Brainwaves and genetics, drug addiction should be labeled as a disease rather than just a personal choice.
The use of illegal drugs has become a common problem in the United States. Many people deal with the sobering reality of drug addiction and it causes them a variety of problems. The most common victims of this problem are family and friends, but issues can also develop at work. With the birth of numerous shows that outline drug addiction and it’s terrible effects, the issue is gaining more prominence. The spotlight has also prompted experts and non-experts alike to propose their own solutions to the problem. This can lead to confusion because talking heads sometimes have a larger voice than actual medical experts. The most common saying is that drug addiction is an addiction by choice. People have a negative, lazy viewpoint of drug addiction because of television and the movies, which only provides one side to the story. Due to the recent research on brainwaves and genetics, drug addiction should be labeled as a disease rather than just a personal choice.
Now that more research has been done, the common thought about drug addiction is just a misunderstanding of the chronic, relapsing disease. The health reasons that characterize drug addiction as a disease are the brain wave changes that occurs during the life of the enslavement, along with genetics/environmental factors that predispose a person to becoming an addict.
For starters, brain wave changes happen when one becomes addicted. What is changed in the brain when one becomes dependent to a drug is the dopamine levels in the brain and the frontal cortex. When Dr. Nora Volkow, the head of the National Institution of Drug Abuse, started looking at MRI’s of the brain of a heroin addict, they were seeing less and less of dopamine receptors, which is the little messenger in the brain that releases the feeling of feeling good, or giving off the message to “do it again.” This decrease is because the brain isn’t hardwired to withstand the all-consuming high that heroin gives off. In turn, the power switch to the dopamine receptors turns off, one by one (Volkow). When people are diagnosed with ADHD or Bi-polar Disorder, doctors find that dopamine receptors are fairly low. After being diagnosed with ADHD, willing patients are prescribed Ritalin, which in turn boosts dopamine levels in the brain to stabilize dopamine to a level that is considered average. As for the frontal cortex, this is very important for things like common sense, and free will. Unfortunately, the frontal cortex is another area that is damaged in the process. In an interview, Dr. Nora Volkow explained the frontal cortex damage: “So, if drugs damage the areas of the brain that we need in order to exert free will, then it’s like driving a car without brakes. You don’t want to hit someone. But if you don’t have brakes, how do you stop a car?” (Volkow). If the low dopamine level is one of the significant signs that one is ADHD, then it should also be considered when labeling drug addiction as a brain disease.
A lot of research has suggested that people who consume drugs have the potential to become addicted. According to the Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah, when environment and genetics play a role, 10% of all who voluntary take a drug become addictive (Genetic Science Learning Center, “Environmental…”). No one is born an addict, but humans are born with genes that make them more vulnerable. There is no specific gene that tells scientists that one person is going to be an addict; its many different genes that plays a part in an addiction, and it’s not the same for any one person. Of course, the first initial intake of a drug is voluntary. But, when the initial intake is taken by an individual who has an addictive gene, that individual will have a completely different reaction from someone who doesn’t have the addictive gene. “Various genes and environmental factors can add up or cancel each other out. Not every addict will carry the same gene, and not everyone who carries an addiction gene will exhibit the trait” (Genetic Science Learning Center, “Genetics…”). A carrier of the addictive gene may never act on the temptation because the environment one is exposed to may never have drugs in it. But, when put in situations in domains such as family, friends, school, or peer pressure, one is drawn more towards using drugs, and even more so if there are drugs already present within those domains. The environmental and genetic aspect should be considered when deciding to label drug addiction a brain disease just like it is considered when diagnosing one as a diabetic. The first couple of questions that are asked are when diagnosing one as a diabetic, “Is anyone in your family a diabetic?” or “What kind of food do you normally eat on a daily basis?” These questions can be answered by one who is a drug addict or a diabetic, and the answers would probably help explain why one is addicted to drugs or why one’s blood sugar is too high.
In conclusion, drug addiction should be labeled as a disease because genetics and environmental factors play a large role. Highly detailed research has proven that this is an accurate way of re-examining the problem of addiction. If society continues to ignore that brain functions and other aspects relating to specific individuals is the root of the case, then an important characteristic is being ignored. This is not about opinion or guessing, but scientific evidence that has been tested and re-tested.
Works Cited
Genetic Science Learning Center. “Environmental Risk Factors for Addiction.” Learn. Genetics.
- Web. 20 October 2012.
Genetic Science Learning Center. “Genetics is an Important Factor in Addiction.”
Learn. Genetics. 2012. Web. 20 October 2012.
Volkow, Nora. “Hooked: Why bad habits are hard to break.” 60 Minutes.
Order a customized or a similar quality essay now!!
