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Assessment 1 AOD analysis

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Instructor’s Name

Course

Date
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Introduction.

Addiction can be explained as the inability of an individual to stop engaging in a certain

behavior or using a substance even though it is causing physical and psychological harm.

Addiction also referred to as substance abuse disorder is a chronic disease that affects the

behavior and brain of a person (Ruisoto & Contador, 2019). A person can also be addicted to a

certain medication and can cause a progressive use and losing control of using the substance. An

addicted person cannot resist the desire to using a certain substance no matter how life

threatening the substance may be (Heilig et al., 2021). People usually get addicted to drugs such

as marijuana, alcohol, nicotine and continuously use the drugs making it difficult for them to

quit. The risks of an addiction and how first a person becomes addicted is varied depending on a

drug. The early detection of an addiction can help in getting treatment for it to avoid the

devastating consequences.

Understanding Addiction.

Addiction to a certain substance does not occur as a result of morality or the willpower of

an individual. An addictive drug changes the brain of a person therefore making quitting difficult

both mentally and physically (Grippo & Güler, 2019). The urge to use an addictive drug can fill

up every day and a person’s brain is wired to repeatedly use the drug. People’s bodies and brain

reacts to the use of drugs differently, some individuals may love the feeling on their first use and

continuously use them while others may hate and may not want to use anymore. Some of the

chances that may raise a person’s chances of being addicted include the following:

i. Family history; The genetic make ups of a person has a responsibility for most of a

person’s odds ibn life (Ruisoto & Contador, 2019). A person from a family that has a
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history of alcohol or drug use is more likely to having the same problem and become a

drug addict.

ii. Mental disorders; A person who is depressed as a result of several environmental

factors such as troubled relationships and too much worry can raise a person’s chances of

being an addict. An individual may turn to drugs as an attempt to feel better to forget a

troubling situation (Heilig et al., 2021). Also, people with histories of trauma as a result

to sexual and physical abuse are more likely to have an addiction in n their life.

iii. Early drug use; Children who are exposed to drugs at an early age are at a higher risk of

being addicted. Teenagers brain are still under growth and an exposure to drugs can cause

changes in their brains that makes addiction possible in their later stages in life.

Cycles of addiction.

Addition does not happen overnight but it is as a result of repeated abuse of a substance

which progressively changes the body reactions of a person and how a person sees the drug

(Ersche et al., 2020). There are several phases of addiction and it depends with duration some

phase may take a short or long time to occur. The following are the common cycles of addition;

1. Initiation

This is the first cycle and in this phase an individual tries using a drug for the first time. It can

happen at age stage of a person’s life, most people with addiction started their drug use while 18

to 20 years. An individual may be introduced to using the drug through a multiple way for

instance the availability of the drug, family environment and rug history and peer pressure

(Heilig et al., 2021). After the first use the person may receive a feeling of enjoyment which

leads to the second cycle.

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2. Experimentation.

At this phase the addict begins to use the drug more intensely and uses a higher dose of the drug.

In this stage the drug use is connected to various social actions for instance to experience

pleasure and relaxation. A person has little or no cravings for the drug at this stage and can make

still be making conscious decisions, there is no dependency on the drug.

3. Regular use stage

At this cycle a person’s brain has made huge changes in response to the drug. An individual then

uses more of the substance, the drug may begin to become problematic to a person at this stage

and quitting becomes difficult. An individual develops mental reliance on the drug for instance

smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol.

4. Dependence.

At this stage a person becomes addicted and heavily dependent on the drug. It becomes hard to

find pleasure without using the substance (Ersche et al., 2020). The effects of the drug become

noticeable and those who drink are usually finds themselves being arrested. Some of the

common symptoms at this stage include;

 Using the drug in inappropriate places.

 Neglecting family and work responsibilities.

 An increased craving for the substance.

 A person spends more time looking for the drug this can result to borrowing or stealing to

purchase the drug.

5. Addiction
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At this point a person’s social life, finances and health are impacted. An addict at this stage can

compulsively lie when question about their drug use. A person uses more of the drug and have a

hard time stopping. The carvings for the drug also increases and an addict remains connected to

the drug.

6. Relapse/ Crisis

This is the breaking point of an addiction in an addict’s life, the drug addiction is out of control

which presents a serious danger to the general wellbeing of a person (Heilig et al., 2021). An

individual experiences great withdrawals symptoms, the addiction has grown beyond the control

of a person. The relapse cycle usually holds back most of the drug addicts from recovering.

Psychodynamic evidence-based model.

Each model approach to the treatment of drug addiction is mainly designed to help in

addressing various drug addiction aspects and its impacts to an addict, the family and society.

The psychodynamic therapy approach model to addiction involves examining a patient’s past

thoughts, events and circumstances shapes the present behaviors (Clemente-Suarez et al., 2022).

The factors result to unconscious process in an addict therefore resulting to the current state of an

addicted person. The past unresolved conflicts in a person’s life may make an individual have a

desire to constantly abuse a drug (Ruisoto & Contador, 2019). Psychodynamic mainly focuses on

the psychological roots of the addiction and mainly a person’s past events for instance in

childhood have an impact in impacting the life of a person in later years. Psychodynamic

approach involves a broad treatment program employed in treating an addicted person. Mainly,

psychodynamic model aims at helping drug addicts who understand the origins of their addiction

and have a difficulty quitting on their own.

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Conclusion

Addiction creates a complex and a powerful disorder for a person and a person who is

addicted to a drug cannot simply stay without using it. Many people usually start using a certain

substance voluntarily but with a continued use the person finally becomes an addict. When a

person is addicted he or she cannot resist the urge to use a legal or illegal drug. Drugs affects a

person’s brain and mainly the “reward center” is usually impacted. Addictions changes the

normal function of the brain over a period of time thus affecting the decision making of a person.

An addict maybe aware about the problem of the addiction but finds it difficult to stop using a

drug. There are various cycles of addiction that include; initiation, experimentation, regular use,

dependence, addiction and relapse or the crisis stage. The psychodynamic treatment model of

addiction focus on looking on the root causes of the problem which may originates from a

person’s past experiences and helps in finding a solution.

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References

Clemente-Suárez, V. J., Ruisoto, P., Isorna-Folgar, M., Cancelo-Martínez, J., Beltrán-Velasco,

A. I., & Tornero-Aguilera, J. F. (2022). Psychophysiological and psychosocial profile of

patients attending drug addiction centers. Applied Psychophysiology and

Biofeedback, 47(2), 77-84.

Ersche, K. D., Meng, C., Ziauddeen, H., Stochl, J., Williams, G. B., Bullmore, E. T., & Robbins,

T. W. (2020). Brain networks underlying vulnerability and resilience to drug

addiction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(26), 15253-15261.

Grippo, R. M., & Güler, A. D. (2019). Focus: clocks and cycles: dopamine signaling in circadian

photoentrainment: consequences of desynchrony. The Yale journal of biology and

medicine, 92(2), 271.

Heilig, M., MacKillop, J., Martinez, D., Rehm, J., Leggio, L., & Vanderschuren, L. J. (2021).

Addiction as a brain disease revised: why it still matters, and the need for

consilience. Neuropsychopharmacology, 46(10), 1715-1723.

Ruisoto, P., & Contador, I. (2019). The role of stress in drug addiction. An integrative

review. Physiology & behavior, 202, 62-68.