Addicts is a word that is not used as much anymore.
Yet, many feel they have loved ones who fit the definition.
Addiction is a disease that continues to devastate families.
The thing is this disease has been a mystery to us for many years. It is curious how some kids who experiment along with their friends become addicted. Others do not and survive unscathed. Why addiction occurs in some families and not others is one that we would all love a concrete answer to.
We want to understand the deep-rooted cause. If we had the answer to this question, many lives could be saved from this emotional destructive disease.
Research Studies
Suzanne Wu wrote an article for the USC Trojan Family Publication. The article discusses the research the university is doing to learn more about the cause of addiction. It’s reassuring to know that universities such as USC (University of Southern California) are putting dollars toward the disease. USC is doing in-depth research on the mystery of addiction.
Many would like to believe that addiction is on the fringe of society. However, one researcher Steven Sussman, who claims he was a workaholic at one point, recently published an article that tried to explain 83 studies about addiction. He shared his finding that in any given year 47 percent of the U.S. adult population will suffer from an addiction – a severe addiction.
First of all, that is startling news that almost one half of the population will be affected by addiction. These addictions would include more than just drugs or alcohol.
The website, Masters in Public Health listed the top ten addictions in 2010. On the list were media (any form of mass media) tobacco (nicotine), alcohol, marijuana, food, gambling, prescription drugs, bulimia, Cocaine, and Hallucinogens.
Some addictions, such as those that do not have legal consequences, or others such as addicted retirees may be harder to track. More problems are caused by some addictions for the addict and society than others.
Research Findings
Listed below are some of the findings from the researchers listed in Suzanne’s article on USC addiction research, which I found particularly interesting.
- Alcoholism alone costs the United States an estimated $185 billion per year. (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Addiction is a disease of decision-making and bad choices…Addiction is a failure to learn from mistakes.
- Substance and behavioral addictions tap into a core brain system: the mesolimbic pathway governing pleasure and reward.
- Addiction is governed by nothing less the pursuit of happiness. We are all wired to want to feel good.
- Different addictions work on the brain in different ways.
- Impulsive tendencies is a trait that has a high correlation with addiction.
- Addiction is the result of both genes and opportunity – of nature and nurture.
- One researcher found that from 2000 to 2007, when high-speed Internet access had the highest expansion, was also the largest increase in hospital admissions for prescription drug abuse.
- There are also genetic causes for addiction. Opiate addiction was linked to the presence of chromosome 14q, a genetic predisposition much more prevalent among certain ethnic groups.
- Early adolescence, family and social environment is the most critical indicator of whether a child will try alcohol, cigarettes or marijuana.
- NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) is already funding studies on compulsive gambling that may pave the way for new insights into addiction.
- Researchers have found that smokers with lesions on a deep-seated, prune-sized part of the brain called the insula were able to quit smoking immediately, completely and easily, which Nora Volkow director of NIDA found “mind-boggling.”
- Addiction, including habits such as smoking, is about persisting in a behavior despite knowledge of negative consequences.
- Even after they have been clean for a period of years, there seems to be a permanent decrease in their dopamine receptors, making it more difficult for former cocaine addicts to feel pleasure.
- If addiction is a disease, it is a disease of self-destruction — as if people with skin cancer kept sneaking outside without sunscreen on cloudless days.
- One of addictions greatest enablers is secrecy.
- We are able to control ourselves if there are consequences to the reward we are seeking. There are areas in the brain that are in charge of this ability to self-control, which is a new way of looking at addiction.
- As humans, we have the capacity to make the big conceptual maneuver required for trading short-term pleasure for long-term goals.
- Finally, we as humans have the ability to weather the storm of self destruction. We are able to get better.
In addition, it’s nice to know that other universities are studying addiction as well. As more information becomes available, hopefully fewer people will suffer the consequences of this devastating disease.
Be sure to read the full article titled, We Are Addicts.
How has addiction affected your family? Join the discussion and let us know in comments. If you liked this post, please share on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Thank you!
