All drugs are
medication. Psychoactive drugs are substances that directly alter the normal
functioning of the central nervous system. They pass the blood / brain barrier
and alter perception, mood, consciousness, cognition and behavior. Drugs that
are addictive are mood altering. They resemble the brain's own natural
chemicals that influence how we act and feel.
Addiction is an attempt to transcend, pass
over, mask, or numb out to the stressors of life. Temporarily, due to the
chemical exchange of drugs and the brain, it feels like this has been accomplished.
There are accompanying defenses and denial that helps fuel this delusion.
However, it is short lasting, and the addict finds that actually he has added
more pain to his life as the consequences of abusing drugs. Then the cycle
continues. but eventually with more drugs, as tolerance increases in response
to more emotional stressors as a consequence of drug abuse. Eventually, the
addict can become fearful of trying to live without mood altering chemicals.
When one quits the addiction to a particular drug or behavior addiction, it
becomes very easy to substitute another addiction in its place. The list is not
in any particular order.
Tolerance
The body regards any
drug it takes as a toxin and the liver and kidneys try to eliminate the drug. If
the use continues, these organs are forced to adapt and develop tolerance and the
user has to take larger and larger amounts to get the same effect. For example
one amphetamine tablet will energize an effect that can only be matched by 100
tablets on the100th day of use.
Due to tolerance,
addiction becomes progressive, and the dosage must be increased to transcend
life's stressors as shown in the previous diagram.
But stressors become
increased due to the difficulties caused by addiction and the cycle becomes a
downward spiral.
Reverse Tolerance
As one grows older,
the trend is reversed and the user becomes less able to handle even moderate
amounts. This is particularly true in alcoholics, when as the liver is
destroyed, it loses the ability to metabolize the drug. An alcoholic with
cirrhosis of the liver can stay intoxicated all day on a pint of wine because
the raw alcohol is passing through the body unchanged.
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