Marijuana Addiction Research Paper

Addiction

Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that affects the brains reward, motivation and other related systems. It is a relationship you have with an object or substance. Most addicts come to depend on that object or substance to meet emotional needs. Individuals struggling with addiction are unable to control their actions and make rational decisions about their behavior. There are two main forms of addiction, physiological and psychological. Psychological is an emotional dependence on the feeling a drug or action gives you. Physiological addiction goes beyond mental cravings. One becomes physiologically addicted to a substance when your body has marked a physical need for increasing doses. Drugs such as heroin, cocaine,
State of intoxication from marijuana is also known as being high, usually people feel relaxed and their senses are heightened (Kuhn 3). Marijuana causes psychological dependence. While under the influence of marijuana sense of time is distorted and simple task seem to take longer to accomplish. Some effects of smoking marijuana are increased heart rate, slowing reaction time, memory loss, and slowing reaction time. These effects are noticeable in just a few min and last a few hours. The most lasting and harmful effect of marijuana is the physiological changes in neurotransmitters and structures in the brain, leading to the loss of motivation and cognitive
One of America’s biggest battles today is on narcotics. The most common used narcotics are Vicodin, Percocet, and Oxy-cotton, which are all made with opium. Opium is a reddish-brown heavy scented addictive drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, used as a narcotic and in medicine as an analgesic. When opiates are introduced to the brain the body stops producing its own endorphins, which leads to tolerance and addiction. Narcotics cause an initial rush followed by a 4-6 hour high, during the high the user feels relaxed however after these phases wear off the user crashes and produces the desire for more of the drug. If the user doesn’t get more of the drug they go into what is called withdraw. Withdraw happens when the user does not have more of the drug within 8 hours after the user comes down. Symptoms of withdraw are tearing eyes, chills, sweats, nausea and increased heart rate. These symptoms can last 3-4 days if the user doesn’t have more drugs. The severity of withdraw depends on the severity of the addiction. Addiction and drugs don’t discriminate. They don’t care whose life they ruin or who they kill. Addiction doesn’t care what kind of home you came from or how responsible you parents are. Addiction can and will affect you if you let it. If you already find yourself in the vicious cycle of addiction there is a way out and always a road to recovery if you truly want it. It won’t be easy;