Thursday, March 28, 2024

What Can Lead To Addiction

What Additional Concerns Exist For Polydrug Abusers

Self-isolation can lead to addiction problems

People who abuse more than one drug at a time are at particular risk for complications from substance abuse. This is because the effects of one drug can be compounded and multiplied by the effects of another drug. In fact, research has shown that polydrug abuse, particularly when at least two substances are taken together in a single event, can significantly raise the chances that people will experience negative effects or behaviors.

One common polydrug abuse combination is opioid drugs and benzodiazepines . Abuse of these drugs alone can be incredibly risky together, they can severely depress the respiratory system, quickly resulting in loss of consciousness or death.

Polydrug abuse can also be a major issue when it comes to treating substance use disorders. Managing detox and withdrawal from multiple substances can be challenging for treatment professionals and can complicate the symptoms of withdrawal.

Social And Environmental Factors

Wider social and environmental factors also play a role in the development and continuation of addiction.

Growing up, living in or working in an environment of increased exposure to alcohol and drugs can increase the risk of addiction.

A study by the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, for example, said children raised by alcoholic parents were more than three times as likely to develop alcoholism.

A Public Health England review into the burden of alcohol noted a correlation between high stress work and long hours with excessive alcohol consumption. Its part of the reason forward thinking employers are now alert to their role in helping staff overcome addiction.

Alcohol Overuse Vs Abuse

Theres a lot of mistaken all or nothing thinking about alcohol use. Many people assume there are two options: Either you dont have a drinking problem, or youre a total alcoholic whose life is falling apart. The reality is not simply black or white, but a spectrum with shades of gray. An alcohol use disorderthat is, alcohol abuse or alcoholismcan be mild, moderate or severe. People with an alcohol use disorder can be highly-functioning, highly compromised or somewhere in between.

Even a single bout of binge drinking can destroy the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, causing them to relay information too slowly and trigger mood changes. This can result in depression, agitation, memory loss and seizures. Sadly, many people die every year during bouts of binge drinking. For heavy, long-term drinkers, alcohol has been found to reduce the size of brain cells and overall brain mass. This can impact motor coordination, sleep, mood and an array of cognitive functions.

Take a self-test for drug or alcohol addiction

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Understanding Drug Use And Addiction Drugfacts

Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting usually takes more than good intentions or a strong will. Drugs change the brain in ways that make quitting hard, even for those who want to. Fortunately, researchers know more than ever about how drugs affect the brain and have found treatments that can help people recover from drug addiction and lead productive lives.

Tomorrow Is Always A New Day

Can Obsession Lead to An Addiction

One of the best things that you learn while in a substance abuse recovery center is that tomorrow is always a new day. Today may have been hard, frustrating, or sad, but tomorrow is a new day and a chance to make it the best day ever. If you had a relapse, you have a new day to succeed. If you have been upset or upset by uncertainty, you know the sun will rise tomorrow, and you will have a chance to start again. It is a beautiful realization to learn.

Everything in life comes with a bit of uncertainty. You can learn how to manage this uncertainty so that you can live a life free from anxiety and substance abuse.

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Dual Diagnosis: Video Game Addiction And Substance Abuse

Because video game addiction has been linked to depression, sleeplessness and an overall lack of concern for ones own health, it is not surprising that substance abuse is also a problem for many gamers suffering from this compulsive disorder. For those suffering from video game addiction as well as substance abuse, proper treatment is imperative to recovery. If you or someone you know is currently suffering from one or both of these disorders, seek professional guidance immediately by calling us at .

What Causes Recreational Drug Use To Lead To Addiction

The impact that drugs and/or alcohol have on the brain is a large predictor for problematic drug use behavior. There are numerous ways in which a substance acts on the brain which is dependent on the type of substance as well as individual differences within the brain. In an article published in the Los Angeles Times they make the bold statement that Addiction is a Brain Disease. Addiction as a brain disease is demonstrated through the drugs interact with the brain.

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Do Substances Cause Addiction

Reference to research on self-administration of drugs by laboratory animals is often used as an argument to support the construct of substance-induced addiction. In the 1960s, researchers at the University of Michigan created devices that allowed rats to self-administer drugs by pressing a lever. These types of experiments were conducted throughout the 1970s and demonstrated that rats, mice, monkeys, and other mammals will self-inject large doses of heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and other drugs , seemingly proving that these substances are irresistibly addicting.

In the 1970s, Alexander and associates conducted the Rat Park study. Alexander posited that addiction was substance-dependent, and that the evidence for opiate addiction seen in laboratory rats was attributable to living conditions rather than to the drugs addictive properties . To prove his premise, Alexander built Rat Park, a housing colony approximately 200 times more spacious than a regular laboratory cage, with half dozen rats of both sexes living with ample provision of food, toys, and space for socializing, mating and raising litters.

Experiments conducted in Rat Park indicated that rats who were living in a better environment had little appetite for morphine .

How Untreated Mental Health Issues Can Lead To Addiction

What Can Alcohol Addiction Lead to?

There is no denying the link between mental health and addiction. In fact, people with mental health disorders are twice as likely to struggle with substance abuse. As a result, knowing how untreated mental health issues can lead to addiction is critical.

In many cases, substance abuse can be a sort of self-medication for anyone with a mental health disorder. If a client doesnt receive a proper diagnosis or isnt getting treatment, then they can feel hopeless. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol might temporarily soothe depression, and cocaine might combat anxiety. Someone might use marijuana to numb pain or take Valium when life gets overwhelming.

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What Drugs Cause The Most Drastic Changes In A Persons Behavior

One of the most notable and disturbing changes in behavior that can occur in a person who is using drugs is sudden or extreme violence. When this type of behavior is prompted by drugs, stimulants are the most likely culprit.

Some of the most recent, well-known instances of extreme behavior caused by stimulants has been the behavior resulting from use of bath salts, a type of psychoactive stimulant drug that creates a high resembling the high from cocaine or meth. The psychological and behavioral effects of these types of drugs include paranoia, agitation, panic attacks, and hallucinations, among other symptoms, which can result in the person becoming highly violent. Other drugs that have a similar reaction include cocaine, meth, and even some prescription drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or Spice, can also have a profound effect on behavior and result in extremely violent outbursts.

C Craving: Enhanced Responding For Sugar Following Abstinence

As described in Section 2, craving in laboratory animals can be defined as enhanced motivation to procure an abused substance . After self-administering drugs of abuse and then being forced to abstain, animals often persist in unrewarded operant responding , and increase their responding for cues previously associated with the drug that grows with time . Additionally, if the drug becomes available again, animals will take more than they did prior to abstinence . This increase in motivation to procure a substance of abuse may contribute to relapse. The power of craving is evidenced by results showing that animals will sometimes face adverse consequences to obtain a substance of abuse such as cocaine or alcohol . These signs in laboratory animals mimic those observed with humans in which the presentation of stimuli previously associated with a drug of abuse increases self-reports of craving and the likelihood of relapse .

After 14 days of abstinence from sugar, rats that previously had 12-h daily access significantly increased lever pressing for glucose to 123% of pre-abstinence responding, indicating increased motivation for sugar. The group with 0.5-h daily access did not show increased responding after abstinence. **p< 0.01. From .

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How Social Media Affects The Brain

Due to the effect that it has on the brain, social media is addictive both physically and psychologically. According to a new study by Harvard University, self-disclosure on social networking sites lights up the same part of the brain that also ignites when taking an addictive substance. The reward area in the brain and its chemical messenger pathways affect decisions and sensations. When someone experiences something rewarding or uses an addictive substance, neurons in the principal dopamine-producing areas in the brain are activated and dopamine levels rise. Therefore, the brain receives a reward and associates the drug or activity with positive reinforcement.

This is observable in social media usage when an individual gets a notification, such as a like or mention, the brain receives a rush of dopamine and sends it along reward pathways, causing the individual to feel pleasure. Social media provides an endless amount of immediate rewards in the form of attention from others for relatively minimal effort. The brain rewires itself through this positive reinforcement, making people desire likes, retweets, and emoticon reactions.

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What Are The Causes Of Internet Addiction

Grief And Addiction

People become addicted to the internet for a number of different reasons. Most of the time, the urge to compulsive use the internet is the result of a desire to manage unpleasant feeling such as depression, anxiety, stress or loneliness. Some feel socially inept in the real world and turn to social media interaction as a means of feeling close to people, while others may lose themselves online in an effort to temporarily feel better. Unfortunately, the internet, when used compulsively, can lead to many consequences.

Some causes of internet addiction include:

  • Self-medication for a mental health disorder. Many people use the internet to mask anxiety, depression, or other mental illness.
  • Information addicts. Some people have an intense hunger for knowledge, and the internet provides immediate access to tons of information that can be very attractive for information addicts.
  • Anxiety or social disorders. Some people have anxiety when they are face to face with people or suffer from other social disorders that make it difficult for them to interact in real life but easier to interact online.
  • Many people, especially those who do not have a companion, interact online to fulfill a void that causes them to feel lonely.
  • Shifting from a real world addiction. Many people who suffer from a real world addiction to shopping or gambling will shift their addictions to an online version such as internet gambling or excessive shopping online.

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What Can Happen If A Mental Health Problem Is Not Addressed

If there is a mental health problem that has not been addressed, there are several potential outcomes.

First, left untreated, mental health issues can worsen, deteriorating the persons quality of life and having a negative effect on loved ones and on the persons responsibilities. In some cases, this can lead to other societal issues, such as homelessness, legal troubles, violence, and victimization.

Also, the person may choose to self-medicate, as discussed above. In this case, the person may develop the additional challenge of a substance use disorder or addiction. If this occurs, the substance may adversely affect the mental illness in a way that is unexpected, causing a spiraling effect that makes both disorders worse, resulting in issues that are more complicated and time-consuming to treat. Without treating all aspects of co-occurring disorders, the individual disorders are more likely to recur, and the person is more likely to relapse into both the mental illness and the substance abuse.

Depression And Video Game Addiction

Two recent studies concerning the ties between video game addiction and depression showed an alarming correlation between the two. If you suffer from both conditions, its important to seek help at a treatment facility that can address both issues. If you attempt to treat the video game addiction without treating the underlying depression, the addiction is more likely to recur.

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The Dangerous Cycle Of Substance Abuse And Mental Health Disorders

Clearly, addiction can and does sometimes stem from untreated mental health issues. Once two disorders are present, clinicians refer to them as co-occurring disorders. When this happens, its challenging to break free from the cycle.

If mental health concerns reappear, substance abuse feels like the only answer. If someone relapses after addiction treatment, their mental health can plummet as a result. This can cycle over and over again, and its tough to break free in a permanent and meaningful way.

How Does Your Brain Communicate

Can Opioid Addiction Lead To Changes In The Brain?

The brain is a complex communications network of billions of neurons, neurotransmitters, and receptors. Networks of neurons pass messages back and forth thousands of times a minute within the brain, spinal column, and nerves. These nerve networks control everything we feel, think, and do. For example, when you want to go up the stairs, this message system will tell you to lift your foot onto the first step and so on. Understanding these networks helps scientists learn how drugs affect the brain. The networks are made up of:

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Whats The Most Common Cause Of Drug Addiction And Abuse

When looking directly at the primary reasons that people begin abusing drugs or alcohol, one common cause of abuse and addiction is a belief that using the drugs will make something better. Whether its a need to feel accepted that results in responding to peer pressure, a desire for excitement that drives experimentation, or some form of suffering that a person wants to cover up or medicate, many people turn to drugs or alcohol because they feel that using these substances will help them deal with their problems.

One version of this cause is often referred to as self-medication. Self-medication as a major cause of substance use disorders is one of the primary theories being studied and discussed by addiction researchers and experts.

A Bingeing: Escalation Of Daily Sugar Intake And Large Meals

The behavioral findings with sugar are similar to those observed with drugs of abuse. Rats fed daily intermittent sugar and chow escalate their sugar intake and increase their intake during the first hour of daily access, which we define as a binge . The animals with ad libitum access to a sugar solution tend to drink it throughout the day, including their inactive period. Both groups increase their overall intake, but the limited-access animals consume as much sugar in 12 h as ad libitum-fed animals do in 24 h. Detailed meal pattern analysis using operant conditioning reveals that the limited animals consume a large meal of sugar at the onset of access, and larger, fewer meals of sugar throughout the access period, compared with animals drinking sugar ad libitum . Rats fed Daily Intermittent Sugar and Chow regulate their caloric intake by decreasing their chow intake to compensate for the extra calories obtained from sugar, which results in a normal body weight .

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Signs And Symptoms Of Smartphone Addiction

There is no specific amount of time spent on your phone, or the frequency you check for updates, or the number of messages you send or receive that indicates an addiction or overuse problem.

Spending a lot of time connected to your phone only becomes a problem when it absorbs so much of your time it causes you to neglect your face-to-face relationships, your work, school, hobbies, or other important things in your life. If you find yourself ignoring friends over lunch to read Facebook updates or compulsively checking your phone in while driving or during school lectures, then its time to reassess your smartphone use and strike a healthier balance in your life.

Are There Different Types Of Computer Or Internet Addictions

How Using Drugs to Cope with Stress Can Lead to Addiction

Internet or computer addictions manifest in several ways that cover various degrees and areas of Internet usage. They are the following:

  • Information overload. Too much online surfing leads to decreased productivity at work and fewer interactions with family members.
  • Compulsions. Excessive time spent in online activities such as gaming, trading of stocks, gambling and even auctions often leads to overspending and problems at work.
  • Cybersex addiction. Too much surfing of porn sites often affects real-life relationships.
  • Cyber-relationship addiction. Excessive use of social networking sites to create relationships rather than spending time with family or friends may destroy real-life relationships.

These are the most commonly observed types of Internet addiction. If you or someone you know is suffering from this kind of addiction, you dont have to face it on your own. We can help you. Just call at any time to speak to one of our trained advisors.

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