Biological Aspects of Substance Abuse
Addiction can be defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences (NIH). Consuming drugs can affect the biological process. Substance Abuse is considered a brain disease because …show more content…
There are five factors that will be discussed. There are also many cultural and social factors that cause and cultivate addiction in many. The stress of socializing can be a major reason why individuals turn to intoxicants as a means of curbing social anxiety). It is now commonplace for groups of friends to plan social gatherings around the presence of alcohol Similarly, marijuana has the effect of relaxing and mellowing users. In fact, meditation and so-called mindfulness exercises have shown that traits believed to be immutable, such as addiction, can be positively and significantly improved. Additionally, many find counseling and stress-management programs to be the most effective. Another social factor that contributes to addiction is the tendency for drug and alcohol abuse to promote group solidarity and feelings of community and belonging. …show more content…
Adolescents in particular will turn to substance abuse as a way to “act out” against authority and the limitations imposed on them both at school and at home.
Studies suggest that substance abuse can be the platform from which adolescents derive a sense of identity.
Sometimes individuals find the lifestyle of the substance abuser to be appealing, perhaps even glamorous. Observers will notice the way a community of substance abusers dress, the music they listen to, what they do for fun, their attitude toward structure and responsibility, and find this lifestyle appealing.
But the casual onlooker who may be enticed by the novelty of such a lifestyle may fail to see the negative aspects. A survey taken by a vocational placement facility in the Midwest states that oftentimes an addict’s work history will show frequent job changes, steadily declining salary, unstable relationships and family disruptions, and a pattern of absences on