Drug Addiction Is A Complex Disease - 2376 Words

Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. It is often mistakenly assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting takes more than good intentions or a strong will. In fact, because drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, quitting is difficult, even for those who are ready to do so. Through scientific advances, we know more about how drugs work in the brain than ever, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and lead productive lives.In some cases criminal or anti-social behavior occurs when the person is under the influence of a drug, and long term personality changes in individuals may occur as well. In addition to possible physical, social, and psychological harm, use of some drugs may also lead to criminal p enalties, although these vary widely depending on the local jurisdiction.The initiation of drug and alcohol use is most likely to occur during adolescence, and some experimentation with substances by older adolescents is common.Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structureShow MoreRelatedAddiction as a Disease: Addiction is a term that has traditionally been used to refer to1400 Words   |  6 PagesAddiction as a Disease: Addiction is a term that has traditionally been used to refer to psychiatric syndrome that is caused by illicit drug use. Actually, addition is the only psychiatric condition whose symptoms are regarded as an illegal activity. In most cases, this term is described on the basis of drug use, which is the main focus of many research and treatment programs. Generally, drug addiction has significant negative effects on individuals using the drug and those around them such asRead MoreA Critical Look At Brain Disease1371 Words   |  6 PagesLook at Brain Disease Addiction, such as drug or alcohol addiction, is explained by a Dr. Nora Volkow in a HBO series on addiction as a disease of the brain that translates into abnormal behavior. This disease is known as brain disease which refers to disruptions in the brain s motivational and reward circuitry that results from the cumulative effect of repeated use of certain substances. The documentary, Addiction, drove home the point that drug addiction is a brain disease that is a chronicRead MoreDrug Addiction: A Brain Controlling Disease823 Words   |  3 Pagesto drugs. This drug addiction has left a major impact on the brains of each user. Drug addiction is a relapsing brain disease that is characterized by brain malfunction that alters the way the users think and behave. Normal balancing Mechanisms go haywire, allowing the drug to control the brain. Drug addiction has been a major concern for scientist in recent years. With research drug addiction is categorized as a neuron-disease from its larg e impact on the brain. Drug addiction is a complex brainRead MoreThe Problem Of Drug Addiction952 Words   |  4 Pagestaking drugs can vary and while the action itself is voluntary: the eventual drug addiction is essentially involuntary. Drug addiction is a complex and chronic disease, a brain disease, which changes the way the brain functions. Drug addiction, much like chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes, disrupts healthy, normal functioning organs. This has harmful consequences that are both preventable and treatable (Branch, 2011, pp.263-265). Drug addiction is considered a brain disease as drugsRead More The Etiology of Addiction Disease Model Essay examples1522 Words   |  7 PagesAddiction is like all behaviours â€Å"the business of the brain†. Addictions are compulsive physical and psychological needs from habit-forming sustenances like nicotine, alcohol, and drugs. Being occupied with or involved in such activities, leads a person who uses them again and again to beco me tolerant and dependent eventually experiencing withdrawal. (Molintas, 2006). Addictive drugs cause dopamine neurons to release dopamine, the pleasure hormone. The narcotics disable the neurons that wouldRead Morecrisis intervention final paper on addiction1553 Words   |  7 PagesJohnson Crisis Intervention April 10th, 2015 â€Å"The Crisis of Addiction† One of the longest ongoing issues in the world today is addiction. Unlike some of the other examples of crisis, this has been a problem since the beginning of time. Alcohol is the most commonly used, abused, and also the easiest of addictive substances toRead MoreMontoyaW Conceptualizingaddictionpaper1080 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Conceptualizing Addiction Paper Montoya Williams BSHS/455 November 4, 2014 Carla Malewicz Conceptualizing Addiction Paper Introduction For many years, individuals have battled substance abuse and addiction. My position comes from hearing about it, having seeing results from it, and reading about it, also developing my own thoughts about addiction. Weil and Rosen (1993) believe that a drug use (and addiction) results from humans longing for a sense of completeness and wholeness, and searchingRead MoreUnderstanding Addiction1317 Words   |  6 Pages Understanding Addiction Limestone College Abstract As early as 1939 with the publication of the first edition of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous the medical community was aware that addiction was more than a moral shortcoming. In the first addition of the book in the chapter The Doctor’s Opinion, Dr. William Silkworth (1939) wrote the following, â€Å"We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; thatRead MoreDrug Addiction Essay822 Words   |  4 Pageswhy or how other people become addicted to drugs. They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting usually takes more than good intentions or a strong will. Drugs change the brain in ways that make quitting hard, even for those who want to. Fortunately, researchers know more than ever about how drugs affect the brain and ha ve found treatmentsRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Addiction On College Campuses1703 Words   |  7 PagesDrug addiction is often a misunderstood condition. In actuality, it is a very complex disease. While there are many factors that contribute to whether an individual will become an addict, genes also have a significant influence. This makes this a disease that can be passed down from generations. Once drugs enter the body, they start to work in the brain in various ways. One way is by imitating the structure of a neurotransmitter and another is by over stimulating the reward center. After prolonged