Physiology of Drug Addiction - Essay Example

Facilitator Drug addiction Introduction Drug addiction is a very disturbing after continual use of drugs. It is a state where someone using either illegal or prescribed drugs develops dependence on the very drugs. The dependence developed can be either physical or psychological. Physical dependence on the drugs has somatic manifestation where the person that is dependent on a drug will shake hands, feel headache, or any other corporeal symptoms when they have not taken a dose. Psychological dependence is where an individual with an addiction has an intense urge to take the drugs after long time of disuse. They crave for the drug so much that they can do anything they could to get a dose for them to relax. For those who are addicted they will continue taking the drugs even after realizing the harm it has on their body. (Amusable, 2008) The risk factors of drug addiction are common as for the other condition. Risk factors include family history of addiction where it is usually common on the families that had prior addiction before the current case. In addition, addiction of drug is dominant in males than female according to statistics. Stats show that the addiction in male is two folds compared with their counterparts. Peer pressure is also a contributing factor. This according to stats is seen mostly in the young people trying to fit in their social stratum. After the first introduction into drug abuse, the body develops a tolerance with time and eventually dependence. Physiology of drug addiction Drug addiction is a physiological process on its own. It is a physiologic process, because, it does not just happen at once but develops slowly and in sequential stages. Dopamine is the main hormone that is involved physiologically in the process of drug addiction. Drugs such as cocaine, morphine, and alcohol alter the pathway of dopamine. The first dose taken by an individual has no big effect. Additional drug abuse cause tolerance effect and soon the level of dopamine increase and consequently cause a feeling of being happy. Continuous administration of drugs also has a sensitization effect on the extracellular cells. So when an individual has reduced, or the dose reduce in the blood also the happiness causing hormone, dopamine, also goes down and the craving also start to go back to normal. The drugs taken tend to increase dopamine and when withdrawn the level of this dopamine dwindle and the cycle repeat itself. This cycle is what is known as drug addiction (Hanson, 2005). Will power to withdraw from drugs is most a time futile. The physiologic development of regulation effect dopamine with administrative drugs is the causative factor. The individual with drug addiction may have the will to withdraw from the use of the drug, but the will cannot have an effect on levels of dopamine hence the craving of the drug continue. In addition, the receptor cells that dopamine act on them have developed tolerance level of a certain level of dopamine. Any lower levels will cause sadness, states of depression and headache migraine. The will to withdraw from the drugs cannot reverse the tolerance levels of this receptor cells to dopamine. Therefore, indulgence into drug use is by individual will but the withdrawal from addiction is not the will power since is strongly a physiological process that alter the somatic physiological operating systems. Factors involved in someone undergoing addiction of drugs mainly are in the brain. However, they start with the individual effort physically. The first factor is the small use of the drugs that the body sustains with time. With continuous use, the body starts tolerating the small dose of the substance or prescribed drug that is being used. This lead to increase in the dose of the drug as the body has tolerated the initial small dose. With this increase, factors involved are mainly attached to the brain. The dopamine neuron activated by GABA hormone and opioids start undergoing modulation. GABA has an inhibitory effect on the activity of dopamine, which mainly is to cause happiness while the opioids taken as the substances have an effect of inhibiting GABA and activating the neuron cell to cause happiness. Most of the substances taken are known to activate opioid receptors such u and k-receptors. These consequently lead to accumulation of dopamine hormone. The activation is due to inhibition of the GABA. Drugs categories of drugs abused include the following: 1. Ethyl alcohol This includes beer, wine and in other liquor. In low doses, alcohol causes euphoria and mild stimulation and relaxation effect. The side effects include slurred speech, nausea, and emotional volatility where even the coordination and visual distortions are caused. 2. Nicotine This is found in cigarettes, cigar, and smokeless tobacco and chewing tobacco. Nicotine has an effect of increasing heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and a feeling of exhilaration. The abusers of this substance usually have tremors and reduced appetite as the acute side effect. The poisonous dosage is twenty milligrams of nicotine. 3. Cannabinoids Marijuana and the prescribed drugs of pain such as dihydrocodeine and morphine belong in this class. This is opioid, and they act on opioid centers in the brain. They have receptors in the brain centers where they exert there effect. Some of the effects include euphoria relaxation slowed reaction time. Side effects are panic attacks impaired memory and anxiety. 4. Stimulants These include drugs such as cocaine, hydrochloride, amphetamines, and methamphetamines. 5. Prescribed drugs The hospital prescribed drugs are known to have been abused for long and are among the one causing addictions according to stats. This includes paracetamol, aspirin, morphine, and many other of the prescribed drugs. Drug, substance and certain chemical scheduling DEA is a short form of drug, substance and certain chemicals used. These DEA systems are categorized into five characteristic schedules depending on the acceptability of the medical use of the drug. The abuse factor of the drug is the determining aspect of scheduling of drug as follow. Schedule I This is the most-dangerous drugs with a high potential of being abused. The effects of the drugs are profound including psychological and physical dependence. This includes heroin, lysergic acid, marijuana, methaqualone and peyote. Schedule II This is with no current medical use and high potential of its abuse. They have less abuse compared with schedule I. They include oxycodone, fentanyl Dexedrine and Ritalin. Schedule III This is drugs with moderate potential of physical and psychological dependence. Potential of abuse is less than schedule I and II. They include hydrocodone, ketamine anabolic steroids, and testosterone. Schedule IV This is drugs with low potential of for abuse than schedule III. The drugs include Xanax, soma, Darvon, and valium. Schedule V The substance and chemicals here are defined as drugs with lower potential for abuse. They may have little narcotics. They include200 milligram of codeine, parepectoin (De Garza, 2011) West Virginia context Impacts of drugs in Southwest Virginia communities are palpable. Families are the first one is affected. Family that is affected with drug addiction is usually drained of their finances to either by the very drugs or for rehabilitation of the patient. Another one include work force. The work force capability is reduced by these drugs, which lower the labor force of West Virginia thus lowering the production capacity of the residence. In addition, HealthCare is another part affected. Health care facility is mostly full with patients seeking medical attention or rehabilitation. Finally, economy of the state; most abused drugs in Southwest Virginia include heroin and cocaine. West Virginia should enact laws to curb this menace and start rehabilitations Reference Ausubel, D. P. (2008). Drug addiction: physiological, psychological, and sociological aspects. New York, Random House. DE Grazia, J. (2011). DEA: the war against drugs. London, BBC Books. Hanson, G., Venturelli, P. J., & Fleckenstein, A. E. (2005). Drugs and society. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&A N=667376. Read More