The Student Room Group

How do addictions work?

I mean, is it just that you become used to them, and cannot function without them? Or is there a physiological reason? I watched a show on the death of Elvis before, and it said he was addicted to sleeping pills. Apparently he couldn't sleep without them, as they provided a chemical to get you to sleep, which is different to the one the brain produces. Therefore his brain wasn't producing this natural chemical, and as such he couldn't sleep.
Is this the way with all addictions, including alcohol?
I don't think there has been a thread on how addictions work. How come you become addicted to them.
Reply 1
Some addictions are mental, some physical, some both.

I imagine understanding them is the key to beating them.
Reply 2
Most are chemical related. Most drugs release endomorphins (happy chemicals) until you cant get happy without taking drugs
And it takes a bigger dose to get the same feelings. Its probably both physiological and psychological. Hence why people use those nicotine patches while giving up-they get used to smoking less, reducing the nicotine intake and strengthening their willpower.
because you take it and then your body literally says w0w i really like this LOL and if you stop taking it your brain cries then youre addicted :'(

if you want a useful answer, ask in the biology subforum, perhaps.
Reply 5
If someone took something like ecstasy for example and just had an amazing time and enjoyed the way that it made them feel then they would be inclined to repeat the action of taking this drug. As their body becomes used to it it takes a bigger and bigger dose to have the same effect, so taking one pill might have been amazing at first, but pretty soon one pill isn't enough so they take two or three etc. The body can then develop a dependence. With things like ecstasy it's more of a psychological dependence ie you desire the same euphoric feelings. With other drugs it can be a physical and mental dependence, ie sleeping pills.
Reply 6
A physical addiction is where your body adapts to the new substance, like heroine and alcohol, basically creating a dependance on it. Because of that dependance, quitting becomes very hard. The body expects the substance, and will actively crave it just like it would for food and water.

A mental addiction is where the mind is used to the substance, often manifesting as a "why not" attitude towards the substance, which can easily turn to a dependance. Ecstasy and marijuana have this effect, but so do things like gambling. Some consider this an "easier" addiction since going cold turkey doesn't produce physical withdrawal symptoms. The mind is much harder to outsmart than the body though, so it's really just out of the frying pan and into the freezer.
Reply 7
The Psychological part of most addictions is worse i'd say. The number of smokers who quit for a year, 2 years, 3 years, and overcome all the physical aspects often go back to smoking. Pregnant women especially.
So how d'you reckon you would cope if your body stopped producing these chemicals?
matt@internet
So how d'you reckon you would cope if your body stopped producing these chemicals?



The body doesn't produce the effects if alcohol, just the chemicals. And most people drink alcohol for its effects.
jaydoh
The body doesn't produce the effects if alcohol, just the chemicals. And most people drink alcohol for its effects.
No, I'm talking about the case outlined above. The Elvis Presley example.
Reply 11
Dez
A physical addiction is where your body adapts to the new substance, like heroine and alcohol, basically creating a dependance on it. Because of that dependance, quitting becomes very hard. The body expects the substance, and will actively crave it just like it would for food and water.

A mental addiction is where the mind is used to the substance, often manifesting as a "why not" attitude towards the substance, which can easily turn to a dependance. Ecstasy and marijuana have this effect, but so do things like gambling. Some consider this an "easier" addiction since going cold turkey doesn't produce physical withdrawal symptoms. The mind is much harder to outsmart than the body though, so it's really just out of the frying pan and into the freezer.

:ditto:

Though i'm one who doesn't consider ALL addictions as bad - i have a gambling addiction but i keep in control most of the time. To be honest, most of my spare time goes on poker these days.... a tournament a night, which lasts for 1-4 hours, poker society on tuesday and thursday, back home to play poker with friends on the weekend. BUT i win money in the long run because i know i'm addicted and well educated on the subject. I once spent 10 hours straight on a cash game, going from $10 to $200

SO not all addictions are bad either.
is there anything non-harmful that you can try out to see if you could take giving up smoking, it always makes me wander how hard it really is to stop?
addiction in the physiological sense proliferation of receptors on post synaptic membrane therefore requiring more neurotransmitter to propagate AP on post synaptic membrane hence why people with addiction need more and more of their fix.

meh anon because id feel daft if i was totally wrong