Historically, alcohol and drug dependency was viewed as a sin or a disease. In recent decades, it has been thought to be a maladaptive behavior patterns. (I.e., debilitative habits are "overlearned"). I believe that it's a combination of all 3: A disease in which people learn to act in immoral ways. A drug is any chemical agent that affects biological function. Some act in the brain, others in organs, and some in several parts of the body at the same time. A psychotropic dr

How can chemical in smoke transform a person's behavior so dramatically? Why does it become so overwhelmingly important above everything else in a person's life? Addictive drugs work by mimicking or blocking one of the substances that neurons in the brain use to communicate with each other. The substances are called neurotransmitters, which are the key to understanding how addictive drugs become so powerful in affecting the brain. Our bodies make drugs of their own. Neurotransmitters are a chemical substance that is released by neurons to act on other neurons or on muscles or glands. All biologic behavior has a basis in the brain. The hardware consists of a thousand billion neurons interconnected through a very complex network. The neurotransmitters they create and the specialized areas of tissue on which they act. All of this hardware develops according to the genetic blueprints in the DNA of our genes. The software consists of memories, learning and conditioning that reflect our life's experience from birth to death. Behavior is traditionally studied by psychologists and psychiatrists who once viewed addiction as simply not adapting to life's stresses. However, because the brain is a chemical organ, the software and hardware operate through brain chemistry. Therefore, even psychologic disorders must ultimately stem from a chemical imbalance. So it is not a question of psychology versus biology, rather it actually turns out that psychology is biology.

Alcohol and related drugs Beer, wine, distilled liquors. Also barbiturates and benzodiazepines (e.g.valium) Also included are volatile solvents because their pharmacology is similar Legitimate uses in medicine as anesthesia or for the relief of anxiety or insomnia. Taken by mouth or inhaled to produce intoxication

Caffeine Added to soft drinks and some over the counter medications Taken by mouth.

Experiments show that some strains of dogs, rats, and other mammals are more likely to drink alcohol than other strains of the same species. This vulnerability in animal strains is passed to offspring without regard to life expectancies. Human studies have shown that the risk of becoming alcoholic is about 15% for the daughters of alcoholics and about 30% for the sons of alcoholics. Studies also show that genetics is not the only factor influencing addiction. The majority of children of alcoholics and addicts do not become addicted themselves. Many addicts do not have families that are addicted to drugs. What actually is inherited or passed from one generation to the next is the predisposition to addiction, not the physical addiction itself.

"If we set aside political bombast, media sensationalism, and ill-informed calls for quick fixes, we can try, calmly to examine what the various scientific disciplines can teach us about addictive drugs and addictive behavior."

The twelve step fellowships have been proven to be the most effective method for helping people stay clean and sober. Less than ten percent of us have the fortitude to remain clean and change our lives, become productive members of society, and live life on life's terms.

Millions of Americans have been trapped by a vicious, biologic phenomenon called addiction. No sane person ever started out intending to become an addict, yet millions of our neighbors are either addicted to chemicals today or may have spent years trying to free themselves from this insidious cycle. Addiction is neither "bad" nor "good". Addiction is a complex disease that involves both biology and behavior. This "high-low" trap involves the relationship between stimulation and sedation. Stimulants and sedatives trap people on a biological rol

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Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)