Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and drug use. Addiction is considered a disease as the drugs change the brain structure and how it works. When drug abuse initiates, a person’s ability to be in self-control becomes impaired and brain studies reflect serious changes in the decision making areas of the brain. When the reward area of the brain is activated, our brains associate specific activities with this feeling and teaches us to do the activity repeatedly. When these drugs are ingested, they release 2 to 10 times the amount of dopamine as natural activities and can motivate people to continue to take these drugs. As a result of these drugs, dopamines impact on the pleasure area of the brain can be reduced, leading to the abuser to feel lifeless and depressed. As a result of the lowered dopamine levels, drug users feel the need to continue to use to bring their dopamine levels back up, leading to them taking larger amounts of the drug. In addition, changes within neurons and brain circuits are prevalent. For example, when the optimal concentration of glutamate is altered by drug abuse, the brain compensates for this change resulting in impairment in cognitive function. Long-term drug abuse can even lead to conditioning in which environmental cues can lead to cravings for the drug. Because these changes are outside of the control of the individual, they are considered a disease of the brain (Gantt).
The National Institute on Drug Abuse argues that they are tied to neurobiology through the reference of the brain areas affected by drug abuse, the brain’s communication, and the neurotransmitters involved with drug abuse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse claims that drugs impact the brain’s communication system through the release of either natural or synthetic neurotransmitters. As a result, it states that the release of these neurotransmitters prevents the normal recycling of these brain chemicals and works to overstimulate the regions of the brain involved in pleasure. In addition, it references the impact of these drugs on the brain stem, limbic system, and the cerebral cortex. It also directly impacts the development of the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in making sound decisions. Hitchens would respond by claiming that these references impede the free will of the people. He would say by imploring that addiction is present would lead the abusers to believe that they are completely powerless which is not necessarily true. He would cite the fact that despite some people being “addicted” to certain drugs, they have still been able to overcome this addiction (Gantt).
Brain areas affected by drug abuse include the brain stem, the limbic system, prefrontal cortex and the cerebral cortex. Changes in the brain stem inhibit the ability to perform basic functions such as controlling the heart rate, breathing, and sleeping. Changes in the limbic system affect the the brain’s reward circuit, leading to irrational behaviors to continue to activate this area of the brain as it relates to pleasure. Because the limbic system impacts the reward circuit, it brings people to motivate people to continually complete. In addition, drugs alter the cerebral cortex, changing the way we sense and process information. The front part of this cortex impacts our ability to think and problem solve. By negatively impacting this part of the brain, drugs prevent the ability to process and make decisions. Finally, changes within the prefrontal cortex impact the ability to assess situations and keep emotions/desires under control (Gantt).
While scientific evidence claims that addiction is uncontrollable, labeling addiction as an uncontrollable force, leads to people thinking that free will does not exist and human behavior is determined. By doing so, it is inferred that we use the words because we are too lazy to think about what we mean and that the belief was implanted in the modern mind built into our daily lives. While addiction is extremely prevalent, it is important to not label it as impossible to recover from.
Gantt, Edwin E. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Psychological Issues. McGraw-Hill Education Create, 2018.
You make a great point in the last paragraph. I am always astounded upon hearing testimony from former drug addicts who have been clean for months or even years, proving that addiction is not permanent. However, the scientific evidence you describe is precisely why I am opposed to drug legalization of any type. Substances that are such a poison to the mind and body—and tear entire families apart and bestow financial downfall—should remain illegal substances. I do not believe in the ability to make a “choice” to enter such an unhealthy and dangerous state of living; people should be protected from that state, and persistent drug dealers should be prosecuted as murderers.
I think that with marijuana use being “legalized” across states, it’s one step closer to people pushing to legalize more damning forms of drugs, which will make the drug addiction problem a nightmare for future generations.
Drug addiction is a very real thing and people seem to not realize it when it’s there. People only thing that addiction comes with drugs that are shot or snorted but in reality, it comes in the form of WEED! Very unpopular to my friends opinions I do believe people can be addicted to weed. I have friends who smoke EVERYDAY and it’s so crazy to see them look “smoked out” and still have the ability to say “If I wanted to stop I could…” Sounds crazy to me.. After reading this I’m really not exactly sure how I feel about us coming to the legalization of marijuana in more states. I feel like DRUGS ARE DRUGS, PERIOD.It’s weird to say weed is better than ____, because at the end of the day adding smoke into your lungs doesn’t really seem like something healthy.. I also feel like theres not enough science done on weed to know if it has more powerfully negative affects on people similar to how it took a while before people knew that cigarettes were deadly.
I agree with wynter. Weed is addictive. I have lost many friends to this drug. Just like any other drug addiction they out smoking first, and sold everything else. However, I also have a friend who uses weed medically and needs it. She only smoke a tiny bit at a time when needed.
(i am so sorry for the spam. I am making up all my comments.)