Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
CLASS : 1PA09
NPM: 14519210
DRUG ABUSE
Many people do not understand why or how people become addicted to drugs and alcohol. There
are many misconceptions about how addictions work. For example, some mistakenly believe that
those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and could stop using drugs by simply
choosing to do so. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease and quitting takes much more
than good intentions.
Drugs change the brain in ways that make quitting difficult even for those who want to.
Fortunately, psychologists know more now than ever before about how drugs affect the brain and
have found treatments that can help people recover.
What is a drug addiction?
To begin, addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive
or difficult to control despite negative consequences. The initial decision to take drugs is
voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes that challenge an
addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs.
How do addictions affect the brain?
The brain registers all pleasures in the same way whether it be from a satisfying meal, monetary
reward or drug use. In the brain, instances of pleasure are marked by releases in certain
neurotransmitters. All drugs of abuse cause a particularly powerful surge of dopamine, providing
a “shortcut” to the brain’s reward system. While these neurotransmitters contribute to the
experience of pleasure, they also play a role in memory and learning. This motivates a person to
take action and seek out the source of pleasure from past experiences. For some, this explains
how addiction becomes a learned behavior.
What are the risk factors for becoming an addict?
No one factor can predict if a person is going to become addicted to drugs. Instead, a
combination of factors influences the risk of addiction. The more risk factors a person has, the
higher chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction.
For example, the biology of someone can be a risk factor. The genes that a person is born with
account for about half of a person’s risk for addiction. Gender, ethnicity, and the presence of
other mental disorders all are potential risk factors. It has long been known that addicts usually
have an under active dopamine system that gives them a decreased capacity to experience
pleasure in their ordinary lives.
One’s environment also plays a factor. This includes family and friends, socioeconomic status,
stress, parental guidance and early exposure to toxic environments. For example, growing up
without both parents around will leave you at a risk to be exposed to drugs at a younger age, thus
resulting in an increase of possible addiction.