About Alcohol and Drug Dependence
After decades of debate, addiction is being addressed as a chronic health problem. Understanding why people become dependent on alcohol and other drugs depends on which school of thought prevails in dealing with them. Many different factors are blamed, yet most rehabilitative efforts focus on the severe psychological and physical dependencies that define addictive behavior.Weaning users off their chosen substance requires constant follow-up, along with the recognition that multiple relapses may occur before sobriety becomes a permanent life choice.
Root Causes
Alcohol and drug dependency have less to do with moral failures than root causes stemming from the abuser's environment, family background and socioeconomic status. Environments in which addiction is a way of coping with life stresses--such as losing a job in areas with high unemployment, for example--may leave children more vulnerable. People with family histories of addiction and mental illness are more likely to develop substance abuse problems themselves, helpguide.org notes. In many social settings, peer pressure is a common problem, especially for teenagers, and young adults. People may also turn to opiates or prescription drugs to manage chronic pain, or deal with the stresses of recovering from surgery, helpguide.org states.
Types
Physical dependence refers to how the body acclimates itself to a particular drug. As an addiction takes hold, greater doses are needed to recreate the euphoria that users once achieved with lower amounts. This is because nearly all drugs flood the brain's reward system with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that affects feelings of pleasure. The user learns to repeat the experience, which only deepens physical dependency, according to a National Institute on Drug Abuse fact sheet. This situation often poses the hardest barrier to treatment, since the desire for the euphoric feeling, or "high," often persists long after the user has gotten off the drug.
Dependency Levels
Clinicians must take different dependency levels into account for their treatment plans, according to helpguide.org. Alcoholics experience higher levels of psychological and physical dependence, which are combined with severe health problems that can include blackouts, dizziness and liver damage. On the other hand, LSD and marijuana induce greater levels of psychological than physical dependence, since both drugs affect memory and perception. Cocaine and methamphetamine yield abnormally high energy levels within their users, who experience sleeplessness and increased heart rates. By contrast, opiates such as heroin and morphine are notorious for slowing down alertness and respiration to near-fatal levels, requiring a more intense level of medical attention.
The Downside Of Dependency
Withdrawal results in powerful physiological changes when the drug is discontinued. Most long-term users cannot quit without help, because the brain's chemistry has been altered so radically. Areas of the brain affecting critical thinking, judgment and impulse control may also be negatively affected, making it that much harder to quit.
Myths About Treatment
The dynamics of drug treatment are often less understood than those of dependency. One of the most pervasive myths, according to the Partnership For A Drug-Free America, is that treatment needs to be voluntary to be effective. In reality, users referred to programs through the legal system may be more likely to complete them and adhere to their conditions. Similarly, the organization notes, different "rock bottom" moments may motivate users to seek treatment. School administrators and teachers can exert powerful influences on teenagers, while pressure from bosses, spouses and friends may persuade adult users to seek professional help.
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