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Addiction Is A Disease

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Addiction is a Disease Addiction kills more than 300,000 people each year (NIDA 1). Addiction to a substance or multiple substances affect the brain and body's functioning's. Addiction is classified as a disease that affects both the brain and behavior (CDC). Addiction is when a person cannot stop abusing a drug or substance, even if they want to quit. The effects from continuing drug use take over the mind and body. Drug addiction is classified as a "relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them" (NIDA 4). Repeated drug use leads to addiction, which then leads to a disease that changes the brain (CDC). Addiction changes the brain. The psychological …show more content…

The continued response is the "high" or a feeling of euphoria created by the drug, since the brain learns to function in this pattern other normal behavioral patterns such as, planning tasks, memory, motivation and execution of tasks become overloaded (Volkow). This is when addiction happens in the brain. It is more than just liking the substance and what it does; it is now the psychological need to have it to maintain a new normal. When your brain is without a substance, it will send a message to the body that something is wrong. Withdrawal from a drug starts when there is a stop of using the drug. Withdrawal symptoms are different based on the type of drug used. Withdrawal patterns consist of sweating, tension, panic attacks, headaches, heart palpitations, disturbed sleep, nausea and much more (NIDA …show more content…

The Medicare, economic and social costs of addiction in the United States are over five-hundred billion dollars a year. Treatment for addicts is very expensive and difficult to obtain for many. Health insurance only provides minimal coverage of care. Overdose from drug addiction is killing people everyday. Recently, the development and use of Narcan has been introduced to Emergency personnel, first responders and EMT's. Narcan reverses opioids sensors in the brain. If a person has stopped breathing due to the use of opioids, including, heroin, morphine, methamphetamine, or other drugs, Narcan can be given to remove the high and reverse the symptoms. There is a growing ethical concern about the use of Narcan and the accessibility of it. Many drug add it's become angry when their "high" is reserved; to them it is a loss of the pleasurable feeling they need to function (CDC). The impact of drug addiction sets a foundation for generations to repeat this behavior as

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