Discover How Drugs Cause Addiction in Iowa by Affecting the Brain
Drug addiction is a chronic illness that affects the brain. It develops when a person is no longer able to live normally without taking a particular substance. Drugs that people abuse often include alcohol, cocaine, nicotine, opiate, marijuana, ketamine, amphetamine, hallucinogen and heroine. Each of these substances affect the reward system of the brain.
How people become addicted
People become addicted when doing either of these things.
1. Numbing and reducing pain – Some people take drugs to numb pain. Opiates are good examples of substances that are medically used to treat pain; however, they are so addictive. Opiates provoke opiate receptors in different sections of the brain, including the nucleus accumbens and the cerebral cortex. This triggers the release of large quantities of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that triggers euphoria and ecstasy. Opiates also cause the brain to produce more endorphins to completely eliminate the pain. If the pain disappears totally, allowing the person to relax, their risk of taking more doses of opiates will increase. And this will cause addiction. Ketamine and PCP happen to be anesthetic drugs too, and they are seriously addictive.
2. Taking drugs for a recreational purpose – People who live with stress, depression and anxiety are in danger of developing an addiction to harmful substances. As well, young people may become hooked on substances because of peer pressure or lack of enough parental guidance. There are others who drink alcohol or abuse substances because of inheriting such genes. Almost every adult in their family line has a drug addiction problem and so their risk of suffering the same is higher.
How people take drugs
The way people take intoxicating substances to numb pain or to get high vary based on the type they prefer. Those who fancy alcohol drink it. Cocaine users buy it in a powder form on the streets and then snort it. Sometimes they administer it with heroin, as heroin enters the bloodstream and brain very quickly. Smoking cocaine when it is in the form of crack cocaine is popular too. When dissolved in water, cocaine powder can be injected into the bloodstream as this is the fastest way to intoxicate the brain. Substances that have aesthetic effects normally have a prescription. However, the patient may gradually develop a drug addiction because of the great deal of relaxation these chemicals cause.
How drugs alter the brain
As aforementioned, different drugs change the way the brain works. In particular, they enter the limbic system (also called the reward system). This is the section of the brain that houses the communication network, and it has many neurons and neurotransmitters. Limbic system is responsible for the thrill and euphoria that addicts cannot get enough of. The exact path that gets provoked is the dopamine pathway (alternatively called the pleasure pathway) in the nucleus accumbens.
After the substance reaches the brain, dopamine is released in high amounts and then it enters in tiny gaps that are between the brain neurons. Then when it stimulates the brain with the happy feelings, it gets out of the small gaps.
A substance like cocaine, for instance, locks dopamine in-between the neurons, causing it to accumulate and extend the sweet, euphoric feeling. As a consequence, the brain stays stimulated and the body develops a tolerance level to the last cocaine dose they took. To sustain the high amounts of dopamine in the brain, a cocaine user must keep on taking new doses. As the cravings increase the only way to control them is taking more doses of cocaine.
Hallucinogens have a slightly different manner in which they affect the brain. Instead of provoking the dopamine pathway, they alter the structure of serotonin (a neurotransmitter). As a result, the brain starts to understand and interpret emotions, senses and information differently. And when the distraction happens, the victim loses their perception. So they begin to hallucinate and lose touch with the reality.
Psychological effects of drugs
Due to tolerance to addictive substances, a victim may develop severe depression and guilt. When the person is not high or intoxicated with the substance, their level of depression may double. Besides depression, they may have paranoia and extreme fear. There is definitely a great deal of anxiety that manifests itself by way of lacking focus and having rushing thoughts.
Common withdrawal symptoms of drug addiction
When addicts are on the road to alcohol and substance abuse recovery, they experience certain symptoms. These are withdrawal symptoms, and they can vary based on what a person takes to get high. Generally, most addicts have symptoms such as severe mood swings, paranoia, nervousness, muscle pain, insomnia, nausea, vomiting and fatigue among others. If a person surrenders, they will a relapse and must begin the treatment again.
Recovery is difficult, but possible. If you know someone who abuses alcohol or any other thing, help them quit by taking them to a great rehabilitation center.
How people become addicted
People become addicted when doing either of these things.
1. Numbing and reducing pain – Some people take drugs to numb pain. Opiates are good examples of substances that are medically used to treat pain; however, they are so addictive. Opiates provoke opiate receptors in different sections of the brain, including the nucleus accumbens and the cerebral cortex. This triggers the release of large quantities of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that triggers euphoria and ecstasy. Opiates also cause the brain to produce more endorphins to completely eliminate the pain. If the pain disappears totally, allowing the person to relax, their risk of taking more doses of opiates will increase. And this will cause addiction. Ketamine and PCP happen to be anesthetic drugs too, and they are seriously addictive.
2. Taking drugs for a recreational purpose – People who live with stress, depression and anxiety are in danger of developing an addiction to harmful substances. As well, young people may become hooked on substances because of peer pressure or lack of enough parental guidance. There are others who drink alcohol or abuse substances because of inheriting such genes. Almost every adult in their family line has a drug addiction problem and so their risk of suffering the same is higher.
How people take drugs
The way people take intoxicating substances to numb pain or to get high vary based on the type they prefer. Those who fancy alcohol drink it. Cocaine users buy it in a powder form on the streets and then snort it. Sometimes they administer it with heroin, as heroin enters the bloodstream and brain very quickly. Smoking cocaine when it is in the form of crack cocaine is popular too. When dissolved in water, cocaine powder can be injected into the bloodstream as this is the fastest way to intoxicate the brain. Substances that have aesthetic effects normally have a prescription. However, the patient may gradually develop a drug addiction because of the great deal of relaxation these chemicals cause.
How drugs alter the brain
As aforementioned, different drugs change the way the brain works. In particular, they enter the limbic system (also called the reward system). This is the section of the brain that houses the communication network, and it has many neurons and neurotransmitters. Limbic system is responsible for the thrill and euphoria that addicts cannot get enough of. The exact path that gets provoked is the dopamine pathway (alternatively called the pleasure pathway) in the nucleus accumbens.
After the substance reaches the brain, dopamine is released in high amounts and then it enters in tiny gaps that are between the brain neurons. Then when it stimulates the brain with the happy feelings, it gets out of the small gaps.
A substance like cocaine, for instance, locks dopamine in-between the neurons, causing it to accumulate and extend the sweet, euphoric feeling. As a consequence, the brain stays stimulated and the body develops a tolerance level to the last cocaine dose they took. To sustain the high amounts of dopamine in the brain, a cocaine user must keep on taking new doses. As the cravings increase the only way to control them is taking more doses of cocaine.
Hallucinogens have a slightly different manner in which they affect the brain. Instead of provoking the dopamine pathway, they alter the structure of serotonin (a neurotransmitter). As a result, the brain starts to understand and interpret emotions, senses and information differently. And when the distraction happens, the victim loses their perception. So they begin to hallucinate and lose touch with the reality.
Psychological effects of drugs
Due to tolerance to addictive substances, a victim may develop severe depression and guilt. When the person is not high or intoxicated with the substance, their level of depression may double. Besides depression, they may have paranoia and extreme fear. There is definitely a great deal of anxiety that manifests itself by way of lacking focus and having rushing thoughts.
Common withdrawal symptoms of drug addiction
When addicts are on the road to alcohol and substance abuse recovery, they experience certain symptoms. These are withdrawal symptoms, and they can vary based on what a person takes to get high. Generally, most addicts have symptoms such as severe mood swings, paranoia, nervousness, muscle pain, insomnia, nausea, vomiting and fatigue among others. If a person surrenders, they will a relapse and must begin the treatment again.
Recovery is difficult, but possible. If you know someone who abuses alcohol or any other thing, help them quit by taking them to a great rehabilitation center.