Drug Addiction and Alcoholism: A Disease
Addiction is a brain disease, with identifiable symptoms, signs and progression. Thus, once one is addicted, the characteristics of the illness - and the addiction treatment approaches are not that different from most other brain diseases. The confusion comes about in part considering of a distinction within whether specific drugs are "physically" or "psychologically" addicting. In the case of the addict or alcoholic treatment is best defined as admission to a drug rehab, addiction treatment facility or alcoholism treatment facility. The changes in brain operate results in compulsive craving that overwhelms all other motivations and is the root cause of the massive health and social problems associated with drug addiction. Physical dependence is not that fundamental, considering even the dramatic withdrawal symptoms of heroin and alcohol addiction can now be easily managed with appropriate medications. No matter how one develops an illness, once one has it, one is in the diseased state and needs treatment. Moreover, not everyone who ever uses drugs goes on to become addicted. Although genetic characteristics may predispose individuals to be more or less susceptible to becoming addicted, genes do not doom one to become an addict.
Over instance the addict loses substantial control by his or her initially voluntary behavior, and it becomes compulsive. More specifically, the compulsive craving and use, despite all of the negative consequences.
This is the crux of how the Institute of Medicine, the American Psychiatric organization, and the American Medical organization define addiction and how we all should use the term. Addiction treatment info and free live help 24/7 is being provided online at RecoveryConnection.org
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For many society these behaviors are truly uncontrollable, just like the behavioral expression of any other brain disease. Extensive research studies support the view that, once addicted, the individual has moved into a different state of being. Schizophrenics cannot control their hallucinations and delusions. Consistent with the bio-behavioral nature of addiction, these individual differences aftereffect from a combination of environmental and biological, particularly genetic, factors. Moreover, many of these brain changes are common to all chemical addictions and some plus are typical of other compulsive behaviors such as compulsive overeating.
The complexity of that brain disease is not atypical, considering virtually no brain diseases are simply biological in nature. Very few society seem able to successfully return to occasional use after having been truly addicted.
Unfortunately, we do not yet have a clear biological or behavioral marker of that transition from voluntary drug use to addiction. However, evidence is rapidly developing that point to an array of cellular and molecular changes in specific brain circuits. All, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and clinical depression, include some behavioral and social aspects. However, years of research has demonstrated to us that focusing on
Strictly from a clinical perspective, it actually does not matter very much what physical withdrawal symptoms occur. It is crucial to exact the common misimpression that drug use, abuse and addiction are points on a separate continuum along which one slides back and forth by moment, moving from user to addict, soon after back to occasional user, soon after back to addict. What really matters most is whether or not a drug causes what we now know to be addiction. Still, the most vital concept from a treatment view is the loner concept "Is your continued use causing problems, and are you having trouble stopping?" Here is the scoop on the disease of addiction.By Jonathan Huttner
The entire concept of addiction has suffered greatly from a misconception on the part of most society. Clinically depressed patients cannot voluntarily control their moods. It is really only that compulsive quality of addiction that matters in the expanded run to the addict and to his or her family.
The following is a very well written exposition on the
disease of addiction.
While not everyone agrees with the concept of addiction as a disease, it is the most accepted view in the United States, and has been for years. Individuals differ substantially in how easily and quickly they become addicted and in their preferences for specific substances. Historically the distinction revolved around whether or not physical withdrawal symptoms occur when an individual discontinues using a drug; what we in the field now shout "physical dependence". In fact, estimates are that within 50 and 70 percent of the variability to becoming addicted can be accounted for by genetic factors. Parkinsons patients cannot control their trembling. What may compose drug addiction seem rare among brain diseases, is that it does start with a clearly voluntary behavior - the initial decision to use drugs or drink alcohol. A definition of drug addiction that is commonly referred to is "a brain disease expressed in the design of compulsive behavior". Thus, the majority of the biomedical community now considers addiction, in its essence, to be a brain disease - a condition caused by persistent changes in brain structure and operate. Even more crucial, many of the most dangerous and addicting drugs, including methamphetamine and crack cocaine, do not produce very severe physical dependence symptoms upon withdrawal. Please note that not every person requires an inpatient drug rehab or addiction treatment facility, but research shows that most individuals do require structure of some kind to break the vicious compulsive cycle associated with drug addiction and alcoholism.
Jonathan Huttner is one of the the principals at Lakeview Health Systems, an addiction treatment,alcohol and drug rehab facility.
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