Susceptibility to Addiction

[Lance]

Why are some of us extremely susceptible to addiction and others are not?

[Phi for All]

Part of it is a tolerance level issue. People who tend to get addicted to something have a large tolerance for it. Someone who takes one drag off a cigarette and doesn't want any more is hardly likely to become a daily smoker. The person who can't finish half a beer with out getting a woozy buzz probably won't keep drinking long enough to gain a tolerance for 10 times that much.

 

Someone who *can* drink a fifth of scotch in an evening is more likely to become addicted. People who can tolerate a large amount of a certain poison will tend to ingest a large amount of that poison in order to maintain it's affect, furthering the addiction.

[Lance]

That seems logical but it does not require large quantities of a substance to create an addiction. Half a beer every night can also create addiction.

[Phi for All]

That seems logical but it does not require large quantities of a substance to create an addiction. Half a beer every night can also create addiction.

I should have said "larger" when I said "large". I just think a person with a high tolerance for a substance has a higher chance of becoming addicted to it. This is opinion and I have no studies to back it up.

 

Are we defining addiction as an habitual use or a compulsive use? Is two beers every night (without being inebriated) an addiction because of it's regularity? Or is an addict more of a gotta-have-it buzz seeker who has to exceed his tolerance levels regularly or become ill from withdrawl?

[JesuBungle]

Another example is drug use. If someone has a good experience the first time using a drug, they're likely to do it again and again, to try to recapture their first high. If the person freaks out, they probly won't be as willing to do it again.

[BGMCFAR]

Addiction can also have to do with genetics some people are more suseptable to addiction and enviroment can have a lot to do with if you enviroment has alot fo people who have an addiction more than likely it would be easier to become addicted to what ever

[Glider]

True, but a major determinant is the degree to which a person finds the behaviour rewarding. Physiological addiction requires that the substance elevates dopamine in the reward centres of the brain (particularly the nuclues accumbens, the ventral tegmental area and the tract which connects them, the medial forebrain bundle). This varies to a degree between individuals for any given substance.

 

If the substance cause elevation in DA, then it is potentially addictive. The faster it elevates level of DA, the more addictive it is. This translates as, the more rewarding an individual finds a behaviour, the more strongly that behaviour is reinforces and the higher the probability that the individual will repeat it.

[BGMCFAR]

True,But what happens when its a Pyscological addiction that you are dealing with, such as eating disorders. how do we counter these addiction.It would seem to me that human vanity plays a big part in these addictions

[Glider]

Psychology is only one component of addiction. A true addiction has both a physiological and a psychological component. The physiological refers to the physical changes a body undergoes in the presence of a chemical that, upon its withdrawal, leads to a syndrome of symptoms associated with that withdrawal.

 

The psychological are harder to quantify, but can looslely be described as a set of cognitions and compulsive behaviours that are carried out regardless, or in spite of, awareness of the negative effects of those behaviours to one's health, social/family life etc..

 

To be honest, I don't know that eating disorders can be classed as addictions (though I may be wrong). Vanity may well play a part in developing these disorders. That and social pressure to conform to societal 'norms' of beauty. But, they may not. People with bulimia nervosa tend to have a BMI in the normal range, so it can't really be a need to be thin that drives it.

 

Nonetheless, the psychological side of addiction, maladaptive sets of cognitions and sets of compulsive behaviours, can be treated successfully with psychological interventions. Some of the most effective in these cases are Cognitive-Behavioural Therapies (CBTs).

[GutZ]

I guess I have an addictive personality...I don't know if it's tolerence though. I am a very anxious person in general. I think that has a large part in my addiction(s).

[RyanJ]

Just my opinion but I'd partially attribute a persons susceptibility too addiction partially too genetics and partially to their brain structure.

 

I'd take this opinion because genetic factors determine the number of receptors in the neurons throughout the body, if for example we have more receptors that respond to a particular drug, it may be easier for a person to become addicted because the effect is in effect greater for them than someone else.

 

I'd also argue brain structure because if we have a center that is unusually sensitive too the presence of a certain transmitter it will more easily be activated by small quantities of the compound than someone without.

 

Again, I'd also put it down too other things that are in-between both of those two, metabolism determines how fast the drug is broken down in the body etc.

[BGMCFAR]

Glider and Ryan J I really appreciate your straight forward and direct discussion I believe that it depends on the addiction there are different kinds as we all know I have found that a lot fo peolpe are adicted to something and don't realize itHow many people get up and they have to have their caffine fix. So it dosn't nave to be drugs or alcohal or computers and other things a guess it depends on the person.

[Glider]

Caffene is a psychoactive drug and it does elevate dopamine levels in the brain reward centres, therefore, it fulfills the criteria of a potentially addictive substance. Yes, there are people who are addicted to it.

 

I guess I have an addictive personality...I don't know if it's tolerence though. I am a very anxious person in general. I think that has a large part in my addiction(s).

Anxiety is a significant factor in compulsive behaviours and (in more severe cases) compulsive absessive disorders.

[GutZ]

Caffene is a psychoactive drug and it does elevate dopamine levels in the brain reward centres, therefore, it fulfills the criteria of a potentially addictive substance. Yes, there are people who are addicted to it.

 

Cola...one of my many weaknesses.

[Glider]

Yeah, diet coke is mine