they have experienced. The case history describes a client that had both social and individual causes for her alcohol use and subsequent dependence.
Drug addiction is more complicated than medicine thought in previous years. It’s not because someone is weak or unable to control themselves. They are chemical such a dopamine in the human body that makes the process difficult. The brain works in a neuropath way and drug interrupt the normal process which stops the frontal lobe to work as it should. Treatment isn’t done right and patients tend to repeat their habit after they get out of rehab. Psychological treatment is not as effective as chemical injection for dopamine to reward the brain. However, even after the treatment is complete, it will be a life struggle to stay away from drugs since the brain will always look for a simpler way to reward itself.
Substance abusers seek this impairment for a variety of reasons such as to get away from reality or to escape their problems. In the process of getting this “high” their brain chemistry changes and they become addicted. “Addiction is the repeated compulsive use of a substance even after the person suffers from the physical, mental, and legal consequences” (Williams, 2011). Substance abuse causes many negative effects to the person who is addicted as well as their loved ones. Even though these effects are devastating, the person continues to use because their brain and body are reprogrammed to need the substance. When the person isn 't using the substance they begin to suffer from withdrawal symptoms. “Withdrawal is a physical response to the sudden cessation of a substance that has been used over a period of time; these symptoms are specific to the substance” (Williams, 2011). When a person is suffering from withdrawal symptoms they have mental and physical effects. These effects can range from sweating to seizures. Physical symptoms are usually the first step followed by mental symptoms, these two steps together can last up to a few weeks. (Melemis, 2016). I was recently able to observe at a substance abuse rehabilitation facility where I witnessed a client withdrawing. This client seemed to be agitated and anxious. Also he was very red in
The repeated use of drugs often causes both physical and psychological dependence, as mentioned in an article by the Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (“Drug Dependence”). In order for an individual to truly be set free from their addiction, seeking treatment is necessary. Rehab centers are a great place with scientifically proven methods to cure those addicted to drugs. It is important to try to end drug use in our country, rather than allowing it to continue longer than it already has. While funding for rehabilitation facilities could become an issue, drug users may continue their addiction without proper treatment, and therefore those arrested for drug use should be sent to a rehabilitation center instead of prison.
Drug abuse and addiction are issues that affect people everywhere. However, these issues are usually treated as criminal activity rather than issues of public health. There is a conflict over whether addiction related to drug abuse is a disease or a choice. Addiction as a choice suggests that drug abusers are completely responsible for their actions, while addiction as a disease suggests that drug abusers need help in order to break their cycle of addiction. There is a lot of evidence that suggests that addiction is a disease, and should be treated rather than punished. Drug addiction is a disease because: some people are more likely to suffer from addiction due to their genes, drug abuse brought on by addictive behavior changes the brain and worsens the addiction, and the environment a person lives in can cause the person to relapse because addiction can so strongly affect a person.
Addiction, Is it just an issue or is it one’s choice? Although no one chooses to walk around in their life and decides if he or she has or wants an addiction. An addiction is a “condition of being addicted to a particular substance” (Peele, 2016). One can be addicted to nicotine, drugs, alcohol, gambling, food, and even shopping if it has an impact on their everyday life. Consequently, some people with an addiction may reach a point in their life where it can turn harmful, therefore, people need to look for assistance. Even so, people still neglect to talk about addictions because people are ashamed, or in denial, and it is probably not one’s choice of topics that is brought up at your breakfast table, or you may never have confronted anyone before. Still, addiction is all around us, and most people today still do not understand or have misconceptions about addictions because addiction is a disease, and studies have indicated that addictions are a physical defect in the brain, thus, making it hard for some people to give up their addictions on their own.
One would think, “Why don’t they just stop? Yeah they’ll suffer for a bit when they’re facing withdrawal, but so what? It’s better than ruining your whole life”. The thing they don’t know is that once one is dependent on drugs their minds change, their logic fades.
Without contrast, the primary reason for drug abuse in individuals comes from the conscious state of addiction. According to Webster’s, addiction is described as “the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity (Hacker, 2011).” Sure, human nature’s desire to conform to peer pressure might cause one to first try a certain drug, but the euphoric mental states found in drugs mentally trap many individuals into becoming dependent upon these sensations. With that being said, these sensations vary depending on the type of drug used.
Humans are environmentally and genetically predisposed to developing a motivated addictive behavior. Addiction is a brain disease and a behavior. All behaviors are choices. Choices that adolescences make at a young age directly affect the outcomes of their futures. Many factors contribute to an adolescence becoming an addict or exhibiting a drug seeking behavior. Nearly all drugs of abuse increase dopamine release. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in drug abuse and addiction. Dopamine plays a role in reward motivated behaviors, motor control and important hormones. It’s known as the “feel good hormone” which is why people abuse drugs that increase the release of dopamine. Since life is unpredictable, our brains have evolved the ability to remodel themselves in response to our experiences. The more we practice an activity the more neurons developed in order to fine-tune that activity causing addictive behaviors to be detrimental.
Abuse can cause countless medical problems to the body. A person who is addicted will continue to stimulate themselves regardless if they are aware of the negative chain reactions. Once addicted, it becomes difficult to stop due to how the body has become dependent. Health will be harmed the more a stimulant is used. Health effects include: cardiovascular disease, strokes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, lung disease, mental disease, birth defects. Mental health is what keeps a person in the right mind to make better decisions and have better control in life. Drugs have the ability to change mood and behavior. If drugs have affected the brain already, the desire increases which changes mental health. Some may not realize that they have been affected their health negatively. “A person who abuses drugs may not realize they have a problem until pronounced effects of drug abuse are seen, often physically. While drug abuse effects on the body vary depending on the drug used, all drug abuse negatively impacts one 's health (Addictions Community). Since drugs create many health issues, treatment is not a simple task. Treatments are hard to obtain and addictions often go
One time is all it takes. Just trying one sip, one puff, or one pill can lead to addiction. Addiction is when a person becomes “hooked” on a drug. Addiction lowers one’s ability to make independent choices. It consumes one’s thoughts and actions. Drug use is when one ingests a substance into their system. The substance does not necessarily have to be an illicit drug; for instance, it can be psychoactive drug or an over-the-counter drug. Psychoactive drugs have an impact on the central nervous system and can change consciousness, mood, perception, and thought. The main categories of psychoactive drugs include depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Depressants act on GABA receptors to produce calming, sedating effects. Stimulants imitate the effects of epinephrine and increase activity in the central
Drug addiction is a serious problem today. It has been increasing dreadfully among the society. Drug addiction is a serious health problem. People sometimes feel too powerful and too cheerful because of drug addiction. There are some reasons why people might turn to using drugs. People use drugs to escape or relax and want to get comfortable from the effect of drugs. Also, emotional suffering from family or personal problems, losing a job, or having no friends, and environmental stress can be a factor to cause to use drugs. Then, people continue to take drugs heavily, and their body gets used to drugs. This means their body requires more drugs to get the same effects as before, and then they will not be able to stop taking drugs. This is drug addiction. It can lead to damage a body, cause problems in family construction, and develop crime in the society. Drug addiction is also a brain disease because the drugs leads to changes in the function and construction of the brain (Shannon, 2010, p. 246). In addition, drug addiction plays a role in a lot of social problems such as violence, stress, and child abuse. Therefore, drugs have very harmful effects on individual’s life. Drug addicts should eliminate the effects of drug addiction by doing three things: use medical treatment, get
A drug addiction is a chronic brain disease that often relapses. This disease causes compulsive drug use. Many people argue that an addiction is not a brain disease. This, however, is not true. The abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and functions of the brain. Although many people begin their drug use voluntarily, over time, the brain changes due to the repeated use and can affect a person’s self-control and ability to make good decisions as well as creating an extreme impulse to take drugs, despite the harmful consequences that may come ...
Most people don 't realize that they are using the drugs wrong but they rather abuse the drugs because they are addicted. The abuse of certain prescription drugs— opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants—can lead to a variety of adverse health effects, including addiction. Among those who reported past-year nonmedical use of a prescription drug, nearly 14 percent met criteria for abuse of or dependence on it (Nora D. Volkow). Drug abuse interacts with your brain which causes memory loss and your knowledge sometimes people that so drugs can be very forgetful. But that won 't stop them from doing that specific drug, I haven 't witnessed someone with bad drug abuse yet but I have seen videos of how they act after times starts speed up.Its starts to interfere with your work, school and home. At Least 2 to 5 Americans have used marijuana that comes from a plant called cannabis sativa and the main ingredient is THC. You can feel the drug less than seconds of inhaling it. Most of the young teens are becoming drug addicts People who are addicted to drugs come from all walks of life. Many suffer from occupational, health, or social problems that make their addictive disorders more difficult to treat. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, those addicted to drugs