Understanding Addiction: A Brain Disease Perspective

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)

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While at the start the person is chosing to take these drugs, over

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

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