Addiction
Addiction is a Disease
Just like heart disease, hypertension or diabetes, addiction is an illness that requires treatment.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), “addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry.”
The brain is divided into multiple functional areas that are involved in the neurobiology of addiction. Mechanism of addiction involves and impacts the part responsible for transmission of the signals – neurotransmission – the function of the brain that allows multiple parts of the brain to communicate to one another, and function of the brain’s reward system, also known as the mesolimbic dopamine pathway.
Signs of Addiction
Signs of drug addiction include frequent intoxication, hangover or illness, and paraphernalia related to substance abuse. Additionally, there are behavioral changes associated with drug abuse:
- Loss of energy
- Lack of motivation
- Spending excessive amounts of money on the substance
- Obsessing about the next dose, ensuring a consistent supply of the substance
- Stealing to get the drug
- Worrying about the next source of the substance
- Risky behaviors while intoxicated, disregard for one’s safety
- Developing tolerance, leading to higher volume of drug intake to feel the original euphoria
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when unable to take the drug
- Lying about consumption habits, or getting defensive or aggressive when questioned about consumption
- Problems at work or school, including poor performance, lateness or absenteeism, and social dysfunction
Drug Addiction
Drug addiction, which has been described as a “medical disorder that affects the brain and changes behavior,” is the strong compulsion to get and use substances, regardless of a number of undesirable and dangerous consequences of drug use.
Substance Use includes various substances including alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription medications, and even some over-the-counter medicines. All of those may fuel the development of an addiction or so-called Substance Use disorders.
Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction clinically referred to as alcohol use disorder (AUD). Alcoholism, is a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control unhealthy alcohol use despite adverse consequences.
AUD (Alcoholism) is a common, chronic, and sometimes-progressive medical condition that involves the compulsive consumption of alcohol. Alcohol addiction is a set of maladaptive patterns of drinking leading to serious social, familial, and physical consequences. Brain changes resulting from long-term alcohol use or misuse perpetuate AUDs. There are many effective evidence-based treatment approaches to help a person recover from alcoholism which can range from a combination of rehab treatment, behavioral therapies, and medications to reduce or remove the urge to drink.
