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Understanding Addiction in Laymen’s Terms
Many researchers believe
that addiction is a behavior that can be controlled to some extent and also a brain disease. And
since some testing with functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) found that all addictions tend to cause nearly the same reactions inside
the brain, there could be one type of control model for addiction health-related issues. In other words, just as there is one disorder or
disease labeled asthma, there would be one for addiction, covering all addictions; gambling, smoking, overeating, drugs, etc. Then one main
treatment strategy or plan could be used to treat all addictions.
How addiction works in a
nutshell is like this. The brain, the center of the body’s nervous system, handles addiction by increasing dopamine levels in response to
increased reactions from behaviors, also referred to as compulsions, like gambling or over eating, and / or in response to increased repeated
substance abuse, like from cocaine or alcohol. And this addiction affects the three functioning processes of the nervous system; sensing,
perceiving and reacting. How? Let’s take a quick peak…
Dopamine, the chemical
transmitter to the “pleasure center,” the place where survival instincts like eating and reproduction focus in the brain, activates cells
individually or energizes them. Each energized cell in turn energizes another cell, and so on down the line, resulting in a spontaneous or
systematic process of ecstasy or elation.
The problem is the brain
doesn’t realize what it is that is causing the ecstasy reaction. So when this flutter of activity increases the creation of dopamine for the
negative behaviors and substances like drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc., it neglects the natural survival instinct reaction mechanisms,
replacing them with the ecstasy instead.
Note that also, depending
upon the addiction, nervous system functions are altered. So sensing, perceiving and reacting functions of individuals are impeded. For
example, alcohol is a depressant and slows down all of these functions. So a drunk driver facing an immediate collision will in all likelihood
react slower than a healthy, alert driver. And whether or not the addictive substances are inhaled, going into the lung system; or injected,
traveling via the blood system; or swallowed, entering the digestive system, also affects different bodily reactions, responses and overall
health.
One long-term effect is
an increased tolerance level with dopamine reaching out into other brain areas that cloud judgment and behavioral considerations and choices.
And ultimately depression results, even amidst opposing or negative stimuli, like the negative effects of narcotics on behaviors and on the
body / mind and like trying to withdrawal or discontinue use.
Note: other long-term
effects can include changing of the brain’s shape and possible permanent brain damage, depending upon the addiction and length of compulsive
activity. And other health problems like cancer from cigarette smoking can result.
Addiction summed up is:
compulsive behavior despite negative consequences.
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