Neural Disorders - Drug Addiction 101
Almost one in ten people or over 22 million people abuse drugs regularly, including alcohol and nicotine. If continued long enough, the abuse can alter the structure of the brain and cause a pathological need for the drug called drug addiction. This condition causes the addict to spend more time getting and thinking about the drug than carrying on normal social activities despite adverse consequences. We have the best drug rehabilitation centre in Pune.
Addiction begins with early experiences with the drug in question which almost always produce feelings of pleasure and appear to subdue stress and emotional pain. Continued experimentation leads to connecting the drug's effects to a neural network of natural reward systems that normally helps us to stay alive by producing pleasure for such actions as eating after feeling hungry and drinking after one is thirsty. This promotes the continued use of the drug and leads to addiction and dependence. The process of becoming addicted involves several factors including motivation, genetics, and the drugs themselves and how quickly they enter the brain. All of these factors interact to cause addiction.
Alcoholism is one of the major health problems with nearly 14 million people who abuse alcohol. Cirrhosis of the liver and other liver diseases cause more than 25,000 deaths a year with the annual cost of alcohol abuse estimated to be $185 billion.
Club drugs like Ecstasy are rumored to increase stamina while deepening intoxication but research is finding out the serious damage that can occur to several parts of the brain with long-term changes to those parts of the brain that are critical to memory and pleasure. Many users experiment with a combination of these club drugs and this complicates matters, causing death after high doses.
Marijuana distorts perception and can affect neural structures connected to memory and learning which explains why heavy users have memory problems and difficulty processing complex information. Studies have found that the active ingredient called THC binds with certain neural receptors responsible for these capabilities. Scientists are trying to develop medicines to target these same neural systems to treat brain disorders like addiction, anxiety, and depression.
Nicotine is used by more than 70 million people and it kills more than 430,000 of them every year which is more than alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, suicide, car accidents, fire, and AIDS combined. It is the most widely abused substance and the leading preventable cause of death in the country, costing about $80 billion. Nicotine acts through a well-known receptor and acts as a stimulant and sedative. The "kick" in tobacco is caused by nicotine stimulation of the adrenal glands causing a sudden release of sugar and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. It also suppresses insulin production in the body and releases dopamine in the brain, causing people to continue smoking.
Opiates have been used for thousands of years and increase the dopamine released in the brain reward system. They relieve pain, depress breathing, cause nausea and vomiting, and stop diarrhea which are all important medical uses. In large doses, opiates like heroin can make breathing very shallow or stop altogether which has killed thousands of people. The standard treatment for opiate addiction is methadone which controls craving and withdrawal symptoms. Newer long-lasting treatments are under development. We have the best de-addiction centre in Pune.
Address: S.No. 258/2B, Plot No. 19, Khese Park, Lohegaon, Pune, 411032, Maharashtra, India
Contact Number: 9167943134
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