One of the books on quitting substances that I read recently posed what I thought was a very good line of questioning and interesting thoughts .
The author believes that blindly following ‘common truths’ is a mistake and proposes that an addict is anyone and could be ABSOLUTELY ANYONE .The thinking is that anyone can allow themselves to get to the point of no control. The problem is then re gaining control.
So my question is, what do you think causes addiction?
For me, It was ironically my dislike of the taste of alcohol that made me want to skull copious amounts of booze. The idea was just to get drunk , for 'fun. If only I knew how costly that fun would be , I probably wouldn’t have done it. ALSO , I think I just have the personality for it. I’m very ‘social’ etc at times.
Is there a type though? A gene? A personality trait
The best source of information on addiction I’ve come across is a book called In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Mate. He’s a psychiatrist who practices in THE most drug ravaged part of Vancouver. If I remember right at one point he breaks the cause of addiction down to 3 simple factors. Lack of self agency or the ability to control one’s own fate, whether it’s real or imagined, isolation, and anxiety particularly when it’s experienced in a person’s early childhood. It’s horrible because even IF someone manages to avoid those adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, the person WILL without a doubt encounter them once they use drugs or abuse alcohol. Every culture makes sure of that.
Wow. I have to say that does sound fascinating. Exactly the kind of thing I would be interested in learning more about. Cheers!
Do you remember off hand what he suggests contributes to the lack of self control?
Hi
There is a school of thought that claims that there is an adh4 genome deficiency in those of us prone to alcoholism
Also, and one I like is that because our genetics recognises alcohol as more toxic than abnormal drinker would, release far more endorphins to counteract the effects which is why in early days we get a “higher high” than others from alcohol. Some say it’s those endorphin hits that we are addicted to before the substance
Addiction is a result of the down regulation of dopamine receptors in the reward center of the brain caused by the constant release of dopamine. Dopamine is the pleasure neurotransmitter. With the receptors desensitized with every use more and more of whatever drugs or alcohol is needed to get the same release of pleasure. This is when addiction takes hold and a vicious cycle begins. And pretty soon you need the drugs or alcohol just to feel normal. Addiction results from chemical imbalance in the brain
What I was saying when I said lack of control I meant, there’s a better word for it, but basically the person has had very little control over decisions in their life. They feel helpless. So when the addict does finally find something they can use to effect the only thing a person really can control, how they feel, they overuse it. Then at some point the learned behaviors and the specific chemical pathways become so ingrained in the brain the choice to use becomes priority #1. It overrides every other choice. Logic, hate, fear, self preservation, even love all take a backseat to alcohol or the drug. Because the substance really does become the most effective choice for happiness and functioning. No matter the consequences or the impracticality.
-----The book is really worth buying it gave me perspective and helped me regain control. I saw I had been experiencing things freaking hardcore users have to live with. My brain chemistry was TANKED for years and I thought it was just normal for me. It has a ton of interesting ideas it has a section on genetic twin studies. It points out their flaws and goes on to say the causes of addiction may not even be directly related to genes. I still believe they effect a person’s predisposition to addiction but the biggest factors are those 3 main causes especially when they happen in early childhood going as far back as conception. Yes even a stressful pregnancy will prevent certain genetic markers that are need to cope with stress from being activated in an unborn child.
-----The book covers personal experiences, what society could do to prevent addiction, and genetic vs natural causes. And I’m probably forgetting some things! I implore anyone who reads to pick it up again it’s called In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Mate. He also has ADD and his own problem with addiction.
Thanks for the awesome topic.
I personally think that people are motivated to engage in addictions when they are experiencing a fundamendal sense of emptiness, and a disconnection from themselves, love, and meaning in life. This is a universal human problem but people can be more or less suspectible to addiction depending on genetics, upbringing, etc.
It’s funny that attempts to fill the void with substances creates an ever-widening chasm between ourselves and what we ultimately need, and produces an even greater sense of emptiness, disconnection and meaninglessness than we tried to escape from in the first place.
We use a DoC bc it makes us feel good, most often through manipulation of brain chemistry. Our bodies grow used to those artificial surges of those chemicals. We reach a threshold where that amount of DoC no longer works, so we need more…and more…and more until all we are doing is maintaining that. From the biochemical side, it’s very much about Law of Diminishing Returns.
Very often though, the DoC is a poison, ethyl alcohol for example. Now, person needs more and more of the poison to get the effect and we’ve wrecked our lives and lives around us.
The psychological side is much the same, but I’d argue in a lot of cases, worse.
Best,
Chandler
I am definitely going to get that book ASAP.
I am very interested in the topics mentioned, especially
The study on twins, you can learn so much from that!
I am also keen to find out more about how much society plays a part in substance abuse issues. I know that here in Australian society drinking is probably overly accepted and this has contributed to our massive drinking problem.
ANYWAY, I can’t wait to track down this book. Thanks for the info:)
I understand but what sorts of things determine the difference between one person becoming an addict and another not. Is it genetic ? Or is anybody and everybody susceptible to addiction. Meaning, can it happen to anyone?
I should really do more research on the nature vs nurture aspect I guess.
Yeah I know. I often think about how silly it is to try and numb feelings through drugs and alcohol, only to feel even worse from the d &a.
People know this stuff but still do it. It’s complete insanity.
Interesting. I will have to look in to that one.
Just anecdotal but I never knew my father, he was a bad alcoholic and I turned into a less severe alcoholic. I was a binge eater and gamer. Then coffee, used to drink it until I twitched. I got on Wellbutrin which helped a lot. It blocks dopamine reuptake.
Booze is tougher because I have a habit, an incentive based on what it does to me. I never used to binge 2x a week but it progresses to that. I think it takes a while to reprogram your brain and find other things enjoyable again.
I’m a bit like that. I have lots of little addictions. It must be my way of avoiding pain and trying to feel better.
I was scared into not binge eating anymore and lost 140 pounds, kept it off a long time. To this day I’m super careful around food.
I’d like to reach that point with alcohol but far too afraid to try. It hasn’t worked. Frankly I should be able to live without it.
I think it’s because the decision to engage in an addiction comes from a different part of our brains (the limbic system) than the part that intellectually knows drugs and alcohol don’t help. The limbic system can be under too much stress to access the rational part of the brain when dealing with severe drug and alcohol cravings, especially when neurotransmitter levels are depleted from using substances previously. The emotional decision-making parts of our brains do not learn through cognition the way the rational parts of our brains do; it learns through experience. In the case of an addict, it learns through repeatedly experiencing drug and alcohol cravings, not engaging in them, and realizing that the bad feelings pass and everything will be okay. Through these experiences the cognitive dissonance is lessened, and we thereby experience integration of the self, which results in feeling more whole and complete as individuals, developing the sort of inner peace and self-trust that comes with repeatedly proving to ourselves that our minds are a ‘safe’ place. The internal war will always be there but through experiential learning we claim ownership over our addictions and our lives, whereas it previously owned us.
That sounds like a fascinating book! It’s definitely going on my reading list.
I think you’re on to something. The last time I drank I consciously did not want to. My rational mind knew it was wrong. Like a zombie I drove to the store and gave in. I was shocked and puzzled.
My brain knew the dopamine was coming and it took over, this experiential part. Somehow it doesn’t learn that hangovers are hell on Earth. Or that I do incredibly stupid things drunk.
I’m shocked at people going a year not drinking but after a while I guess your brain stops the association.
I know that the part of the brain that controls rational decision making is affected when influenced by d and a. Which is why people aren’t good at making rational decisions when affected. I guess it’s why 'rash decisions occur when drunk or drugged.