Is drug and alcohol addiction a matter of will power, choice or is it a disease? Despite matters of health, and the fact that nobody expects drug addiction and alcohol addiction to happen as a result of their use, it does. Why?
Let’s examine these questions in detail.
First it’s important to understand the cycle of addiction. When a person takes things like alcohol or drugs, these substances alter the chemical composition of the brain. Alcohol and drugs causes the brain to release endorphins, the pleasure causing agents. As a result the person loses all his inhibitions and feels “high”. The process of addiction is a sine wave phenomenon with sharp peaks and troughs. As the intoxication wee ras off, a feeling of being let down or depression can occur. He starts craving for the next fix since his body demands it. The focus is on just a single thing, the next high or rush. He spends all his energy in getting the drug or the alcohol and nothing else matters.
In other words addiction is not a behavior issue, In fact it is a disease. Once the person is addicted, refusal skills or willpower weakens, and use becomes almost a conditioned reflex.
Who are at risk for addiction? Almost everyone is at a risk; however some people are at a greater risk of addiction than the others. A lot of factors come into play as far as addiction is concerned:
1. Genetics: When drug or substance abuse runs in the family, then there is a greater chance of the person getting addicted since the chemically altered nature of the brain may be hereditary.
2. Low self-esteem: low self esteem or depression tendency may also lead to addiction. There is a simple reason for this. People who have low self confidence or low self-esteem may be searching for easy ways to feel good. Drugs/alcohol gives them that high, which makes them feel that they are better than anyone else.
3. Emotional factors: There is a high risk for addiction for people who have not had their needs for love met, or known unconditional love. Such children want to be needed and loved, which they do not find at home and hence seek in peers. Most of the times, just to please their friends, they get into drugs or alcohol and oft time develops an addiction.
Addiction is a disease that ruins a capable and intelligent human being. This disease needs treatment like all the other diseases. The catch in this situation is that the patient is unaware of his problem and may even deny it. Therefore it is crucial to handle the patient with understanding and love. With the right treatment addiction to drugs and alcohol can be cured and the persons’ life put back in order.
