Addiction is one of the problems in the world. While addiction has a deep ‘root’ and meaning, many people often tend to misuse the word ‘addiction’ or associate addiction to something spiritual. There are so many concepts on addiction but like St. Albert the great will say, “The aim of natural science is not simply to accept the statements of others, but to investigate the causes that are at work in nature”. Having this in mind, I will be revealing to you what addiction actually is and this is going to be mainly biological with some few spiritual things tackled. After you are fed on the concept of addiction, kindly try to give hope, teach and help friends that are ‘addicted’ to something(s) or behavior (s). With those of us struggling with some behaviors or substances, let us try and apply what we will learn from this piece to our lives and we shall gradually overcome whatever challenge we are going through.
Everybody struggles with at least a bad behavior in life. Addiction is very broad but I will try and share with you some important things to know about addiction.
According to etymonline.com, the root word addict comes from the Latin word addictus, which means “to devote, sacrifice, sell out, betray or abandon.” In the Roman law, an addict was a person that became enslaved through a court ruling.
Permit me to now define addiction as the compulsive physiological need for the use of a habit or habit-forming substances characterized by tolerance and well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. Addiction is a complex disease that affects the brain, not personal failing or choice. In relation to the etymology of addiction, I can now give a stipulative definition to addiction as ‘being enslaved into a behavior or the use of a substance.’ In this regard, the driving force behind the behavior or substance becomes the master.
Neurotransmitters are the body’s chemical messengers, they are molecules used by the nervous system to transmit messages between neurons, or from neurons to muscles.
Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter known to be responsible for feelings; craving for food, sex, pleasure etc.
How does addiction work?
Addiction interferes with normal brain function, particularly in the reward system. When you do something you find enjoyable, whether that is hanging out with your best friend, drinking a bottle of wine or using any drug, this reward system releases the neurotransmitter dopamine along with other chemicals. Contrary to popular belief, dopamine doesn’t really appear to actually cause feelings of pleasure or euphoria. Instead, it seems to reinforce your brain’s association between certain things and feelings of pleasure, driving you to seek those things out again in the future.
Stay connected as I enlighten you on the types of addictions in the next episode!
