Cause, Causes And Psychological Effects Of Drug Addiction

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, genetics account for over fifty percent of addiction disorders. Elders having a past with drugs, the addict

To understand addiction further, it is important to look at how drugs have neurological effects in a human body. Drugs can be ingested in various ways; while some are taken orally, some are smoked (cannabis) while others are injected directly into the blood stream (Heroin). Once in the body, they mainly affect the reward pathway in the brain, known as the dopaminergic pathway, which in turn gives pleasure. Even though all drugs affect the reward and motivation pathways in the brain, their speed depends on the way the drug has been consumed. Over constant use of drugs, the cognitive functions are impaired as the effects become more prominent in learning, memory

Over the years comprehensive research has been accomplished and has determined that children raised by substance using parents are at an increased risk for developing substance use disorders (SUDs) in adulthood as a result of familial dissemination of substance abuse through both the environments in which the children are raised and genetic susceptibility (Merikangas et al., 1998; Merikangas & Avenevoli, 2000). Unfortunately, there is an insignificant amount of literature examining the effects that the combined treatment and recovery of substance abusing parents has on the affected children.

Biology and genetics influence substance abuse and addiction. According to Prescott, Madden, and Stallings, (2006), a number of obstacles confront researchers considering genetic influences on substance-related behavior. Preliminary there is a significant discrepancy across civilizations and archival periods in the prevalence and classifications of substance use (i.e., cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, or heroin). A person’s biology is a determination in the addiction of risk. For example, Prescott, Madden, and Stallings (2006) assert many studies indicate increased rates of alcoholism among adopted males; although he is not influenced by his own biological parents (p. 475; see Cadoret et al. 1985; see Cloninger et al. 1981). It has been suggested that twins (e.g., adults) are most likely to inherit smoking dependence. Various studies throughout countries study variables (e.g., age and gender) according to Prescott, Madden, and Stallings (2006).

Genetics is a primer for how a person will behave but nurture can easily override nature. Human traits and behaviors are predetermined by genes but environmental factors can easily interact and reshape the person. Addiction is hereditary and children whose parents have drug or alcohol problems are genetically predisposed to be at risk. Although according to University of Georgia, supportive parenting can counterbalance the genetic risks of having substance abuse (Belkin, 2009). University of Georgia proved that having risks does not necessarily mean that the gene will be automatically expressed. According to the research, parenting style

Lastly, Cadoret et al. (1996) conducted one of the first studies that was in fact able to isolate the influence of environmental exposures from potential genetic confounds. In addition to family studies and adoption studies, there have been numerous large-scale twin studies with the aim of examining the role of genetics in susceptibility to addiction. However, the majority of the twin studies conducted have examined the heritability of alcohol abuse and dependence and have not examined the heritable influences on illicit drug use disorders. Past research such as the study by McGue (1998), indicate that the estimates of heritability of alcohol/abuse dependence have ranged from 50%-70%.

According to the American Psychological Association, which states that about half of a person’s tendency toward drug addiction can be blamed on genetic factors. The genes might not make the person experiment with drugs, but when the person does begin to dabble, the use could quickly spin out of control due to these underlying genetic factors. The home in which a person grows up has a great deal of influence over drug use and abuse. A study in the Archives of General Psychiatry bears out this theory quite well, as researchers looked at drug and alcohol use in genetic twins who had been raised in different homes. Those who grew up in homes that were disrupted by divorce and mental illness, and those who grew up in homes where drugs and alcohol were at play, were more likely to become abusers when they grew up. It’s possible that living in homes like this causes such intense stress that using drugs seems like a reasonable solution, but it’s also possible that growing up in a home like this normalizes drug abuse. As the child grows and sees parents abusing substances, that child learns to also abuse substances. The effects of genetics and environment can often be hard to separate, and many statistics cited in the media fail to take this into account. Children of substance use parents are likely to inherit many of the genes that would make them predisposed to

Addiction can come in many forms, leading to a whole array of symptoms and consequences. Addiction can impact on a person’s wellbeing, behaviour, functioning and cognitions. We have the ability to use different kinds of methods in order to find out about questions on how addiction can form, animal studies can indicate how drugs may affect humans. There have been many major advances in sophistication and complexity of animal models of addiction showing us

Parents who use drugs or alcohol are likely to overlook their children leaving them to their own diplomacy. Since such parents are often lost in their addictions, they are unable to provide the proper leadership that children need particularly throughout their growing days (Sindelar & Fiellin 2001). Teenagers bred in homes where a dear blood relation uses alcohol or drugs, have a superior propensity for developing the dependence afterward, generally because the family is more relaxed in terms of drugs use. The result of alcohol or drug abuse on relations involved and results may differ between families based on a numerous factors. Families affected by substance abuse have one thing in comparison; they reside in homes where traits

The use of drugs is a controversial topic in society today. In general, addicts show a direct link between taking drugs and suffering from their effects. People abuse drugs for a wide variety of reasons. In most cases, the use of drugs will serve a type of purpose or will give some kind of reward. These reasons for use will differ with different kinds of drugs. Various reasons for using the substance can be pain relief, depression, anxiety and weariness, acceptance into a peer group, religion, and much more. Although reasons for using may vary for each individual, it is known by all that consequences of the abuse do exist. It is only further down the line when the effects of using can be seen.

Adolescents are considered maladjusted experimental subjects towards drug addiction and its psychological approach. The relationships between the two subjects were taken under investigation from ages ranging from preschool to adulthood. It appears that those who were frequently engaged in

Environment risk factors are attributed in an individual’s circumstance that enhances their possibility of evolving to the addicted of substances or alcohol. A person could have numerous environments, or domains of the impact such like the school, acquaintances, family, and community. The danger of addiction can generate in either of these domains. As stated by Jendrzejczyk (2005), “the more often young people take drugs, the weaker family ties become (p.689). The influences on the person can come from peer pressure, which is having friends pressure the person to do legal and illegal drugs, home and family environments that have parents or family members who misuse drugs or alcohol, and unsatisfactory in achievement in school.

There are a lot of great people in this world and even the best people make the worst mistakes sometimes. That mistake being drug addiction. According to Foundation for a Drug-Free World, “19.9 million Americans or 8% of the population ages 12 or older use illegal drugs.” Many adolescents experiment with illegal drugs during high school. The repeated use of drugs causes a withdrawal when not using, which is called drug addiction. Drug addiction is a life altering disease. In Healthy Place, it states, “Drug addiction changes the way the brain functions and impacts how the body perceives pleasure. These effects of drug addiction are because the drug repeatedly floods the brain with the chemicals dopamine and serotonin during drug use. The brain adapts and comes to expect, and depend on, these drug-induced highs.” There are several physical and psychological effects that drug abuse can cause.

In the world today there is always someone pressuring one to do something they know they shouldn't, but after one time it slowly becomes two then, three, or four times, and then on and on. Drugs are a big part in this world and many teens and adults are addicted and abusing them. Many lifestyles change after doing drugs and it is usually bad changes. Drugs are a problem that has been increasing immensely among the society today. Drug addictions can only hinder or restrain us from achieving the goals or dreams in life that have been set. People sometimes feel they are too positive, too powerful, or too in control to become addicted. Addiction can happen anyone any day anywhere. It can lead to harming one's body and causing problems in family structure and with friends. Staying away and helping others to stop is the safest way to live the longer and healthier life. Drug abuse can impact many lives either in a positive or negative way depending on what path one follows. There is influences and pressures in a person's decision in using drugs. Pressure might be when a person is offered to try drugs. A person who is already abusing or addicted to drugs might see that there is nothing wrong with using drugs. Once becoming addicted it is a long trial to overcome the way some people use drugs. Drugs affect the moods for everything, emotions from sad to happy, feelings and thinking processes, or they can mess with workings in the mind. The brain is something that no one ever wants

You have your mother’s eyes and her long flowy hair. You inherit your Dad’s height and sadly a slight drug addiction. Drug addiction can be inherited in family history. This is how drug culture is continued in history as well. The influence of father’s drug addiction can possibly bring the likelihood of a child to do drugs. However, even if there is a family history of abusing drugs the individual can make his or hers own choice in persisting drug addiction.