Specifically, the reason humans become addicted to a certain drug is because the drug tricks the brain into releasing pleasurable and rewarding chemicals which intrinsically reinforce the person into consuming it again and again. The moment one associates the drug use with these positive feelings, the behavior is learned. Based on the law of effect “behaviors leading to a satisfying state of affairs are strengthened” (Powel & Honey & Symbaluk,, 2013, p. 215), therefore the positive reinforcement that comes after using a drug determines that this behavior will be repeated again. This cyclical pattern of drug use and positive reinforcement is clearly seen in Mark Lewis 's behavior throughout his life as an addict, described in his novel. Lewis himself has stated in an…
Addictions have been the devastation of families every where, whether it be a close family member or a distant relative. A person may have gotten a hold of a type a drug, whether it be alcohol or cocaine, the person becomes addicted and looks for the next high. The question as to why someone becomes addicted is, how? The answer is genetics. Many people who have family members are more prone to develop an addiction, due to the passing of genes.…
The brain’s reward system is basically our survival system, it is what has kept us alive all this time. There are two major types of rewards when it comes to the reward center, and they are food and sex, those along with water are what allow it to activate. When a drug enters the body it goes to the brain’s reward center so that the brain is aware of what just entered the body, well the reason addiction appears is because of the desire. Even though the reward center keeps us alive it also keeps the addiction for drugs alive and help it maintain its survival. The longer a reward is apart of the reward center the less of an influence it starts to have, it in ways naturally becomes a habit over time.…
Intro As of 2013 an estimated 22.7 million Americans needed treatment for a drug related problem but only 2.5 million received treatment at a specialty facility” (Drug Facts, pg. 7). This is a pretty big gap in needed treatment. One must ask why aren’t people seeking treatment? Could it be lack of health care, resistance or outright denial?…
The subject of my Senior Research Paper is the psychology of addictions and disorders. Through this topic, I wish to explore what distinguishes the two, how are they intertwined, and the effect these abnormalities have on an individual. In particular, I plan to examine abnormalities including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, learning disorders such as ADD & ADHD, and alcohol and substance addictions. In order to thoroughly and successfully explore the many aspects of this topic, certain questions must be proposed.…
Have you ever wondered how the brain works or how it is connected? Outside the brain there appears to be a handful of pink and gray muscles. However, as you enter the human brain, it reveals an extremely complex circuit, connecting you with the rest of your body. The brain contains almost 100,000 miles of blood vessels and billions of cells. It is the consummate library of information, remembering data and processing it as quickly as 11 million bits per second (The Human Brain).…
Gilda Berger, author of Addiction, explains that, “There is no single characteristic or constellation of traits that is inevitably associated with addiction” (Berger 17). In other words, people form addictions not because of certain configurations, but because of certain behavioral patterns they become accustomed to. No two addictions are necessarily identical or have the same effects on addicts.…
The addiction has hijacked the brain. There is a learning process in addiction for instance dopamine adds to the pleasure principle, and also has a role in memory and learning. Two major factors that turn liking something specific into becoming dependent on it. Dopamine interacts with glutamate which takes over the reward-related learning in the brain system. A system such as this is important in maintaining a healthy life needed to survive with reward and pleasure.…
Cocaine, a highly addictive and euphoria-producing stimulant drug is derived from the cocoa leaves which are grown primarily in the South American countries of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Columbia. Cocaine is a highly addictive drug of abuse. The drug is categorized as a stimulant; According to the Center for Substance Abuse Research, stimulants heighten the body’s activity, including increases in energy, alertness, heart rate, and blood pressure. Ancient South American cultures chewed the leaves to get their hearts racing and speed their breathing to counter the effects of living high in the mountains where the air is thin. Subsequently, later Inca and Aztec cultures also embraced the cocoa leave and would chew the leaves in everyday…
Two paths: One choice Drug addiction has been a very controversial topic in America for a long time now, it is debated on whether or not we should classify this appalling habit as a choice or as an illness. Several individuals are exposed to drug abuse daily and an excessive amount of people in society live with the elected consequences of this terrible addiction. Not only does this issue affect the abuser, but also the immediate relatives and peers surrounding the abuser. Lives are stolen, children are taken away from mothers and fathers, families are divided, millions of dollars are vanished before eyes, and shedding of tears becomes a daily routine. These are only minimal examples of what substance abuse can cause in countless lives.…
Substance Abuse No one takes drugs intending to become an addict, addiction is a complex concept. All drugs have addictive properties that make it difficult to stop using. Research today is used to better understand the addiction process and to show how much a substance can affect the abuser’s psychological, medical, physical and social state. There are different theories for why this occurs; causes of addiction are also related and molded to the personality of the ones who use. Understanding the components underlying why these individuals use the substance is key to giving them the right type of treatment.…
Drug addiction is an intricate disease that is characterized by compulsive drug use. It affects behaviors and several brain regions, especially those involved with rewards, motivation, learning, and memory. The path to drug addiction starts with the voluntary act of using a drug. If a person continues to take a drug frequently over a large period of time the act becomes less and less voluntary.…
Drug Addiction Drug habit is not a sign of moral failure or absence of self-control, it 's a mind boggling infection that merits long haul, broad treatment, much the same as some other unrelieved condition. Individuals who have not battled with substance mishandle may think that it’s hard to comprehend why anybody would begin utilizing drugs. Why might somebody energetically place themselves in damage 's ways by taking perilous substances? Truth be told, numerous reasons why a few people swing to or begin mishandling drugs, and shockingly the results can be life-shattering. While each case is special, there are general examples that show why a few people utilize drugs, how compulsion creates, and the results of drug abuse.…
“Addiction isn 't about substance - you aren 't addicted to the substance, you are addicted to the alteration of mood that the substance brings” (By Susan Cheever). Many people get addicted to drugs try to escape the reality of his or her world. The world around that person get to hard to handle without help, instead of asking for help from people that can help him or her. The person turn to drugs. Drugs can be from marijuana to cocaine, it does matter what form of drug when someone is addicted it the effects that he or she leaves destroy.…
Despite the common conception that drug use and drug abuse is only a recent phenomenon, history proves that drugs have been used since 5000 B.C. both for pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical purposes. As time progressed, new drugs were developed, discovered, and used by people for a variety of different reasons all around the world. In most cases, especially in earlier times, when new drugs were developed or discovered, the possible risks that they posed remained unknown because all that was tested or known was the positive outcome of the drug. For example, according to Dr. Robert N. Proctor, a professor at Stanford University, there were no conclusions established regarding the harmful effects of tobacco until the early 1940s (Proctor, Tobacco…