Addiction is a very controversial topic. I support the argument that addiction is in fact a disease. Many believe that once you’re addicted it is just a matter of hard work and willpower to overcome it. On a chemical level certain drugs can block receptor sites for neurotransmitters, which will then prompt the brain to create more sites thinking that it needs to make more sites for more neurotransmitters. This will leave a persons brain with too many open unnecessary receptor sites. Also some drugs can mimic certain neurotransmitters and fit into a receptor site and this is how your brain would make a person seem like they cannot live without that substance. Eventually after consistent use of an addicting substance a person’s body will ultimately end up gaining dependence on the abused substance. In the case of alcohol, scientific research shows that a certain signaling pathway in the human brain can be connected with alcohol dependence. A gene, called neurofibromatosis type 1, controls this specific pathway. Furthermore, neurofibromatosis controls gamma-amino butyric acid, a chemical in the brain that heightens feelings of relaxation and lowers anxiety. Scientists have found that this gene is associated with excessive drinking in mice. The central amygdala is significant in the decision making process, and also with addiction-related processes. This is where gamma-amino butyric is released in the central nervous system and has shown a significant change from recreational drinking to alcohol dependence. In experiments, it shows that mice with functional neurofibromatosis genes steadily increased ethanol intake. Being that alcohol has a plethora of negatives on the human body and brain this shows that the addiction to alco...
... middle of paper ...
... perform its job, which it was assigned to for its evolutionary history for its organism (Millikan, 1984). Just like liver disease counts as a disease because it threatens to interfere with the function of the liver. This however is also completely true for addiction in the case of threatening the brain’s function. Addiction steals the brain’s natural reward system and makes the brain have a new dependency on the substance that is abused (Satel & Lilienfeld, 2014). Once this happens addiction has threatened the brain’s natural functions. A person’s reaction might be affected; judgment might be affected depending on the type of substance that is being used. Many things in the brain can be impaired while a person is addicted, which disrupts the brain’s normal functions. This information helps fight the argument that addiction is indeed a brain disease.
The first chapter is about understanding addicts and alcoholics and how it is a disease that affects a person brain and understanding that addiction is not something that some people can just quit. I It is important to understand that there is more addiction then just stopping and many people still do not believe addiction is a disease when it really is. Addiction affects a person brain by affecting the dopamine neurotransmitters. Some drugs will bind to the dopamine and directly stimulate those receptors. Some drugs will bind to the dopamine but do not stimulate dopamine receptors.
Koob, G. F. (2011, Winter -). Neurobiology of Addiction. Retrieved from Focus: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry: http://focus.psychiatryonline.org/data/Journals/FOCUS/4266/foc00111000055.pdf
According to a source on the Internet entitled Alcohol and Drug Treatment: The Disease Concept Of Substance Abuse and Addiction, the idea of drugs and alcohol being a disease is a “very controversial and debated topic. ” For the purposes of this essay, I am forced to agree that drug addiction is a choice. People get high and drink because they want to and if they are not careful they can become an addict. The research I found on this particular topic seemed to have the most support and facts to dismiss the idea that addiction is a disease. I also beeivle if there was enough evidence to support the idea of addiction being a disease it would not be such a controversial topic.
When people hear the words drug addict, these words have negative connotations and stigmas attached to them. People visualize a person who does not care about anything, including family, work, or commitments, except for obtaining money to buy drugs to get high. However, there are many people who are drug addicts that maintain a normal, functioning life. Before we can examine why these people are addicted to drugs, one must first define the word addict.
Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Addiction is normally thought of as drug abuse and alcoholism but people can also be addicted to things such as gambling and sex as well. The controversy on if addiction is a disease or a choice is a continuous debate. Everyone has an opinion on this topic, one side believes it’s a disease, while the other believes it is a choice. Although addiction has been assumed to be a lack of willpower and a weakness, addiction is actually a complex disease that changes the wiring of the brain. Addiction is a brain disease expressed in the form of compulsive behavior (Leshner.) Both devolping
In 2010, an estimated 23.5 million Americans were addicted to alcohol and/or drugs and needed treatment or supportive services (Partnership for drug free kids). Most people make the assumption that those that are addicted to a substance are just making poor choices. I will have to admit that I was one of those people that thought that it should be easy to quit something so toxic. It wasn 't until I did the research myself that I found addiction is actually a disease. It takes a lot more then willpower to just stop using something that a person 's brain has become so accustomed to. With all of the advances in science we now have a better idea of what leads to addiction. This doesn 't mean that poor choices and life decisions don 't attribute to addiction, but these causes increase the likelihood of an individual becoming addicted to a substance. The majority of individuals that abuse drugs or alcohol will admit to having a history of childhood trauma, alcoholics in the family, or drug use in their social circle.
According to Leshner, drug addiction is a chronic brain disease that is expressed in the form of compulsive behaviors (Leshner, 2001). He believes that drug addiction is influence by both biological, and behavioral factors, and to solve this addiction problem we need to focus on these same factors. On the other hand, Neil Levy argues that addiction is not a brain disease rather it is a behavioral disorder embedded in social context (Levy, 2013). I believe, drug addiction is a recurring brain disease that can be healed when we alter and eliminate all the factors that are reinforcing drug addiction.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism writes this article to inform the world that alcohol is a brain disease that affects the body and mind. The article states that alcoholism is a type of addiction, which therefore means it is a complex disease. It affects the health and well-being of the person. Alcoholism was defined as a disease by the American Medical Association in 1956. David Rosenbloom, PhD, states, “They can’t stop because their brain has been changed.” Neurotransmitters in the brain such as, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and glutamate, are disrupted by abused substances such as alcohol. This article will be helpful to me because it has specific examples and situation that explains that alcoholism is a disease.
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.
The fact that addiction is a brain disorder is a new detail that I learnt from the HBO video. As pointed out by Dr. Volkow, addiction as a brain disease renders the addicts unable to control themselves in relation to curbing their addiction problem. In conceptualizing addiction as a brain disease, Volkow illustrates this standpoint with the fact that the brain has a “natural reward system” that facilitates the learning of “behaviors that are necessary for survival” (NIDA 2006). Learning that the abused drugs take over this system – the dopamine system of the brain - was pivotal in finally grasping the rationale behind referring to addiction as a brain disorder. The brain with time becomes dependent on the abused drugs. This arises from the fact that natural rewards no longer have the capability to produce “normal levels of dopamine or pleasure” (NIDA 2006). As time goes on, the continued intake of drugs subsequently makes the addict lose all control over their use and dependen...
Drinking alcohol is associated with many adverse health problems in the short and long-term. These include cancer, stroke, heart disease, miscarriage, premature birth and unintentional injuries. Despite the fact that alcohol brings many negative impacts, many people still choose to drink and do not overcome their drinking habit. They have been successfully seduced by alcohol until drinking has become their addiction. However, some of them try to quit drinking, but they still cannot break the addiction. Basically, quitting alcohol is difficult and almost impossible for them because of brain-craving, lack of belief and support, and weak willpower.
To understand alcoholism, it must first be understood what this affliction is dependent on. Alcohol is a substance that is made by the fermentation of fruits, grains, or miscellaneous other organic materials. The chemical, alcohol, is a depressant and acts on every cell in the human body. Due to this, the central nervous system, along with the pleasure centers of the brain, are affected resulting in a feeling of euphoria and a sense of well being. After repeated exposure, the brain becomes dependent on this drug to unburden itself whenever it feels the compulsion. Several factors that contribute to alcoholism are the individual’s psychology, genetics, culture, and the individual’s response to physical pain.
There are several philosophies of addiction (Colorado Technical University, 2017). First, the reciprocal gene-environment theory proposes that genetic is culprit behind addiction. If an individual inherits addiction tendencies, then that person as a rule may develop an addiction problem. In other word, these groups of people are already predisposed to becoming drugs abuser and alcoholics. The theory also suggests that these tendencies are based on environmental factors. Environmental trends are generally what cause a person to become addicted. For example, when the individual is under a certain environment pressure the way they cope with these issues is by using and abusing drugs and alcohol. Conversely, the gene-environment theory also maintains
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.
Leshner, A. (2011) Addiction Is a Brain Disease, and it Matters. Frontiers in Neuroscience: The Science of Substance Abuse.