Essay On Addiction Disease

Addiction disease that affects the brain and actually reshapes and rewires the brain. Relapse will occur a couple times before recovery begins. Alcoholics and addicts were treated very unfairly and were denied treatment. The important neurotransmitters that are involved are dopamine, serotonin, GABA and glutamate. Alcoholism, over a long term period, can shrink the brain and lower the metabolism. Hallucinogens can alter change the levels of serotonin released into the brain. Opiates can damage the opiate receptors. No matter the type of drug, the addict will have an alteration of their brain structure. The process of addiction is the rewiring of the brain, it involves the limbic system being overrun by the surge of dopamine levels. In order to stop the overflow of dopamine, the prefrontal cortex will take over and mull over the morality of the situation. In a normal functioning brain both the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system work together to help make conscious decisions. …show more content…
In this sense, the drug will increasingly become dependent on survival. The brain then becomes permanently altered by damaged neurotransmitters and decreased levels of dopamine. Addiction is common for people with mental illnesses. One causes the other; the addiction can’t be treated without co-treatment of the depression (thus inducing relapse or continued use) and vice versa. Co-occurring disorders cause constant craving, drug seeking behavior in order to maintain stimulation of pleasure throughout the brain. Anyone can be vulnerable to addiction, however genes can be involved with susceptibility to addiction. Addiction is often hereditary. Craving is the brain’s response to cues (visual images, small amounts of the reward, or negative effects). There is hope for stopping craving with research with and the introduction of anti-craving