Understanding the Causes of an Addiction
Haylie M. Galvan
Wichita State University
Understanding the Causes of an Addiction
How quickly can someone become addicted to a drug? Why can’t addicts stop using? These are common questions about addiction that most people ask with not realizing that addicts just do not start using a drug because it is fun. Addiction is generally defined as someone not having any control over what they are taking or doing because of something that is influences their behavior. It relates to deeper psychological reasons such as addictive personalities, mental illnesses, its use as an “escape” from one’s current situation. In order for psychologist to fully understand the psychology surrounding addiction, …show more content…
A vast majority of addicts suffer from mental health disorders, especially anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder. People with untreated mental health problems start using depressants and narcotics in order to self-medicate themselves. On the other hand, there are some cases where an individual begins to develop the signs of a mental illness shortly after using drugs. Suggesting drug abuse can potentially lead to a mental illness. According to a survey conducted in 2009 showing that nearly 8 million adults in the United States suffer from co-occurring disorders (SAMHSA, 2010). Stating that many people have both a mental illness and a substance abuse problem. Many psychologists tend to see cases of co-occurring disorders with bipolar patients. Bipolar disorder is often defined as extreme mood swings. A person can be very happy and excited at one moment, then the next minute they are very sad. As a result, many patients are heavily medicated in order to help control their mood swings, but many can become addicted with not even realizing it. So many patients become heavenly reliant on their medications in order to help. It was stated, that nearly 60% of individuals with bipolar disorder experiencing some form of substance abuse in their lifetime (Johnson, Drgon, McMahon, & Uhl, 2009). These drugs help provide a very short solution to their …show more content…
Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00077
Johnson C, Drgon T, McMahon FJ, Uhl GR. (March 2009). Convergent genome wide
Association results for bipolar disorder and substance dependence. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatry Genet. 150B (2):182-90.
Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P.M., Bachman, J. E. (2009). Monitoring the future national results
On adolescent drug use: overview of key findings, 2008 (NIH Publication No. 09-7401). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Kilpatrick DG, Saunders BE. (1997). "Prevalence and Consequences of Child Victimization:
Results from The National Survey of Adolescents." National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina
Mettler, S, Sharenow, R (Writers). (2005). Megan H. In G. Benza, M. Branton, J. Weaver, L.
Fleury, and J. Wagman (Producers), Intervention.
National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention. (July 2012).
"Childhood Trauma and Its Effect on Healthy Development," (http://sshs.promoteprevent.org/sites/default/files/trauma_brief_in_final.pdf)
National Drug Intelligence Center. (2011). Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on
Haylie M. Galvan
Wichita State University
Understanding the Causes of an Addiction
How quickly can someone become addicted to a drug? Why can’t addicts stop using? These are common questions about addiction that most people ask with not realizing that addicts just do not start using a drug because it is fun. Addiction is generally defined as someone not having any control over what they are taking or doing because of something that is influences their behavior. It relates to deeper psychological reasons such as addictive personalities, mental illnesses, its use as an “escape” from one’s current situation. In order for psychologist to fully understand the psychology surrounding addiction, …show more content…
A vast majority of addicts suffer from mental health disorders, especially anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder. People with untreated mental health problems start using depressants and narcotics in order to self-medicate themselves. On the other hand, there are some cases where an individual begins to develop the signs of a mental illness shortly after using drugs. Suggesting drug abuse can potentially lead to a mental illness. According to a survey conducted in 2009 showing that nearly 8 million adults in the United States suffer from co-occurring disorders (SAMHSA, 2010). Stating that many people have both a mental illness and a substance abuse problem. Many psychologists tend to see cases of co-occurring disorders with bipolar patients. Bipolar disorder is often defined as extreme mood swings. A person can be very happy and excited at one moment, then the next minute they are very sad. As a result, many patients are heavily medicated in order to help control their mood swings, but many can become addicted with not even realizing it. So many patients become heavenly reliant on their medications in order to help. It was stated, that nearly 60% of individuals with bipolar disorder experiencing some form of substance abuse in their lifetime (Johnson, Drgon, McMahon, & Uhl, 2009). These drugs help provide a very short solution to their …show more content…
Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00077
Johnson C, Drgon T, McMahon FJ, Uhl GR. (March 2009). Convergent genome wide
Association results for bipolar disorder and substance dependence. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatry Genet. 150B (2):182-90.
Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P.M., Bachman, J. E. (2009). Monitoring the future national results
On adolescent drug use: overview of key findings, 2008 (NIH Publication No. 09-7401). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Kilpatrick DG, Saunders BE. (1997). "Prevalence and Consequences of Child Victimization:
Results from The National Survey of Adolescents." National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina
Mettler, S, Sharenow, R (Writers). (2005). Megan H. In G. Benza, M. Branton, J. Weaver, L.
Fleury, and J. Wagman (Producers), Intervention.
National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention. (July 2012).
"Childhood Trauma and Its Effect on Healthy Development," (http://sshs.promoteprevent.org/sites/default/files/trauma_brief_in_final.pdf)
National Drug Intelligence Center. (2011). Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on