Addiction and the Effect to the Mind and Body
Print Essay 
Addiction affects all ages; from babies, adolescents, adults to parents. Addiction refers to the continuous use of substances that alter the moods of the body regardless of the outcomes. Some of the substances include alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. Addiction is viewed as a disease whose presence and developments is influenced by genetic, environmental and psychosocial factors (Ersche et.al, 2012). Alcoholism is characterized by frequent consumption of alcohol, overdrinking, continuous use of alcohol despite the consequences, impaired thought processes in addition to denial. The brain projects alcohol and drug addiction as similar entities (Ersche et.al, 2012). By analyzing the effects of addiction to the mind and body, it becomes easier to comprehend its influence on the overall body functioning.
The definition of substance abuse by DSM-V is that substance use disorder describes a problematic pattern of using alcohol or another substance that results in impairment in daily life or noticeable distress, (Ersche, 2012). There are several issues associated with substance abuse that include; having the need for consuming a substance to obtain a desirable effect, an evident decreased effect after the use of the particular amount of a substance, a particular withdrawal symptom, the same drug taken to curb the withdrawal effects, high intake of a substance such that it surpasses the expected intake and a significant amount of time spent on acquiring, using and recovering from a substances effects. It is important to note that regardless of the effects that a substance contains, addicts will continue using it. Some may try to cut the use or avoid the substance completely. However, in most cases, the users find themselves back to the behavior (Ersche et.al, 2012).
Causes of addiction
It is perceived that a portion of the population that suffers from addition contain a biogenetic predisposition regarding addictive behaviors. Nonetheless, traumatic experiences during early life such as abuse may predispose addiction. It is important to note that a predisposition may not necessarily result in addiction, but, the presence of other influences from the environment may result in addiction. Individuals may be pressurized by social factors such as family and society norms, and peer pressure. Psychological factors such as dual diagnosis, sexual abuse, physical abuse and other forms of trauma may result in addiction (Kalivas & OBrien, 2008).
Anxiety disorder is the most common dual diagnostic found in alcoholics and drug addicts. The dependency on chemicals tends to be a primary effect and is relatively not influenced by other forms of sicknesses (Kalivas & OBrien, 2008). The issue that may arise when treating a chemically dependent behavior is that the addiction may increase such that the patient becomes dependent on the treatment drugs. An individual with dual diagnosis requires adequate attention and care from people who comprehend the associated addiction. Alcoholism is mostly associated with genetic factors. The associated traits such as highly sensitive to intoxication, sedative influences, high risks to organ damage, high tolerance, and withdrawal are perceived to generate from genetics. The increased need to drink in an alcoholic is associated with the G allele that influences individuals to become addicts. From a general viewpoint, addiction is significantly related to predisposing factors in the genes of an individual and environmental factors during the development of an individual from childhood (Kalivas & OBrien, 2008).
Researchers highlight the presence of an addictive personality. The personalities of alcoholics are viewed as heterogeneous (Kalivas & OBrien, 2008). Addiction causes personality issues such as inadequate coping skills and impulsivity. Addiction, in this case, affects how an individual views himself or herself, how he or she interacts with others in addition to dealing with stress (Kalivas & OBrien, 2008).
Effect of addiction to the mind and body
When it comes to mental health, Khantzian and Mack (1983) describe addiction as The heavy reliance on chemical substances to relieve pain, provide pleasure, regulate emotions, and create personality cohesion. Substance abuse is associated with mental disorders in the sense that it affects the normal operations of the mind. Mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression may occur before addiction. However, in some cases, substance abuse may influence the mental problems especially among people that are at high risk of addiction (National Institute of Health, 2017).
Pleasure or reward is perceived to be a powerful force when it comes to survival. When a pleasurable activity is done, the brain becomes wired such that it wants to take part in the activity frequently. Activities such as eating that sustain life, tend to trigger nerve cells that are specialized in causing pleasure. A good example is a dopamine which is a chemical neurotransmitter whose neurons deliver messages associated with pleasure (National Institute of Health, 2017). Substances that are addictive tend to trigger the pleasure circuit present in the brain. Substance addiction is, therefore, a compulsive and biological process that interferes with the functions of the brain including the pleasure section. Drugs affect neurotransmission and hence influencing the functions of the brain. A drug such as heroin imitates the impact of natural neurotransmitters. Drugs such as PCP interfere with receptors such that it becomes difficult to pass neural messages. A drug like Methamphetamine causes an excess release of neurotransmitters while some such as cocaine disrupt molecules that transport neurotransmitters (National Institute of Health, 2017).
Frequent substance abuse subject the brain to long-term effects and hence resulting in addiction. According to the article Effects of Drugs of Abuse on the Brain by the National Institutes of Health, These long-lasting changes are a major component of the addiction itself. It is as though there is a figurative "switch" in the brain that "flips" at some point during an individual's drug use. The point at which this "flip" occurs varies from individual to individual, but the effect of this change is the transformation of a drug abuser to a drug addict (National Institute of Health, 2017).
Addiction may cause several harms to the body, particularly immense health problems. One of the effects is when a mother exposes a child to drugs during the prenatal stage. A withdrawal condition that is identified as neonatal abstinence syndrome may occur when a mother uses drugs such as opioids and heroin when pregnant and hence affecting the infant. Children exposed to drugs may face plenty of challenges in the learning environment in terms of behavior, thought processes and attention. The secondhand intake of tobacco is perceived to have an immense effect on the health of individuals and mostly children (Robbins et.al, 2008). The involuntary intake of smoke increases the chances of an individual of acquiring a heart condition or lung cancer. Drug addiction results in an increase in the prevalence of infectious ailments. Drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin are viewed to result in 12% of cases regarding HIV/AIDS. Injection of substances is also associated with the prevalence of hepatitis C which is an aggressive liver disease that often results in death. Apart from infections being caused by drug injections, intoxications from drug abuse may result in risky sexual activities that may result in infections such as hepatitis B and C, STIs and HIV/AIDS (Robbins et.al, 2008).
Effects of specific abused substances
The consumption of alcohol may impair the brain and other body organs. Sections of the brain that are at high risks of being affected by alcohol consumption are the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and the hippocampus. The cerebellum plays a crucial role in body coordination while the cerebral cortex performs important mental functions such as problem-solving. The hippocampus is responsible for learning and also memorizing. When these parts are affected, the mental processes become impaired such that an individual does not function as expected (Robbins et.al, 2008).
Marijuana, which is the most abused drug, affects the learning process, body coordination, attention, and short-term memory. Addicts may also experience long periods of psychosis, lung problems in addition to elevated heart rate. Prescription medications are commonly abused whereby people use them frequently to relieve their pain and elevate their performance. However, continuous of the drugs may result in addiction and at times death. A good example is an opioid which is often abused through injections and snorting. Most people perceive that as long as the drug is prescribed by a physician, it is safe even if it is used illegally (Robbins et.al, 2008).
As stated earlier, by analyzing the effects of addiction to the mind and body, it becomes easier to comprehend its influence on the overall body functioning. Addiction presents long-term effects on the functions of the brain in regards to the thought process, memory, problem-solving, decision making in addition to body coordination. It affects the body by presenting various ailments such as lung cancer, heart problems in addition to infections such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis b which are influenced by injections and risky behaviors.
References
Ersche, K. D., Jones, P. S., Williams, G. B., Turton, A. J., Robbins, T. W., & Bullmore, E. T. (2012). Abnormal brain structure implicated in stimulant drug addiction. Science, 335(6068), 601-604.
Kalivas, P. W., & O'Brien, C. (2008). Drug addiction as a pathology of staged neuroplasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology, 33(1), 166-180.
Khantzian, E. J., & Mack, J. E. (1983). Self-preservation and the care of the selfego instincts reconsidered. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 38, 209232. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press
National Institute of Health,. (2017). Effects of Drugs of Abuse on the Brain. NIDA for Teens. Retrieved 5 April 2017, from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/mind-over-matter/teachers-guide/effects-drugs-abuse-brain
Robbins, T. W., Ersche, K. D., & Everitt, B. J. (2008). Drug addiction and the memory systems of the brain. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1141(1), 1-21.
If you are the original author of this essay and no longer wish to have it published on the SuperbGrade website, please click below to request its removal: