Is Addiction is a Neurological Disorder?

Addiction is a status of condition that results when a person partake a substance (like food, alcohol, drugs ) that can be comfort but continued use of it becomes uncontrollable and interferes with regular life activities such as health, relations, etc. Person who have addicted may not be aware that their behavior is out of control and causing problems for themselves and others. As per recent research addiction towards drugs and alcohol has been termed as “Brain Disease (or) Neurological Disorder”. The major feature of addiction is the loss of control in limiting intake of the addictive substance.

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Neurological Disorder is a disorder of the nervous system, like Cellular, molecular, biochemical abnormalities of the brain; so one can state that addiction is Neurological Disorder. From the recent studies we can provide an example of the interaction between drugs that are addictive. Drug addiction research has made phenomenal advances over the last couple of decades. Some of the major drugs of abuse include Nicotine, Cocaine, Heroin and Alcohol has been identified and how it connected with brain related emotions and much has discovered about the effect on neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Noradrenaline). The consequences of chronic drug abuse and its harmful effects on mental performance and brain activity are being studied in drug addicts from the different regions of countries using sophisticated imaging techniques. An adverse serious consequence has to be face by Drug Addiction.

Although each drug has its own mechanism of action, each drug increases the activity of the neurotransmitters like dopamine. Our brains are designed in such a way that they have the ability to be abused. Thus addiction is truly a neurological disorder. However updated scientific studies about addiction should bring about changes in our approach to the prevention and treatment of addiction.

When you can stop you don’t want to and when you want to stop, you can’t

Journal of Neurology and Psychology

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