Are You Suffering From Addiction?


Many researchers believe that addiction is a behavior that can be controlled to some extent and also a brain disease. And since some testing with functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) found that all addictions tend to cause nearly the same reactions inside the brain, there could be one type of control model for addiction health-related issues.

Others express the opinion that some of us have an addictive personality and therefore are more likely to have problems than others.

In other words, just as there is one disorder or disease labeled asthma, there would be one for addiction, covering all addictions; gambling, smoking, overeating, drugs, etc. Then one main treatment strategy or plan could be used to treat all addictions.

How addiction works in a nutshell is like this. The brain, the center of the body's nervous system, handles addiction by increasing dopamine levels in response to increased reactions from behaviors, also referred to as compulsions, like gambling or over eating, and / or in response to increased repeated episodes of substance abuse, like from cocaine or alcohol.

And this addiction affects the three functioning processes of the nervous system; sensing, perceiving and reacting. How? Let's take a quick peak?

Dopamine, the chemical transmitter to the "pleasure center," the place where survival instincts like eating and reproduction focus in the brain, activates cells individually or energizes them. Each energized cell in turn energizes another cell, and so on down the line, resulting in a spontaneous process of ecstasy or feelings of elation.

The problem is the brain doesn't realize what it is that is causing the ecstasy reaction. So when this flutter of activity increases the creation of dopamine for the negative behaviors and substances like drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc., it neglects the natural survival instinct reaction mechanisms, replacing them with the ecstasy instead.

Depending upon the addiction, nervous system functions are altered. So sensing, perceiving and reacting functions of individuals are impeded. For example, alcohol is a depressant and slows down all of these functions. So a drunk driver facing an immediate collision will in all likelihood react slower than a healthy, alert driver.

And whether or not the addictive substances are inhaled, going into the lung system; or injected, traveling via the blood system; or swallowed, entering the digestive system, also affects different bodily reactions, responses and overall health.

One long-term effect is an increased tolerance level with dopamine reaching out into other brain areas that cloud judgment and behavioral considerations and choices. And ultimately depression results, even amidst opposing or negative stimuli, like the negative effects of narcotics on behaviors and on the body / mind and like trying to withdrawal or discontinue use.

Other long-term effects can include changing of the brain's shape and possible permanent brain damage, depending upon the addiction and length of compulsive activity. And other health problems like cancer from cigarette smoking can result.

Addiction summed up is: compulsive behavior despite negative consequences.

For more related information visit: http://www.AnxietyAttacksCure.com - a site that offers advice for avoiding, coping with anxiety and panic attacks. Get professional knowledge on dealing with symptoms, drug side effects and improving your life!


MORE RESOURCES:

ABC News

Herbal medicine all-clear
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - 11 hours ago
Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) discovered one-fifth of US and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines they purchased online ...
A Dose of Lead or Mercury With Your Medicine U.S. News & World Report
Ayuvedic medicine: Toxic metals in remedies for sale on internet guardian.co.uk
Toxic metals in online herbal medicine United Press International
KOAA - WebMD
all 163 news articles


Teen accused of stealing medicine
Bethany Beach Wave, DE - 3 hours ago
SALISBURY -- A Salisbury teenager is under arrest in connection with the alleged theft of prescription medicine and cash. Police said Jordan Paul Adams, 18, ...


UW School of Veterinary Medicine celebrates 25 years
WKOW-TV.com, WI - 15 hours ago
Twenty-five years after it was established in 1983, the School of Veterinary Medicine is still the youngest school on the University of Wisconsin-Madison ...


Education plus medicine add up to a pilot program at an East ...
WBIR-TV, TN - 14 hours ago
"At this school we have lots of children on insulin pumps, we have tube feeders, normal catheterzations here, medicines that have to be given during the ...


If Medicine Is So High-Tech, Why So Much Illness?
U.S. News & World Report, DC - 15 hours ago
It oversimplifies the theme of this book, but not by much, to say that it is about medicine as all of us—doctor and patients alike—want to see it in the ...
Health Buzz: Skin Cancer and Other Health News U.S. News & World Report
all 2 news articles


What's In Paula's Medicine Cabinet???
Fashion.ie, Ireland - 21 hours ago
... and she not only talks about living with Abdul but she reveals what she found in Paula's medicine cabinet when she went snooping around!


E Canada Now

Stunning regenerative medicine study cited
United Press International - 16 hours ago
"In a feat of biological prestidigitation likely to turn the field of regenerative medicine on its head, Harvard Stem Cell Institute co-director Doug Melton ...
Scientists aim to create stem cells without embryos Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Beyond Stem Cells: Scientists Master Cell Transmogrification Discover Magazine
Early Trigger for Type-1 Diabetes Found in Mice, Stanford ... MarketWatch
eFluxMedia - Nature.com (subscription)
all 363 news articles


New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Phase III Results of ...
MarketWatch - 15 hours ago
... the publication of results from the 682 patient, randomized, Phase III VISTA(1) trial in this week's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. ...
Takeda's Velcade Found Better Than Standard Blood-Cancer Drug Bloomberg
Combination Therapy Helps to Combat Myeloma Washington Post
all 16 news articles


San Diego Union Tribune

First Gene Associated With Dry Macular Degeneration Found
Science Daily (press release) - 9 hours ago
In a paper published in the August 28, 2008 online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers describe the discovery of the first gene ...
Gene linked to eye disease San Diego Union Tribune
Gene Linked to 'Dry' Macular Degeneration Washington Post
Experimental Therapy May Lead to Macular Degeneration Newswise (press release)
Science News - UK News
all 41 news articles


airhostesses get strong medicine
Times of India, India - 12 hours ago
NEW DELHI: Going on sick leave to protest disparity of pay with their seniors has cost the Maharaja's young and fighting fit airhostesses dear. ...

Medicine - Google News

home | site map
© 2006