The Mind on Drugs

The Mind On Drugs 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hooked:

The History of Drugs and Its Effect on the Brains Reward System

The Mind On Drugs:

Addiction and Its Effect on the Human Brain

 

Leila Badii

National University

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mind on Drugs: Addiction and its Effects on the Brain

              The role of psychoactive drugs throughout the history of mankind dates back well before 4000 B.C. These drugs have served as a vital tool in many cultures, as well as a horrible hindrance throughout the world. What is it about drugs that mankind find so fascinating, and at times, totally irresistible? Those who have been caught in the web of addiction have been persecuted and ostracized. Scientists have been baffled for centuries wondering why man continues to fall victim to the addiction of these substances and why they continue down this spiraling path. Some say it’s a lack of moral discipline or will power, while others claim addiction to be a disease of the mind. In order to find an unbiased answer to these questions one must take a deeper look into the world of psychoactive drugs and their effects on the human brain.

              Addiction can be used in many different contexts to describe a compulsive need for a substance, whether it may be food, sex, video games, or even the Internet. However, the most common use of the word addiction is in relation to drug or substance abuse. Addiction is the repetitive use of a substance that occurs despite negative consequences to the user (Kuhn, 2003). Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. His definition of insanity has the same meaning as addiction. Addiction not only refers to a psychological dependence, but a physical dependence as well. Many factors can influence addiction such as personality, peer pressure, or stress. But the reason why addiction is so controlling is that it alters the most...