Safe from Drugs

Posts Tagged ‘addiction’

After years of speculation about whether the intake of spirits caused the secretion of endorphins, a study by the University of California definitely confirmed.

A study by the University of California (USA) published in Science Translational Medicine have shown for the first time in humans that alcohol releases endorphins. After nearly thirty years of speculation about whether the intake of spirits caused the secretion of these proteins in certain areas of the brain which produces feelings of pleasure that leads to addiction-this definitely confirms university.

“We descubiero that endorphins are released into the nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex, says researcher Jennifer Mitchell, who adds that this finding will” improve the methods and medications to treat alcohol problems. “

To reach these conclusions, the researchers analyzed brain responses of 13 people with a high consumption of alcohol, and other 12 who did not drink as usual. In all cases, alcohol intake was a release of endorphins, but the feeling was unanimous pleasure only “when endorphins are released in the nucleus accumbens.”

However, when these proteins were released in the orbitofrontal cortex “only positive feelings increased in heavy drinkers.” This indicates that “the brain of alcoholics is modified so that they find most pleasurable consumption of alcohol,” explains Mitchell. Read the rest of this entry »

Many people do not understand how or why some people become addicted to drugs. They may wrongly assume that drug users have no moral principles or sufficient will and that they could stop using drugs if they were only willing to change their behavior. In fact, addiction is a complex disease and stop using drugs does not occur with the simple intention. In fact, because drugs change the brain in a way that promotes its compulsive abuse, quitting is difficult, even for those who are willing to do so. Thanks to scientific advances, we now know much more accurately how drugs work in the brain and we know that the drug itself can be successfully treated, thus helping an addict stop using drugs and regain a productive life.

Drug abuse and addiction have negative consequences for both individuals and society. By some estimates, the total cost of substance abuse in the United States, including costs associated with lost productivity, health and crime, exceeds 600 billion dollars annually. This figure includes approximately $ 181 billion for illicit drugs, $ 1 193 billion by tabaco2 and $ 235 billion by alcohol.3 Despite how overwhelming it is these figures fail to fully address the true impact of drug abuse and drug addiction on public health, including family breakdown, job loss, failure in school, domestic violence and child abuse.

What is drug addiction?

Drug addiction is a chronic disease of the brain, often relapsing, characterized by the compulsive seeking and drug use despite harmful consequences to the addict and those around him. While it is true that the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, over time the changes occurring in the brain can affect self-control and the user’s ability to withstand intense impulses to take drugs.

Fortunately, there are treatments that help to counteract the destructive effects of the strong addiction. Research shows that the best way to ensure success for most patients is a combination of drugs to treat addiction with behavioral therapy. You can achieve a sustained recovery and a life without substance abuse using approaches designed to treat drug abuse pattern specific to each patient together with any medical, psychiatric or social concurrently.

Like many other chronic, relapsing diseases such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease, drug addiction can be treated successfully. However, like other chronic diseases, it is also common to have the addict relapses and return to drug use. These recurrences, however, does not mean failure. Rather they are a sign to be reinstated or adjusted to treatment or alternative treatment is necessary for the person to regain control and recover.