Fighting addiction with understanding

Caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cocaine: there is no shortage of addictive agents in today's world.
The 2003 Statistics Canada report on Mental Health and Well Being reported that 10 per cent of Canadians over the age of 15 claimed to have symptoms consistent with alcohol or illicit drug dependence. It also found that youth are more likely to report substance use disorders than any other age group.
If a student does not drink alcohol or take drugs themselves, they most likely know someone who does. The stressors of school, along with pressure to let loose and have fun, do not aid in the battle against addiction.
But knowledge is power, and an understanding of what addiction is and the ability to recognize the signs early is the best way to put a stop to the devastating consequences of addiction.
Dr. Nora Volkow is the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the United States, a title that makes her one of the top experts on drug addiction and its effect on the brain. Her research has helped to clarify the mechanisms of drug addiction.
Volkow has contributed to the understanding of addiction as a change in the pathology of the brain, rather than a character flaw or sign of weakness. She defines addiction as a result of adaptations in the brain that leads to changes in behaviour, and these changes result in an inability to control the need for a drug. This means that addiction is a loss of ability to control your need for what you are addicted to.
Volkow's research shows a change in the dopamine function within the brain when addiction develops.
Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain that provides feelings of pleasure; it is released by naturally rewarding experiences such as food or sex.
Drugs stimulate the same systems that are activated by natural rewards, but drugs attack this system and flood it with dopamine. This altered system becomes dependent on the drug, meaning there is a change in the brain because natural rewards no longer produce a feeling of pleasure.
With enough drug or alcohol use, the brain becomes dependent on these floods of dopamine and the natural production of the chemical is reduced.
It is important to understand how addiction works to protect yourself from becoming addicted.
Addiction can develop despite having the best of intentions or strong strength of character.
Understanding the changes that take place in your brain because of the use of drugs can help to reinforce the message of saying no to substances that are addictive. Recognizing the signs of addiction, whether it is in you or someone you know, is important to help prevent further crisis.
A person's tolerance, or the need for more of the drug for the desired effect, will increase in someone who is addicted. The person will have difficulty cutting down, and he or she may experience changes in sleep habits including amount of sleep needed and the time of day they are sleeping. An individual may become very secretive, experience changes in energy levels and cut down on or completely give up important recreational, social or occupational activities because of the drug use.
Understanding how addiction works, and the effect drugs have on your brain can be helpful in preventing an addiction from developing. Youth are more likely to report substance abuse problems, but an understanding of what drugs can do to the brain could possibly aid in the prevention of addiction.
For more information visit hbo.com/addiction or if you require help with an addiction or a growing dependence visit addictionsontario.ca.