how & where addiction established in brain for selected ones???

[venkyreddy]

what makes only few ones can establish addiction /dependence y not the remaining what makes them so specials how can they specifically make long lasting friendship with brain desire center

[ewmon]

I have studied the field of addiction and substance dependency. Could you explain your question more clearly?

[venkyreddy]

I have studied the field of addiction and substance dependency. Could you explain your question more clearly?

 

i mean mechanism involved in ADDICTION n brain areas associated with it.....

what makes only some chemicals cause addiction

[ewmon]

Different substances act on different parts of the brain, and in different ways, and cause changes in a person's mood, feelings, perceptions, etc. Most substances either imitate, block or otherwise affect the neurotransmitter chemicals used by the brain's neurons to communicate with each other. A neuron either excites or inhibits other neurons. Excitatory neurons outnumber inhibitory neurons about 10 to 1, but inhibitory signals outweigh excitatory signals about 10 to 1, so a brain without drugs is pretty well balanced.

 

Depressants, such as alcohol and barbiturates, increase the inhibition of brain cells and produce a relaxing effect, but used in large enough amounts, can cause death by suppressing heart beat and/or breathing.

 

Stimulants, such as amphetamines, increase the excitation of brain cells, increase mental function, reduce fatigue, and sharpening one's attention.

 

As far as I know, biochemical addiction to substances occurs because the substance has a short-term effect that triggers a long-term reaction by the brain. When the short-term effect of the substance wears off, the long-term reaction by the brain remains, resulting in feelings of "withdrawal" and the desire/urge/addiction for more drugs to supposedly "cure" those withdrawal symptoms.

 

Nicotine found in tobacco is the most addictive substance. Smoking relaxes a user, but a while later, the internal "need" for another cigarette urges the user to smoke again. The cycle is relatively short and repeats several times a day.

 

Caffeine has a longer cycle. Typically a user has a few cups during the day and feels refreshed and invigorated, but needs caffeine the next morning to "get going again".

 

The same occurs with more powerful and illicit drugs, but the effect can be more pronounced and additive due to the way they affect the brain and the brain's response to them (which is what makes them illegal).

 

Some people are genetically predisposed to addiction to certain substances, but societal, familial, situational, and other influences also exist.

[nec209]

what makes only few ones can establish addiction /dependence y not the remaining what makes them so specials how can they specifically make long lasting friendship with brain desire center

 

Some people are born with litle dopamine. When one drinks or do drugs one gets lots of dopamine and this can lead to a addiction do to your brain will crave the dopamine.

 

Most people are born to have lots of dopamine , but some that lack dopamine and just having sex or drinking is like way way way way way more enjoyable than like most people feel.So those people that lack dopamine things like sex ,drugs and drinking is way more enjoyable than most people that have lots of dopamine.

 

Anytime you give you brain lots of dopamine you will crave it alot do to the way the brain is .That is why people that lack dopamine also called addiction personality tyes get so addicted.

Edited December 20, 2011 by nec209

[ewmon]

I don't know ... I take a drug that makes more dopamine for me, but I don't experience what you're talking about.

[nec209]

I don't know ... I take a drug that makes more dopamine for me, but I don't experience what you're talking about.

 

People that have sex, drink or smoke pot have lots dopamine release.

 

Where cocaine will have way more dopamine release than say where one has sex, drink or smoke pot but not has high has tabaco ( tabaco is very addicting . Only meth and crack and other very hardcore drugs like pain killers have so much dopamine that one is addicted the first time.

 

Other than people born with liitle dopamine where they can have sex, drink or smoke pot and be addicted the first time.

[ewmon]

very hardcore drugs like pain killers have so much dopamine that one is addicted the first time.

Drugs do not contain dopamine, and much of what you have said in posts #5 and #7 about dopamine is wrong.

Edited December 21, 2011 by ewmon

[nec209]

Drugs do not contain dopamine, and much of what you have said in posts #5 and #7 about dopamine is wrong.

 

No they do not have dopamine in the drugs but when take drugs it release dopamine.

Edited December 21, 2011 by nec209

[ewmon]

they do not have dopamine in the drugs but when take drugs it release dopamine.

Again, no. Most drugs do not cause the release of dopamine, especially not pain killers. If you want to continue making such claims, please provide a link to an Internet reference.

[nec209]

Again, no. Most drugs do not cause the release of dopamine, especially not pain killers. If you want to continue making such claims, please provide a link to an Internet reference.

 

No the drug does not have dopamine or release dopamine.

 

When you play video game , have sex , smoke ,drink or do drugs or playing sports you brain will release dopamine. The more dopamine the more likely one will be addicted.

 

You not reading my post clearing.

[ewmon]

You not reading my post clearing.

Really? Read your own contradicting posts —

 

drugs [...] have so much dopamine

[drugs] do not have dopamine

when [you] take drugs it release dopamine.

the drug does not [...] release dopamine.

[nec209]

I think we need to understand what is dopamine and how it works before we talk more here and how that is relates.It looks like a miscommunication problem.

 

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. Many different kinds of animals and humans use it to transmit information. It is used when the brain sends signals to the muscles in the body to make them move. It can make a person feel happy.

 

Dopamine is an important chemical found in the brain. If the brain does not make enough dopamine, it causes an illness called Parkinson's disease. This can be treated by giving the Parkinson's disease patient a drug called L-Dopa, which the body converts to dopamine.

 

 

 

 

 

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drugs contain chemicals that tap into the brain’s communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. There are at least two ways that drugs cause this disruption: (1) by imitating the brain’s natural chemical messengers and (2) by overstimulating the “reward circuit” of the brain.

 

Some drugs (e.g., marijuana and heroin) have a similar structure to chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, which are naturally produced by the brain. This similarity allows the drugs to “fool” the brain’s receptors and activate nerve cells to send abnormal messages.

 

Other drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters (mainly dopamine) or to prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals, which is needed to shut off the signaling between neurons. The result is a brain awash in dopamine, a neurotransmitter present in brain regions that control movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this reward system, which normally responds to natural behaviors linked to survival (eating, spending time with loved ones, etc.), produces euphoric effects in response to psychoactive drugs. This reaction sets in motion a reinforcing pattern that “teaches” people to repeat the rewarding behavior of abusing drugs.

 

As a person continues to abuse drugs, the brain adapts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine by producing less dopamine or by reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the reward circuit. The result is a lessening of dopamine’s impact on the reward circuit, which reduces the abuser’s ability to enjoy the drugs, as well as the events in life that previously brought pleasure. This decrease compels the addicted person to keep abusing drugs in an attempt to bring the dopamine function back to normal, except now larger amounts of the drug are required to achieve the same dopamine high—an effect known as tolerance.

 

 

http://drugabuse.gov/infofacts/understand.html

 

 

Biology. The genes that people are born with––in combination with environmental influences––account for about half of their addiction vulnerability. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction.

 

 

Environment. A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and quality of parenting can greatly influence the occurrence of drug abuse and the escalation to addiction in a person’s life.

 

 

Development. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction vulnerability. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to more serious abuse, which poses a special challenge to adolescents. Because their brains are still developing in the areas that govern decisionmaking, judgment, and self-control, adolescents may be especially prone to risk-taking behaviors, including trying drugs of abuse.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substance_dependence

 

 

 

 

Drug addiction is a state of periodic or chronic intoxication produced by the repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic). Its characteristics include: (i) an overpowering desire or need (compulsion) to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means; (ii) a tendency to increase the dose; (iii) a psychic (psychological) and generally a physical dependence on the effects of the drug; and (iv) detrimental effects on the individual and on society.

 

Drug habituation (habit) is a condition resulting from the repeated consumption of a drug. Its characteristics include (i) a desire (but not a compulsion) to continue taking the drug for the sense of improved well-being which it engenders; (ii) little or no tendency to increase the dose; (iii) some degree of psychic dependence on the effect of the drug, but absence of physical dependence and hence of an abstinence syndrome [withdrawal], and (iv) detrimental effects, if any, primarily on the individual.

 

 

Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiologic disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving.

 

Physical dependence is a state of being that is manifested by a drug class specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist.

 

Tolerance is the body's physical adaptation to a drug: greater amounts of the drug are required over time to achieve the initial effect as the body "gets used to" and adapts to the intake.

 

Pseudo addiction is a term which has been used to describe patient behaviors that may occur when pain is undertreated. Patients with unrelieved pain may become focused on obtaining medications, may "clock watch," and may otherwise seem inappropriately "drug seeking." Even such behaviors as illicit drug use and deception can occur in the patient's efforts to obtain relief. Pseudoaddiction can be distinguished from true addiction in that the behaviors resolve when pain is effectively treated.

 

 

 

 

Acute (or recreational) use of most psychoactive drugs causes the release and prolonged action of dopamine and serotonin within the reward circuit. Different types of drugs produce these effects by different methods. Dopamine (DA) appears to harbor the largest effect and its action is characterized. DA binds to the D1 receptor, triggering a signaling cascade within the cell. cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) phosphorylates cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), a transcription factor, which induces the transcription of certain genes including C-Fos.[10]

 

Role of dopamineNearly all addictive drugs, directly or indirectly, act upon the brain’s reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine.[16] As a person continues to overstimulate the “reward circuit”, the brain adapts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine by producing less of the hormones or by reducing the number of receptors in the reward circuit. As a result, the chemical’s impact on the reward circuit is lessened, reducing the drug-abuser’s ability to enjoy the things that previously brought pleasure.[16] This decrease compels those addicted to the dopaminergenic-effect of the drug, to increase the drug consumption in order to re-create the earlier or initial experiences and to bring their "feel-good" hormone level back to normal —an effect known as tolerance. Development of dopamine tolerance can eventually lead to profound changes in neurons and brain circuits, with the potential to severely compromise the long-term health and functioning of a person's brain.[17] Modern antipsychotics are designed to block dopamine function. Unfortunately, this blocking can also cause relapses into depression, and increases in addictive behaviors

Edited December 30, 2011 by nec209

[ewmon]

Some people are born with litle dopamine. When one drinks or do drugs one gets lots of dopamine and this can lead to a addiction do to your brain will crave the dopamine.

 

Most people are born to have lots of dopamine , but some that lack dopamine and just having sex or drinking is like way way way way way more enjoyable than like most people feel.So those people that lack dopamine things like sex ,drugs and drinking is way more enjoyable than most people that have lots of dopamine.

 

Anytime you give you brain lots of dopamine you will crave it alot do to the way the brain is .That is why people that lack dopamine also called addiction personality tyes get so addicted.

I think we need to understand what is dopamine and how it works before we talk more here and how that is relates.

 

Dopamine is an important chemical found in the brain. If the brain does not make enough dopamine, it causes an illness called Parkinson's disease. This can be treated by giving the Parkinson's disease patient a drug called L-Dopa, which the body converts to dopamine.

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine

Two statements by nec209 shown above:

1. That is why people that lack dopamine also called addiction personality tyes get so addicted.
   
2. If the brain does not make enough dopamine, it causes an illness called Parkinson's disease.

Do you say that Parkinson Disease patients have addiction personalities?

— or that people with addiction personalities have Parkinson's Disease?

 

The cause-and-effect that you propose is far from being so simple.

 

Here are some things to consider (and keep in mind that I am not offended by your statements, but merely speak from my own experience). I have Parkinson's Disease, and I take L-Dopa. I have PD so severely that my neurologist recommends that I seriously consider DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation). Not only have I never had any substance dependencies, but I highly suspect that PD patients do not have substance dependencies at a significantly higher rate than the rest of the world.

 

I do not want this to be a thread-terminating post. Please reply.

[nec209]

Two statements by nec209 shown above:

1. That is why people that lack dopamine also called addiction personality tyes get so addicted.
   
2. If the brain does not make enough dopamine, it causes an illness called Parkinson's disease.

Do you say that Parkinson Disease patients have addiction personalities?

— or that people with addiction personalities have Parkinson's Disease?

 

The cause-and-effect that you propose is far from being so simple.

 

Here are some things to consider (and keep in mind that I am not offended by your statements, but merely speak from my own experience). I have Parkinson's Disease, and I take L-Dopa. I have PD so severely that my neurologist recommends that I seriously consider DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation). Not only have I never had any substance dependencies, but I highly suspect that PD patients do not have substance dependencies at a significantly higher rate than the rest of the world.

 

I do not want this to be a thread-terminating post. Please reply.

 

I have not read much about dopamine and how it works and is related to drug abuse .I do know that dopamine is related to drug abuse but I will allow some of the PHD members here in biology to jump in here at this point to claer this up with more info.

[kitkat]

It is not just limited to dopamine but also seratonin, adrenaline, and other chemicals that are not being sufficiently produced in the body that make people seek drug of choice so they can feel normal in many cases, or if that is not working will tend to take more of their drugs thinking it will make them feel better. This of course, does not work in most cases and it creates additional problems for these individuals. Science has a long way to go to understand the chemicals in the brain in order to perfect the drugs that are currently available on the market.

 

As mentioned above there are numerous reasons why people become addicted to drugs but I believe they were attracted to them in the first place because they are lacking the chemistry that allows an individual to feel "normal" in their brain's ability to deal with emotions, interaction with their environment on a social level, etc. It is a medical condition and it is unfortunate that our society treats them as criminals and that they did it to themselves.

[nec209]

It is not just limited to dopamine but also seratonin, adrenaline, and other chemicals that are not being sufficiently produced in the body that make people seek drug of choice so they can feel normal in many cases, or if that is not working will tend to take more of their drugs thinking it will make them feel better. This of course, does not work in most cases and it creates additional problems for these individuals. Science has a long way to go to understand the chemicals in the brain in order to perfect the drugs that are currently available on the market.

 

As mentioned above there are numerous reasons why people become addicted to drugs but I believe they were attracted to them in the first place because they are lacking the chemistry that allows an individual to feel "normal" in their brain's ability to deal with emotions, interaction with their environment on a social level, etc. It is a medical condition and it is unfortunate that our society treats them as criminals and that they did it to themselves.

 

I'm not sure on the chemicals and how the brain works but what do understand people that use heroin every day will never be same like first time one got high of heroin .The brain some how makes a tolerance and the drug user becomes very frustrating for trying to get that high again.

 

Also the drugs changes the body and one becomes sick when one is not taking the drug so called withdrawals.

Edited January 1, 2012 by nec209

[ewmon]

It is not just limited to dopamine but also seratonin, adrenaline, and other chemicals that are not being sufficiently produced in the body that make people seek drug of choice so they can feel normal in many cases, or if that is not working will tend to take more of their drugs thinking it will make them feel better. ...

 

It is a medical condition and it is unfortunate that our society treats them as criminals and that they did it to themselves.

I knew a couple of addicts with attention deficit problems who, without actually knowing what they were doing at the time, took street drugs (one smoked pot, the other drank) to try to self-medicate their problems. Typically, pain management clinics test some of their patients to ensure that they are taking their prescribed meds instead of using street drugs. It's not uncommon for such patients to sell their prescribed meds and turn around and use the money to buy their favorite street drugs to try to self-medicate themselves.

 

As to the "medical condition as a crime" perspective, some addicts would rather take street drugs because "the world sucks" or "life's a bitch", than to get diagnosed, admit that the problem is within themselves (ie, "own" it), and take the prescribed meds for it. I've also seen many recovered/recovering addicts laugh at the idea that their addiction itself was a "disease". They say it's a cop out or a lousy excuse. Truly, it's the addict him/herself who must decide not to walk into a bar or package store, or not to seek a street-corner drug dealer. Ultimately it's their decision on how to perceive themselves and their life, and how to act upon it.

 

I'm not sure on the chemicals and how the brain works but what do understand people that use heroin every day will never be same like first time one got high of heroin .The brain some how makes a tolerance and the drug user becomes very frustrating for trying to get that high again.

 

Also the drugs changes the body and one becomes sick when one is not taking the drug so called withdrawals.

I worked for years in the substance dependence recovery industry in nearly every capacity, and for example, heroin addicts told me that they'll sniff 1 bag to get high the first day. Then they wake up on Day 2 feeling lousy, so they sniff 1 bag just to feel normal and a second bag to get high again (2 bags total). They feel even worse on Day 3, so it's 2 bags to feel normal and as third bag to get high (3 bags total). Four bags on Day 4, Five bags on Day 5, etc. They say it progresses arithmetically: 1, 2, 3, etc until their money runs out.

 

My extensive readings have shown me that, basically, you can't cheat the brain. Whatever you take (heroin, benzos, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, etc), your brain is "smart" enough to recognize something's wrong and adjust for it. Unfortunately, the brain's response is longer lasting, so when the drug wears off, the compensation remains.

 

Heroin numbs pain, so the brain effectively increases its sensitivity to pain. Heroin addicts tell me their withdrawal symptoms feels like the flu. The brain is always receiving pain signals (tired feet, uncomfortable chair, sore elbow, tired eyes, etc), but it chooses to ignore them. Think of when you had the flu ... everything starts to hurt (but not really because the signals were always there).

 

Alcohol is a depressant, so the brain increases its stimulation, leading to withdrawal and delirium, often called "the DTs" (delirium tremens, which is Latin meaning "trembling madness"), "the horrors", etc that can cause insomnia, anxiety, nightmares, hallucinations (bugs, snakes, etc), tremors, convulsions, tachycardia, and death (from bodily over-stimulation). Drinkers trying to recover from a serious hangover (ie, withdrawal) might find that having some "hair of the dog that bit you" (an alcoholic drink) helps them recover. Medicos might prescribe benzos (another sedative/depressant) to ease withdrawal from alcohol.

 

Nicotine is complicated, but it basically gives a relaxing and restorative feeling at first, but ends up makes the person feel worse than before, thus the need for another cigarette/fix. The withdrawal cycle is much shorter than with other drugs, and smokers might crave cigarettes several/many times a day. Both experts and addicts say that nicotine is the most addictive of all substances.

 

Caffeine gives the user stimulating, get-up-and-go, America-runs-on-Dunkin feelings. Withdrawal the next morning results in grumpy, can't-get-going, don't-talk-to-me-until-after-my-first-cup feelings. Yes, Dunkin Donuts traffics in caffeine, and America is addicted.

[kitkat]

I knew a couple of addicts with attention deficit problems who, without actually knowing what they were doing at the time, took street drugs (one smoked pot, the other drank) to try to self-medicate their problems. Typically, pain management clinics test some of their patients to ensure that they are taking their prescribed meds instead of using street drugs. It's not uncommon for such patients to sell their prescribed meds and turn around and use the money to buy their favorite street drugs to try to self-medicate themselves.

 

As to the "medical condition as a crime" perspective, some addicts would rather take street drugs because "the world sucks" or "life's a bitch", than to get diagnosed, admit that the problem is within themselves (ie, "own" it), and take the prescribed meds for it. I've also seen many recovered/recovering addicts laugh at the idea that their addiction itself was a "disease". They say it's a cop out or a lousy excuse. Truly, it's the addict him/herself who must decide not to walk into a bar or package store, or not to seek a street-corner drug dealer. Ultimately it's their decision on how to perceive themselves and their life, and how to act upon it.

 

 

I worked for years in the substance dependence recovery industry in nearly every capacity, and for example, heroin addicts told me that they'll sniff 1 bag to get high the first day. Then they wake up on Day 2 feeling lousy, so they sniff 1 bag just to feel normal and a second bag to get high again (2 bags total). They feel even worse on Day 3, so it's 2 bags to feel normal and as third bag to get high (3 bags total). Four bags on Day 4, Five bags on Day 5, etc. They say it progresses arithmetically: 1, 2, 3, etc until their money runs out.

 

My extensive readings have shown me that, basically, you can't cheat the brain. Whatever you take (heroin, benzos, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, etc), your brain is "smart" enough to recognize something's wrong and adjust for it. Unfortunately, the brain's response is longer lasting, so when the drug wears off, the compensation remains.

 

Heroin numbs pain, so the brain effectively increases its sensitivity to pain. Heroin addicts tell me their withdrawal symptoms feels like the flu. The brain is always receiving pain signals (tired feet, uncomfortable chair, sore elbow, tired eyes, etc), but it chooses to ignore them. Think of when you had the flu ... everything starts to hurt (but not really because the signals were always there).

 

Alcohol is a depressant, so the brain increases its stimulation, leading to withdrawal and delirium, often called "the DTs" (delirium tremens, which is Latin meaning "trembling madness"), "the horrors", etc that can cause insomnia, anxiety, nightmares, hallucinations (bugs, snakes, etc), tremors, convulsions, tachycardia, and death (from bodily over-stimulation). Drinkers trying to recover from a serious hangover (ie, withdrawal) might find that having some "hair of the dog that bit you" (an alcoholic drink) helps them recover. Medicos might prescribe benzos (another sedative/depressant) to ease withdrawal from alcohol.

 

Nicotine is complicated, but it basically gives a relaxing and restorative feeling at first, but ends up makes the person feel worse than before, thus the need for another cigarette/fix. The withdrawal cycle is much shorter than with other drugs, and smokers might crave cigarettes several/many times a day. Both experts and addicts say that nicotine is the most addictive of all substances.

 

Caffeine gives the user stimulating, get-up-and-go, America-runs-on-Dunkin feelings. Withdrawal the next morning results in grumpy, can't-get-going, don't-talk-to-me-until-after-my-first-cup feelings. Yes, Dunkin Donuts traffics in caffeine, and America is addicted.

 

 

I do understand your response that is coming from your background experience with dealing with the worst case drug addicted cases. However, there is a high percentage of individuals that have tried different drugs for awhile and stop without any desire to continue using or have experienced severe withdrawals that you mentioned above. Their brain chemistry for some reason did not respond in the same way that would lead me to become a drug addict.

 

So is this right to make it criminal for those individuals that have brain chemistry that makes them addicted? People with ADHD, Depression, etc. are given prescription medications that really are not that effective for many people and that is why they prefer street drugs. In my opinion, neither prescription meds or street drugs can fix the problem or relieve symptoms effectively. In reality, many people are hoping that science can figure out the brain chemistry to someday correct all addictions and mental health issues.

 

Until this happens, drug addiction should not be a crime and it is sad that society is so cruel on this subject.

[ewmon]

is this right to make it criminal for those individuals that have brain chemistry that makes them addicted?

It's the illegality of producing, distributing, selling, possessing and using these drugs that helps protect those individuals who have brain chemistry that makes them addicted. The justice system handles these addicted individuals rather kindly (for example, successful completion of a detox and rehab programs followed by two years probation in lieu of jail time), while banishing the evil traffickers/producers (who heartlessly enslave these addicted individuals) to stiff prison sentences. Historically, it has almost never been the case that drug addicts are imprisoned for their addictions. If they do go to jail, it's for additional charges: possession of a firearm, home invasion, shoplifting, trafficking, etc. No longer can police let drunks sleep it off in their lockups; they must be PC'd and undergo detox out of the real concern of dying from withdrawal.

 

And do you really want to have, for example, teachers in our schools who have been publicly drunk/high countless times because it would not be a crime and thus have no record of it? I can just see it now:

 

John and Mary Jones and daughter Susie walking down the street.

MARY: "John, look out for that drunk weaving down the sidewalk and now ... ugh ... puking in the gutter."

SUSIE: "Mom, Dad. That's no drunk, that's my biology teacher, Mr. Smith. [now shouting] Yoohoo Mr. Smith! It's me, Susie."

 

John and Mary Jones and son Bob walking down the street.

JOHN: "Mary, look at that pathetic woman laying unconscious in the doorway of that shooting gallery."

BOB: "Mom, Dad. That's no slut, that's my Cub Scout leader, Ms. Smith. ... I didn't know she wore pink panties"

 

Addicts are not mindless slaves to their addictions. There are programs that educate and retrain them on how to live their lives. It is ultimately their decision on how they behave. Plenty of addicts have told me that everyone can get straight, but only if they want to. Some of the most pathetic sights I've seen were interviewing young people in recovery programs who came in with their parents who were paying for it. I could guarantee that 90% wouldn't make it beyond two weeks, because they obviously didn't want to be there, yet my bosses would take them.

 

And everyone experiences withdrawal, not just those with addictions. For example, if you were administered large amounts of ethanol through an IV for several days and then it stopped cold turkey, you would suffer from DTs, etc, and perhaps death from withdrawal due to physical dependency. Take OC's for a week or two for some sort of pain, and then have your doctor refuse to write another prescription (which they sometimes do), and you will suffer withdrawal and feel lousy like you have the flu. When you have a few drinks in the evening and then have a restless night's sleep, that's withdrawal. When you can't get going in the morning before your first coffee, that's withdrawal.

[nec209]

I do understand your response that is coming from your background experience with dealing with the worst case drug addicted cases. However, there is a high percentage of individuals that have tried different drugs for awhile and stop without any desire to continue using or have experienced severe withdrawals that you mentioned above. Their brain chemistry for some reason did not respond in the same way that would lead me to become a drug addict.

 

So is this right to make it criminal for those individuals that have brain chemistry that makes them addicted? People with ADHD, Depression, etc. are given prescription medications that really are not that effective for many people and that is why they prefer street drugs. In my opinion, neither prescription meds or street drugs can fix the problem or relieve symptoms effectively. In reality, many people are hoping that science can figure out the brain chemistry to someday correct all addictions and mental health issues.

 

Until this happens, drug addiction should not be a crime and it is sad that society is so cruel on this subject.

 

 

It is the same reason why some people that drink ,smoke pot ,have sex or look at porn do it 2 or 3 times a week and other people get so hooked they are doing it every day or most of the day or all day

Edited January 6, 2012 by nec209