What is Addiction?
Addiction is the most significant public health problem in the US today. Its toll is far-reaching, with an estimated 18 million people engaging in problematic drinking and approximately 20% of the population using drugs non-medically. Individuals, their families, and communities are seriously impacted. The consequences of addiction are multi-dimensional and affect healthcare resources, insurance rates, employment opportunities, and the legal system (NCADD, 2015).
Causes of Addiction
Addiction is caused by a pattern of substance use that results in a psychological and/or physiological need for the substance.
1) Chronic use of a substance, like alcohol, leads to neurobiological changes that affect thoughts, feelings and beliefs about using.
2) Typically, this begins with obsessive thoughts about using or consuming the drug, called “craving”, where an individual feels an intense desire for the drug and feels unable to cope without using it.
3) The craving phase is strengthened by drug expectancies; individuals believe that the drug enhances life experiences or improves personality flaws.
Craving is sustained because drugs have inherently rewarding properties, and casual use can become compulsive because of the positive reinforcement of a drug. This is called ‘incentive-motivation’, where the drug acts as a ‘reinforcer’ and elicits a behavioral response. Eventually, continued use results in the development of tolerance, where a larger dose is required in order to achieve the same effect or level of intoxication.
Tolerance is followed by withdrawal, a hallmark characteristic of addiction. It occurs when an addictive substance is abruptly stopped or the usual dose is lowered.
- Some common symptoms of withdrawal are anxiety, sleep disturbance, restlessness, craving and emotional problems.
- The severity of withdrawal is directly proportional to the severity of use, and can seriously compromise health and safety; requiring medical supervision in some cases. Overall, use continues as an effort to avoid the discomfort and distress of withdrawal symptoms.
Source: http://bit.ly/2Rp3AnJ
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Last Updated: June 19, 2019 by drmoea
What is Addiction?
Addiction is the most significant public health problem in the US today. Its toll is far-reaching, with an estimated 18 million people engaging in problematic drinking and approximately 20% of the population using drugs non-medically. Individuals, their families, and communities are seriously impacted. The consequences of addiction are multi-dimensional and affect healthcare resources, insurance rates, employment opportunities, and the legal system (NCADD, 2015).
Causes of Addiction
Addiction is caused by a pattern of substance use that results in a psychological and/or physiological need for the substance.
1) Chronic use of a substance, like alcohol, leads to neurobiological changes that affect thoughts, feelings and beliefs about using.
2) Typically, this begins with obsessive thoughts about using or consuming the drug, called “craving”, where an individual feels an intense desire for the drug and feels unable to cope without using it.
3) The craving phase is strengthened by drug expectancies; individuals believe that the drug enhances life experiences or improves personality flaws.
Craving is sustained because drugs have inherently rewarding properties, and casual use can become compulsive because of the positive reinforcement of a drug. This is called ‘incentive-motivation’, where the drug acts as a ‘reinforcer’ and elicits a behavioral response. Eventually, continued use results in the development of tolerance, where a larger dose is required in order to achieve the same effect or level of intoxication.
Tolerance is followed by withdrawal, a hallmark characteristic of addiction. It occurs when an addictive substance is abruptly stopped or the usual dose is lowered.
Source: http://bit.ly/2Rp3AnJ
Category: Blog Tags: drop the drugs