Have you ever dealt with the effects of drugs firsthand? A drug is a substance which has a psychological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. The causes of drug use can vary depending on the person. According to “Causes and types of narcotic addiction: A Psychosocial View” in the Psychiatric Quarterly it says, “The causes of drugs stem from the manner of which you were introduced to it whether it be by abnormal curiosity, chance encounters with addicts and narcotic peddlers, or prolonged illness” (Ausubel). So in other words its somewhat bad luck if you become addicted. The effects of drugs can be different in certain people as well whether it be for pleasure or to take away the pain. Most of the effects of drugs occur in the brain, where it increases the level of dopamine at a specific site possibly giving the addict the pleasure they were feigning for (Robbins). I believe I was around the age of six when I started noticing the signs of my Aunty Wendy becoming extremely skinny and looking somewhat unhealthy. As a child I didn’t know much about drugs except for what your parents and teachers at school tell you which is,“Just Say No.”
The signs of a drug addiction consist of a high craving of drugs with no regard for the way in which it is acquired (Plos). Those signs are exactly the signs she showed in the kitchen that day besides how she physically looked. For awhile my aunt went missing due to drugs and then one day she turned up at the backdoor of my grandpa’s home. As I was playing on the steps of grandparents’ home I recognized my aunt. She was begging to come inside the house. Conveniently, enough, my Aunty Sharon, her sister, was in the kitchen and let her in, but my grandfather quickly put her back outside because he didn’t want her in his house if she was on drugs. Not too long after that day my Aunty Wendy got into trouble with drugs and was sent to rehab. According to “Drug Addiction Treatment Methods” on Drug-rehabs.com it says, “There are several types of drug abuse treatment programs. Short-term methods last less than 6 months and include residential therapy, medication therapy, and drug-free outpatient therapy. Longer term treatment may include, for example, methadone maintenance outpatient treatment for opiate addicts and residential therapeutic community treatment” (Drug).
There are many biological factors that are involved with the addicted brain. "The addicted brain is distinctly different from the nonaddicted brain, as manifested by changes in brain metabolic activity, receptor availability, gene expression, and responsiveness to environmental cues." (2) In the brain, there are many changes that take place when drugs enter a person's blood stream. The pathway in the brain that the drugs take is first to the ventral tegmentum to the nucleus accumbens, and the drugs also go to the limbic system and the orbitofrontal cortex, which is called the mesolimbic reward system. The activation of this reward system seems to be the common element in what hooks drug users on drugs (2).
The cognitive behavioral models say that incentives make way for the right conditions for the need for drug abuse. Drug use is associated with experiences such as self-exploration, religious insights, altering moods, escaping boredom or despair, enhancing creativity, performance, sensory experience or pleasure, and so on (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2012). Cognitive behaviorism has brought in appreciated data at the same time refining theories and treatments. This model stands out from other addiction models because it stands out from the expressive, organic or public causes for addiction. Because it focuses on the patient's own beliefs rather than the influence is the primary focus. The mental process of cognition is related to perception, judgment and reasoning. Cognitive behaviorism affects a person mentally as well as their physical reaction to stimuli. Example, if a person is depressed, the depression is mental but when a person cannot get out of bed, doesn’t want to eat or don’t want to partake in other activities that they usually do is the physical. The factor that can cause a person to use are become a victim to substance abuse and began drug addiction by using drugs to get away from or numb themselves from their depression.
A drug refers to a substance that when taken, alters the way an individual 's body functions. There are different categories of drugs, and that include inhalants such as glues, stimulants such as the crystal meth and cocaine and the depressants such as Valium. Drug abuse refers to the pattern of behavior in which an individual consumes drugs in quantities and methods that are hazardous to both himself and his environment. It is a consequential effect of drug usage. Addiction, on the other hand, refers to a disorder to which an individual compulsively uses drugs that in the end alter the functioning of the brain. People use drugs for various reasons. For some take in drugs is out of curiosity, as a result of peer influence or as
It has become one of the major social problems of our day, leaving a great number of families and communities within our country devastated and without hope of recuperation for any of their afflicted members and loved ones. Growing to become a big social challenge affecting all aspects of the American society, addiction rates have escalated to enormous proportions within the country as reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Addiction has been described as a chronic brain disorder,” resulting from adaptations in the brain that leads to changes in behavior”, according to Dr. Nora Volkow, who also assert that it can be treated (NIDA 2006).
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.
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.
It has been said that human beings live in a drug oriented and chemically addicted society. In other words, drugs as well as many other addictive substances have being been taking part on the devastation of many families and individuals who in society have been effected by it. In this paper I will discuss the term addiction as well as all the other terms that correlate with it. For example, I will speak on different substances that the victims are using, as well as two types of drug dependency that consumer’s experience. In addition I will discuss how addiction affects the human health as well as the behavior that comes with an addicted personality along with theories that might explain an addictive personality. Last but not least speak on withdrawal, tolerance and recovery.
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.
Today in America a lot of young people experiment with illegal drugs. Some people try drugs for recreational purposes, others are addicted to drugs and can't survive without them. Usually it all starts from recreational purposes, and people who can not control their recreation become a drug addicts. There are many different types of drugs, but all drugs are similar in that they change one's understanding of the environment, feelings, senses and mood. Some drugs cause physical addiction, which means that after several tries of the particular drug, the body requires that chemical in order to function. Some drugs destroy lives; people use drugs so much that it changes their personality and acceptance of environment, people become happy and sad, active and weak under influence of drugs. It makes their mind and body sick. Heavy drug users do not live long, dying either from health complications or dying on the streets, or if they get lucky they go to jail. In the following paragraphs I am going to talk about the most popular drugs from my point of view and my experience with some of them.
How do you know when you are addicted to something? Is it a choice or just an effect? What most people do not understand, is that no one really chooses to be an addict. Being addicted to something such as drugs, alcohol, food, etc., is not due to someone waking up one day and saying 'hey, I would really enjoy not being able to cope without a substance.' It is mostly due to deeper issues like depression or influences, things of that nature, which lead someone on the path for their search of an escape. More times than not, that escape is found in drugs or alcohol. These substances allow a false reality to take place. They alter a persons mind, and let them believe, for that five minutes or hour, that their problems are nonexistent. That "feel good" high makes a person want more and they, in turn, become addicted to this substance because it is the only thing that makes them feel good. What is the root of this effect, though? It can differ from anything from having a loved one die, to just feeling left out in a group. In my situation, however, it all started out with a silly girl. Drug abuse can result from three basic things: depression, influences, and being unaware.
Sex, drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, even hoarding and work - Can all of these things cause addiction? What is addiction, and why are some people more prone to it while others are not? It's long been accepted that people can become addicted to drugs and alcohol but what about the newer addiction theories regarding sex addiction, food addiction, and gambling addiction - are these truly addictions? As a society what is the best way to handle people with addictions whom need help or commit crimes? In this paper I will answer these questions and address other interesting aspects of addiction.
The chances are that we all know or have loved ones with an addictions to either drugs or alcohol. Still today, one of the biggest challenges is being able to talk to that person about their addiction. Even though I personally have not had the opportunity to speak to a loved one or acquaintance about an addiction. Research shows when confronting a person with a problem; it takes preparation, patience, and being totally honest with that individual. Talking to someone with a dependency is something that most people avoid because people like myself would not want others mending in our lives; we, even, tend to believe that it is not our problem how much our f...
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.
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.
There are many addictions in the world, and drug addiction is the biggest. People may experiment with the drug for many reasons. “If your drug use is causing problems in your life, then you likely have a drug abuse or addiction problem”.(Lawrence Robinson pg.1) Many people start out using drugs by peer pressure or out of their own curiosity. Stress, anxiety, lows self-esteem and depression could be another factor to start using drugs. The drug takes over your body and gives you a good feeling that many people tend to enjoy. The urge to use the drug can keep increasing rapidly after the first use. The urge can become so severe that your mind can find many other ways to deny the factor of addiction. Very few drug addicts can feel and realize when they have crossed the line with drugs. A drug addicts mind can build up a very large tolerance for the drug that they start to abandon the activities they used to do on a daily basis like showering, hobbies, socializing and even being associated with family members. The person with the addiction will continue to use the drug knowing that it is harming there body, but they don’t have any remorse. A drug addict will often try to hide their problem, so they can continue to use without anyone’s input. Family and friends may try to use preaching methods or tell the user that they need to stop using the drug. This method is not ...