Not all doctors agree on what addiction or dependency is, because traditionally, addiction has been defined as being possible only to a psychoactive substance (for example drugs, including alcohol and tobacco), which is ingested, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and alters the natural chemical behavior of the brain temporarily.
Many people, both psychology professionals and laypersons, now feel that there should be accommodation made to include psychological dependency on such things as gambling, food, pornography, computers, work, exercise, cutting, and shopping-spending. However, these are things or tasks which, when used or performed, cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and hence, do not fit into the traditional view of addiction.
Drugs
Drug addiction is a condition where a person takes a drug every day, despite harm to themselves, as a result. Although being addicted implies dependence, it is possible to be dependent on a drug without being addicted. Dependence progresses to addiction if the taking of t tive nature of drugs varies from substance to substance, and from individual to individual. Drug such as codeine, for instance, typically requires many more exposures to addict its users than drugs such as heroin or cocaine. Likewise, a person who is psychologically or genetically predisposed to addiction is much more likely to suffer from it.
Drug addiction has two components: physical dependency, and psychological dependency.
Physical dependency occurs when a drug has been used habitually and the body has become accustomed to its effects. The person must then continue to use the drug in order to feel normal, or its absence will trigger the symptoms of withdrawal.
Psychological dependency occurs when a drug has been used habitually and the mind has become emotionally reliant on its effects, either to elicit pleasure or relieve pain, and does not feel capable of functioning without it. Its absence produces intense cravings, which are often brought on or magnified by stress. A dependent person may have either aspects of dependency, but often has both.
Cigarettes
Users report that a cigarette can be pleasurable, but there is a medical consensus that the user is likely fulfilling his or her physical addiction and, therefore, is achieving pleasurable feelings relative to his or her previous state of physical withdrawal. Further, the physical dependency of the nicotine addict on the substance itself becomes an overwhelming factor in the continuation of most users’ addictions. Although 35 million smokers make an attempt to quit every year, fewer than 7% achieve even one year of abstinence.
Here is some practical advice for the smokers aware of the hazards and try to kick the habit.
• Rely on your will-power. Simply smoke your last cigarette and do not allow yourself to have another.
• If your will-power needs an assistance administer small doses of nicotine to your body through chewing gums or adhesive patches.
• Try alternative treatments like hypnotherapy or acupuncture.
• Avoid stressful situations.
• Don’t get boredom get you as it’s tempting to pick up a cigarette then.
Alcohol
The speed with which a given individual becomes addicted to various substances varies with the substance, the frequency of use, the means of ingestion, the intensity of pleasure or euphoria, and the individual’s genetic and psychological susceptibility.
Some alcoholics report they exhibited alcoholic tendencies from the moment of first intoxication, while most people can drink socially without ever becoming addicted. Studies have demonstrated that opioid dependent individuals have different responses to even low doses of opioids than the majority of people, although this may be due to a variety of other factors, as opioid use heavily stimulates pleasure-inducing neurotransmitters in the brain. The vast majority of medical professionals and scientists agree that if one uses strong opioids on a regular basis for even just a short period of time, one will most likely become physiologically addicted to the substance.
All in all, it is always better not to get dependent on any substance whatever, because we will get trapped until we find motivation to act and protect ourselves against ourselves.
Improve your vocabulary!
addiction – uzależnienie, nałóg
dependency – zależość od
ingest – zażywać
alter – zmieniać
temporarily – tymczasowo
harm – krzywda
imply – wskazywać
merely – tylko
vary – różnić się
suffer from – cierpieć z powodu czegoś
trigger – dać początek
reliant on… – zależny od…
relieve pain – uśmierzać ból
capable of… – zdolny do…
overwhelming – przytłaczający
hazard – niebezpieczeństwo
will-power – siła woli
susceptibility – podatność