In a post about vulnerability to addiction, I promised to write about the neurobiological nature of addictions - that is, what is now considered by neuroscientists to be the substrate of chemical addiction, be it alcohol, nicotine, heroin or some other addiction
. This is the eleventh chapter of the book about the dependent grimaces of existence; I have been writing it for three years now and one day, I hope, I will finish it. If there are any questions, I will answer. We wish everyone different health and freedom: external and internal.
Help from loved ones
Dependence is strengthened by misunderstanding of loved ones. If they make the patient feel guilty about his behavior, he will never share his experiences with them. Therefore, it is important for loved ones to notice negative changes in a timely manner.
Difficulties that accumulate every day have a bad effect on the patient. These are the moments that increase internal tension. The personality does not find other ways to relax and goes even deeper into dependence.
Development
With such a disease, a person is defenseless. It is not resistant to stress: victims of addiction go with the flow, they have little interest in what is happening around them. The chosen interest destroys all the relationships that a person has built. The physiology and psyche of a man or woman gradually breaks down.
Stages of disease development:
- the first is addiction to the drug;
- the second is physical dependence;
- the third is personality degradation.
The rate at which the habit develops depends on the surrounding conditions and the fortitude of the victim. If a person resists and asks for help, he can get rid of the problem faster. The first contact with surfactants is decisive for a person: he either accepts a state of clouded mind, or never tries psychotropic and chemical substances again.
Chemical addiction occurs in cases where a person does not want to solve problems, does not know how to otherwise stimulate his own activity, he is weak and confused. As the disease progresses, he loses his “I” and turns into something without ambitions, aspirations and a future.
First stage
At the initial stage, a person gets used to the drug: he tries it, experiments with the dose. Such a ritual can be perceived as a game, an attempt to find something new. The individual does not think about possible addiction, consequences and destruction. The first uses of surfactants are characterized by a state of strong euphoria. It seems like a real miracle, salvation from the real world, full of problems and trials.
Relieving tension is the main effect of the first use of surfactants. Immediately after leaving the state of euphoria, the person returns to routine: due to accumulated problems, the achieved state seems even better than it was. The person tries to repeat the ritual: he increases the dose, because the body quickly gets used to the chemicals and does not give the same effect.
At the initial stage of addiction, the period of complete relaxation gradually shortens.
The more expectations a person has, the more disappointment and anger there will be. He strives to return the state of primary euphoria. Due to prolonged exposure to toxic substances, the body's defense reactions decrease: vomiting and severe itching in the eyes and oral mucosa appear. The lower the concentration of surfactants in the blood, the worse the mood. Mild depression, apathy and emotional burnout occur.
Second stage
At the second stage, withdrawal appears. The psychological need for a dose develops into a physiological one. The body requires a stimulus, because without it it feels very bad. The patient's general condition is rapidly deteriorating. His legs and arms tremble, chills appear, his body temperature rises and his heartbeat quickens. The victim's attention span is minimal, all he can think about is the next dose to calm the severe symptoms. Hallucinations and insomnia appear, and severe intoxication of the body occurs.
Tolerance to the substance increases more than 100 times, but even such doses do not help achieve euphoria. The main role of psychoactive substances in the second stage is the weakening of symptoms, and not psychological detachment from the outside world. Changes in the patient's condition are accompanied by a complete destruction of family relationships. A person moves away from loved ones; he does not need questions or moralizing.
Quarrels and scandals appear in the second stage of addiction: the patient does not fulfill his assumed responsibilities and does not try to participate in the life of the family. It is easier for him to isolate himself from people than to hide his own desire - to return to a state of euphoria.
Third stage
Personality degradation marks the third stage of addiction. A person not only does not develop, but also loses basic communication skills: by this stage the patient leaves work, gets into debt, and leaves the family. For a new dose, money is needed, and the patient begins to steal, deceive, manipulate relatives - no methods are alien to him, just to get the surfactant.
Somatic signs of addiction intensify. The person constantly vomits, gets sick of food, and rapidly loses weight. Against this background, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and skin appear. Bones suffer, teeth fall out. The victim of addiction looks exhausted and exhausted. Constant hand tremors, problems with the cardiovascular system appear.
Efficiency decreases, attention is scattered: it is difficult for a drug addict or alcoholic to get his act together. His thoughts are confused and his behavior is illogical. Suicidal tendencies appear, clinical depression is observed - a person does not control his own body and mind.
