Biological factors of addiction and codependency

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The relationship between a person and drugs is very accurately described by one word - “addiction”. An addicted person rebuilds his entire life around the drug and loses control over his feelings and actions. The essence of drug addiction treatment is to get rid of addiction, to weaken and stop the influence of a psychoactive substance on the human psyche and physiology.

Taking drugs causes mental and physiological dependence. Their totality is called drug addiction, with psychological dependence being the main cause of relapse in drug use. When talking about drug addiction treatment, they usually talk about successfully getting rid of psychological addiction.

Mechanism for generating dependencies

The dependence into which consciousness falls is psychological and forms faster than physiological dependence. This is due to the type of drug and the initial mental state of the person who decides to try his first dose of a psychotropic drug.

Psychological dependence is the inability to naturally regulate mental processes, replacing them with the use of narcotic substances.

Drugs are first tried by those who break down under the weight of life’s circumstances and feel the need for short-term euphoria for imaginary motivation for further life. In this case, in the context of a drug, we can mean not only potent psychotropic substances, but also alcohol and tobacco.

Physical dependence is a syndrome characterized by increasing tolerance to psychotropic substances and severe withdrawal symptoms in case of sudden withdrawal from them.

A natural decrease in the reaction to a substance administered orally provokes a gradual increase in the dose, which is reflected in the total concentration of the drug in the circulatory system and subcutaneous tissue. The latter tends to accumulate drugs, because due to their nature, they are generally insoluble in water, but a similar reaction can occur when interacting with fats, and subcutaneous tissue in any quantity is adipose tissue.

The main manifestation of physiological dependence is the desire to get a dose not in order to feel the same sensations that you had during the first doses, but in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms. This desire is painfully intense, so from the outside it resembles a mental disorder. When the problem of drug addiction, alcoholism or smoking reaches this level, a person no longer has the ability to cope with it on his own.

The difference between psychological and physical addiction is that psychological is purely emotional, while physical is based on the body’s inability to function adequately without the drug. A craving for a substance that is not yet based on physical addiction can be easily destroyed.

Signs of mental dependence

Psychological (mental) dependence is the syndrome of obsessive craving for drugs. It is characterized by constant thoughts about a psychoactive substance, its search, and an absolute desire to take it.

Signs of mental dependence include a state of depression, dissatisfaction, depression and lack of energy in the absence of the drug. Thoughts about the upcoming appointment provoke an increase in energy and improved mood. Psychological dependence is formed against the background of drug euphoria that occurs during the first use of the drug. However, subsequently the state of euphoria gives way to relief from tension, and then taking the drug simply relieves the person of suffering.

A healthy person has the ability to experience a feeling of pleasure in different situations, but a drug addict only has the ability to experience a feeling of pleasure after taking a drug. With the development of drug addiction, drug use becomes a prerequisite for the normal functioning of the psyche. This is why getting rid of mental addiction is so difficult.

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The concept of "withdrawal"

A drug hangover, which is an integral part of the life of any addicted person, is commonly called “withdrawal.” It begins when the nervous system malfunctions due to disruption of the natural production of endorphin, the hormone of happiness. Symptoms of endorphin deficiency:

• prostration;
• depression of varying duration;
• panic attacks;
• strong feeling of anxiety, despair;
• pain throughout the body (if we remember the function of endorphin as a natural pain reliever).

Withdrawal symptoms become more severe as the dose required to treat the condition increases. After the next portion of the drug enters the body, the person no longer experiences a feeling of euphoria. He becomes inhibited and falls into compulsive states.

Some types of drugs exacerbate physiological and social needs: they cause acute hunger, increase sexual desire, provoke unhealthy talkativeness, the desire to constantly be in a group, etc.

What are analgesics and what are they?

Analgesics are a large group of drugs that are used in medicine to relieve pain of any intensity and prepare the patient for anesthesia for certain medical procedures, for example, surgery.

There are two types of analgesics: non-narcotic and narcotic. The first type - non-narcotic - are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, diclofenac, ketoprofen, paracetamol, nimesulide and analgin. Their main function is to relieve inflammation, but because the mechanism of inflammation is closely related to pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used as painkillers.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not cause addiction, since their mechanism of action is not related to the functioning of opioid receptors and the antinociceptive system in the brain (this system increases the pain threshold and eliminates pain). They can be used for a long time without fear of becoming addictive, but they do have other side effects, such as gastritis or duodenal ulcers.

The second group is narcotic analgesics. They cause addiction in the following scenario. The mechanism of action of narcotic painkillers is associated with opioid receptors and the antinociceptive system in the central nervous system. When a narcotic analgesic enters the brain, the active substance binds to opioid receptors and activates them, that is, this is artificial stimulation of receptors that are normally activated upon contact with the “happiness” hormones - endorphins and enkephalins. In other words, painkillers work like drugs by their mechanism of action, which is why they are called narcotic analgesics.

Getting rid of physical addiction

When deciding to fight addiction, you need to understand that it is extremely difficult to do this on your own, therefore the help of a narcologist and a professional psychologist is a mandatory element of drug addiction treatment. Even if the normal biochemistry of the body is restored through long-term abstinence from psychotropic drugs or alcohol, and physical dependence is overcome, any psychological breakdown can renew the addiction.

In your desire to fight a chronic disease, as drug addiction and alcoholism are classified, it is important to enlist the support of relatives and friends, because No psychologist can replace this.

If a person becomes dependent on hard drugs, the risk of destruction of his personality increases. Such drug addicts may not always be aware of their state of health, even if it is critically severe.

It is important that those who care about such people do everything they can while they still can. On their initiative, the patient can be sent to a rehabilitation center. These facilities employ professionals who have been helping drug addicts for many years, allowing them to overcome physical addiction without serious consequences for their mental health.

They are often created by people who have gone through this themselves, competently developing treatment programs for each patient individually.

Stages of treatment for drug and alcohol addiction include:

• Detoxification of the whole body. This is necessary so that the patient gradually returns to the rhythm of life that he led before drugs appeared in it.
• Treatment of organs and systems. Drugs almost completely destroy a person’s immune system, making him susceptible to various chronic diseases.
• Eliminating cravings for the addictive substance. This is the most difficult process in the entire treatment, because... to achieve a result, the patient’s sincere desire to get rid of the problem is required - something that cannot be obtained artificially, even through strong psychological influence on the patient.
• Complete resocialization. Due to the destructive lifestyle that accompanies a drug addict, he needs to relearn how to interact with the surrounding society.

Symptoms of drug addiction

Drug dependence symptoms are characterized by a constant desire to take the drug, irritability, anxiety during its absence, insomnia, pain, discomfort, an increase in the amount of the drug, since the old dosage is no longer enough.

If you are addicted to drugs, treatment can be difficult because there is a paradoxical reaction to the drug and brain damage.

The clinical picture of drug dependence is manifested by fluctuations in blood pressure, poor health, and general weakness.

In addition, a number of syndromes develop that negatively affect human health:

• The psychological syndrome is characterized by a constant craving to take medicine due to discomfort, to experience a feeling of euphoria. Taking the medicine becomes the dominant idea for the patient;
• Physical syndrome is characterized by decreased sensitivity to the drug and the desire to increase the dose;
• Withdrawal syndrome is characterized by a sharp deterioration in health

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Reasons for long-term rehabilitation for drug addicts

Rehabilitation measures are aimed at forming a stable barrier to restrain the desire to resume using psychotropic drugs. In the process of working with a psychologist, the patient realizes the full scale of the problem that he is faced with. Rehabilitation services are completely anonymous.

Destroying the false belief that alcohol and drugs will help solve psychological problems contributes to conscious refusal of them. It is important that a psychological service employee is able to get to the root of his patient’s problems, telling him the right solutions. Physical dependence must be eliminated even before rehabilitation measures.

We can come to the conclusion that as soon as a person becomes addicted, it is important to begin correct and effective treatment in a timely manner. Emotional addiction to a drug will sooner or later trigger addiction, which will gradually destroy the human body, make it incapable of immune resistance, and can lead to death.

Causes of drug addiction

Drug dependence occurs for the following reasons:

• psychological;
• situational;
• biochemical;
• social.

But the main mechanism for the formation of addiction is conditioned reflex processes, in which drugs cause euphoria, calm, harmony, and activity. The need to constantly take medications develops. A characteristic sign of drug addiction is a constant desire to increase the dosage. When symptoms of drug withdrawal occur, the patient experiences:

• mental disorders;
• discomfort;
• withdrawal (panic fear of drug withdrawal).

There are the following types of drug addiction:

• physical;
• mental;

During the physical stage, the patient develops neurological, autonomic, and somatic disorders. When mental dependence occurs, emotional instability and psychological discomfort, an uncontrollable desire to take the drug, as well as:

• euphoria;
• reduction of anxiety;
• elimination of nervous tension;
• changes in thought processes, attitudes towards others.

Drugs that cause drug dependence and other serious conditions include:

• tranquilizers;
• psychostimulants;
• sleeping pills;
• steroids;
• alcohol-containing products;
• analgesics (pentalgin);
• some antiarrhythmic drugs.

What it is?

Pharmaceutical dependence is a condition that occurs with prolonged or repeated use of drugs. Accompanied by a sharp deterioration in well-being physically and psychologically. Interruption of medications provokes an exacerbation of symptoms of the disease. It is often formed when a group of antidepressants, painkillers, sleeping pills, and tranquilizers is prescribed. Treatment is carried out according to an individual scheme for each patient, this reduces the likelihood of dependence syndrome. After diagnosing the disease, the doctor prescribes short-term medications and selects the most effective combinations of pharmaceuticals. It is important not to self-medicate, as this is dangerous for relapse and the appearance of new symptoms.