WHAT IS THE NATURE OF ADDICTION

AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

Topics of Interest

• What is addiction?• Why is this information important?• How addiction affects the brain• Genetics and the environment• How addiction is treated• Social influence• Prevention

Addiction:

/əˈdikSHən/

1: the quality or state of being addicted <addiction to reading>

2: compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful Merriam Websters Dictionary

WHAT IS ADDICTION?

The first time a person experiments with a substance, it can be a mind opening experience. Some people can use a substance and have no qualms with putting it down, while others at some point seem to lose control and can’t stop. Once a person is addicted, it is nearly impossible to stop using the substance on will power alone. The addict will continue to use despite the negative impact the use of the particular substance has on their social life, health, economic status, financial status, and overall stability.Science of Addiction. Pg 5)

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Addiction not only has negative consequences for the individual, but for the society that they live in as well. Fact is, addiction is expensive. Factoring in crime, productivity loss, and health issues addiction costs Americans an estimated 600 billion dollars each year. In addition, each year the abuse of illicit drugs and alcohol contributes to the death of more than 100,000 people.Generally understanding the nature of addiction drastically increases the likelihood of affected individuals seeking and receiving the treatment they need, which affects everyone in some way.(Drugs, Brains, and Behavior- The Science of Addiction. Pg 3)

Addiction has become an epidemic that has the potential to manifest itself without regard to demographic, geography, intelligence, education, age, gender, or race/ethnicity.(Drugs, Brains, and Behavior- The Science of Addiction. Pg 2)

It used to be a common belief that addiction only affects those who harbored some type of moral deficiency, but with the scientific research and data available in the 21st century more and more people are learning that addiction is a disease that affects the brain.As a result of this discovery, more people affected by addiction are receiving the treatment they need and are leading clean, productive lives.

IF ADDICTION WAS A PRODUCT OF A MORAL NATURE, WOULD IT AFFECT THIS MANY PEOPLE?

According to the findings of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “In 2011, an estimated 20.6 million persons aged 12 or older were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year (8.0 percent of the population aged 12 or older). Of these, 2.6 million were classified with dependence or abuse of both alcohol and illicit drugs, 3.9 million had dependence or abuse of illicit drugs but not alcohol, and 14.1 million had dependence or abuse of alcohol but not illicit drugs.” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE OR ABUSE IN THE PAST YEAR AMONG PERSONS AGED 12 OR OLDER. 2002-2011

(SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION)

HOW ADDICTION AFFECTS THE BRAIN

What is the Brain?The brain is one of the most important organs in the human body. It is a remarkable 3 lb. mass that can contemplate the universe, create memories, respond to stimuli, and complete everyday functions like driving, eating, and communicating.

What does using drugs do exactly?Our brain is home to many chemicals that allow us to complete the various functions in order to live our lives. These chemicals are produced in neurons inside the brain and carried by neurotransmitters. When a person ingests an illicit substance, the space between the neurons in the reward part of the brain are flooded with neurotransmitters that carry Dopamine. Dopamine is present in areas of the brain that control emotions like movement, cognition, emotion, and feelings of pleasure. Since this chemical is released out into the system all at once, it becomes overstimulated and the body cannot regulate itself properly and this flooding is what’s responsible for the euphoric feeling of being “high”. Also, since this is all taking place in the reward section of the brain, we learn to repeat the behavior.(Drugs, Brains, and Behavior- The Science of Addiction. Pg 15-18)

WHY DON’T THEY “JUST STOP”?

Where it is true that the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, once a person uses frequently enough thier ability to control themselves becomes less and less easy.

“Brain imaging studies from drug-addicted individuals show physical changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Scientists believe that these changes alter the way the brain works, and may help explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction”. (Drugs, Brains, and Behavior- The Science of Addiction. Pg 7)

ADDICTION IS IN FACT, A DISEASE

This is the same basic science that led to the discovery that addiction is in fact, a disease. I myself struggled with this concept. I said things like “Cancer is a disease. You can’t control that but you can control whether or not you use. It releases the responsibility they have to it”. It turns out I am not the only one who has had this thought process.

http://youtu.be/aOwUd38sqo8

In this video, a breast cancer survivor is asked to explain this exact question. After a lot of thought and research I realized that accepting that addiction is a disease is not alleviating the responsibility that an addict has for the problem however, it is a healthy step in the right direction to recovery.(Jay Com. YouTube.com)

GENETICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

What role do they play in addiction?There is no single definitive factor that determines the chance a person will develop an addiction. What increases a persons risk however is:The environment:Having parents who abuse drugs and/or alcohol increases the risk of developing an addiction as well as social conditions at school or with friends and the influence they have on a persons development while growing up . Combined with poor academic performance the chances of developing an addiction increase.In addition, childhood trauma, the developmental stage, and social situations. Psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety can have an influence as well. Genetics:It is shocking that “genetic factors account for 40-60% of a persons vulnerability to addiction”.

(Drugs, Brains, and Behavior- The Science of Addiction. Pg 8)

HOW ADDICTION IS TREATED

Addiction is a disease that can be successfully treated. There are a number of options for addicts seeking recovery such as non-profit organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous, out-patient or in-patient treatment facilities, and with medications that are taken orally to prevent withdrawal and relapse.Effective treatment includes:Combining behavioral therapy with medication it the most effective way to treat addiction. Also, tailoring treatment to the needs of the patient is a priority.What about relapse?Believe it or not, relapse is actually a part of recovery. Think in the terms of a baby learning how to walk. He will fall down a few times before he gets it right, and it is no different when a person is rewiring their brain to function properly without the use of an illicit substance. It takes time, patience, understanding, forgiveness, and support. Also, relapse is an indicator to treatment professionals that the treatment program may need to be adjusted.(Drugs, Brains, and Behavior- The Science of Addiction. Pg 26)How does medication help?Medication can help to bring the person down off drugs gently, figuratively speaking. Medications like Suboxone use an active ingredient called bupenorphine that prevent relapse, withdrawal, and cravings.(Johnson RE, Strain EC, Amass L. Buprenorphine: how to use it right)

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

How can people as a society help?Awareness, awareness, awareness! It is important to understand how addiction works first before we form an opinion on it. It is easy to listen to opinion pieces and anecdotes and adopt the same viewpoint, but it is always necessary to do research.A couple decades ago it was a common belief that a person became addicted to drugs because of some moral deficiency or fault of their own. Now with all the available information we can clearly see that that couldn’t be further from the truth.The sad thing is, a lot of people still hold a negative stigma towards people with addiction. This is where social responsibility comes in. Holding this viewpoint perpetuates the feelings of guilt, shame, and embarrassment that addicts feel and think about when considering treatment. As a result, this viewpoint keeps addicts using because they blame themselves and think the issue is them instead of a real medical illness that merits treatment. We can all help addicts help themselves by reserving our judgments and educating ourselves with the latest scientific research available.

PREVENTION

The most important time to prevent the development of drug addiction is in adolescents. As mentioned earlier, using drugs changes the chemistry of the brain. Young people’s brains are still developing and therefore prevention at this stage is crucial.Drug abuse is most often seen when a person is going through a major life change . Changing schools, divorce, or any type of transition creates stress and increases the likely hood of drug abuse. Where we see drug abuse we also see drug addiction. “Teens’ still-developing judgment and decision making skills may limit their ability to assess risks accurately and make sound decisionsabout using drugs. Drug and alcohol abuse can disrupt brain function in areas critical to motivation, memory, learning, judgment, and behavior control. So, it is not surprising that teens who abuse alcohol and other drugs often have family and school problems, poor academic performance, health-related problems (including mental health), and involvement with the juvenile justice system.”(Drugs, Brains, and Behavior- The Science of Addiction. Pg 8)

Awareness, education, reduced negative stigmas, and readily available treatment options are also a small list of preventative measures.

WORKS CITED

Merriam Websters Dictionary Online

Google Images

Jay Com. Is Addiction Really a “Disease” Like Cancer?. YouTube.com. August 27, 2012

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs Brains and Behavior- The Science of Addition. drugabuse.gov. 10-5605. April 2007 revised August 2010. National Institute of Health

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings, NSDUH Series H-44, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4713. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2012.

Johnson RE, Strain EC, Amass L. Buprenorphine: how to use it right. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2003;70(suppl 2):S59-S77.