The transference of one addiction (like alcoholism) to another addiction (such as drug addiction) is known as addiction transfer in the discipline of psychology. Generally, the new addiction develops months to years after recovering from the initial addiction. Another struggle in addiction is an addict’s cross addiction (or addiction to more than one drug; generally in the same drug class). Psychologists coined the phrase “addiction transfer” due to the observation of drug addicts and/or alcoholics recovering from one addiction to another compulsive behavior (Vivo, 2012). This behavior is attributed to a void still afflicting an addict going through the recovery process.
Support for this theory is the effect of amphetamines. These drugs work by increasing the levels of dopamine. When the drugs given to a non- schizophrenic the individual has been found to develop schizophrenic-like symptoms, this therefore suggests that the increased dopamine levels is likely to be linked to the disorder. Furthermore patients with schizophrenia have been found to have symptoms worsen when they have taken amphetamines. Grilly had found people with Parkinson’s disease (low levels of dopamine) who were taking the drug L-dopa to raise their levels of dopamine were developing schizophrenic type symptoms.
In other words, there is a human being behind the addiction, one who entered this world just like everyone else, but for some reason, or many reasons, got caught up and trapped in the world of addiction along the way. In this essay, I will visit the general area of drugs and alcohol addiction, including its definition, characteristics and its effects on the addicted persons, their families and many more besides. Also, I will address the specific topic of alcoholism and relate this to my personal experience. So what is this disease that often causes people to be labelled in such a way and frequently results in these human beings being stigmatised and sometimes, even ostracised by society? The Oxford dictionary explains addiction as “the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance or activity” and it defines an addict as” a person who is addicted to a particular substance, typically an illegal drug:” These words only go a little way in describing an illness that affects multitudes of people, directly, and multitudes more indirectly.
Raleigh et al (1991) found that if serotonin levels were reduced by altering their diet, there was an increase in aggressive behaviour whereas an increase in serotonin levels resulted in a decrease in aggressive behaviour suggesting the difference in aggression was due to the serotonin levels. Other research demonstrating the link between low levels of serotonin and aggression was done by Bond (2005). He found that antidepressants which increase serotonin levels reduced irritability and impulsive aggression. The link between dopamine and aggressive behaviour is not as well established. However, increased levels of dopamine stimulated by amphetamines have shown an increase in aggression whereas antipsychotic drugs that reduce dopamine levels have been shown to reduce violent behaviour (Lavine and Buitelaar).
People who are clinically depressed cannot “will” themselves to feel better or just “snap out of it.” It takes a combination of prescribed medication, Natural remedies, and psychological help to fully treat Depression. One in every three people who are depressed actually seek treatment and 80-90 percent of those who seek treatment feel better within a few weeks. If you do not receive treatment, symptoms can continue for months or even years. I am going to inform you of the different types of Treatment for Depression. Many people choose Antidepressant medication as a treatment because that is the first thing their doctors suggest.
“MICA persons, even in remission, frequently display the residual effects of major psychiatric disorders, such as marked social isolation or withdrawal, blunted or inappropriate affect, and marked lack of initiative, interest, or energy” (Sciacca, 1991, p. 2). It is often difficult to determine if psychotic symptoms are drug-induced, or if clients continue to have symptoms past the point of withdrawal. If a client has a primary psychiatric disorder
Does an individual’s acoustic startle response increase during their drug addiction or while they are in recovery. Based on this could we determine early on in an individual life if an individual lacks the acoustic startle response are they more apt to become addicted to an illegal substance. One way to understand the relationship between addiction and acoustic startle response is through integration of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) and Psychopharmacology. PNI deals with the body’s psychobiological responses to stress. The foundation of Psychological stress has been found to be based on the lack of control and predictability.
In the treatment for alcohol and drug dependence, the goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to teach the person to recognize situations in which they are most likely to drink or use drugs, avoid these circumstances if possible, and cope with other problems and behaviors which may lead to their substance abuse. Depression There is a very close relationship between depression and substance abuse in adults. The two conditions are highly comorbid, which is to say that they occur together in an extremely high percentage of individuals. There are a number of different ways that this occurs. Substance abuse can cause depression and depression can cause substance abuse.
Patients were chosen by their low motivation for change levels, the severity of their substance abuse and their “comorbid psychiatric diagnoses’ (2004). Furthermore, researchers sorted out patients based on their frequent relapses
After a while, users need higher doses to get the same effect. This leads to dependence and addiction for those users of the drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 43 percent of ecstasy users become dependent on the drug. Users are aware of the negative consequences of ecstasy, but their dependence on it prevents them from stopping to use the drug. However, Ecstasy is used medicinally to relieve victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).