Olivia always wonders why her aunt smokes too much even though she knows it’s harmful for her. Then why! Do you also wonder why?
Here’s the answer but before knowing it you need to know about drugs.
Addictive Drugs
An addictive drug is a chemical substance that makes a person dependent on it.
Now let’s move to your question.
There’s a part of your brain called a limbic system that controls behavioral and emotional responses.
There’s a pathway in the limbic system called the reward pathway. This pathway links the different parts of the brain that control your feelings of pleasure.
When a person takes drugs, the reward pathway activates and neurons release dopamine ( pleasure chemical). As a result, you feel good.
When you see that drug again or even think about it, your hippocampus(brain part involved in memories) makes you remember the pleasure that you had when you took drugs. To get that pleasure again you try to take that drug again.
As you continue to take drugs, your brain reduces the ability of your cells to respond to the drugs. To get the same pleasure you’ll take more drugs and at a point, you will begin to use too much drug that you may die.
The names of some addictive drugs are given below:
- Alcohol
- Nicotine
- Marijuana
- Opioids
- Cocaine
- Heroine
What health problems can drugs cause in your life?
Addictive drugs can cause the following problems:
- Kidney failure
- Weak memory
- Reduced decision making ability
- Poor attention
- Lungs disease
- Increase in body temperature
Can drugs addiction cause suicide?
Drugs can intensify the feelings of loneliness, sadness and hopelessness that can cause depression. As a result, a depressed person can commit suicide.
What are the risk factors that cause the use of drugs ?
- Environment
- Hereditary factors
Environment:
If you have an abused environment, you are at a greater risk to use drugs. Because in these environments you can’t get peace and pleasure so for getting pleasure you use drugs.
If you have peers that use drugs then you may also start using drugs under the pressure of peers.
Hereditary factors
Hereditary means the characteristics that parents pass to their offspring.
If any of your family members is a drug abuser or has been a drug abuser so you are a greater risk to be a drug addict.
Drunken bee:
While understanding the principles of drug addiction, researchers found that bees have the same impact of drugs as humans have. When bees were given alcohol, they became calm and sleepy. In addition to this, they had a negative effect on their working performance and social behavior.
Aren’t they so much like humans?
Isn’t it possible to quit drugs?
Yes, it’s possible!
Below are ways that might help you:
- Don’t go to those places where you used to use drugs.
- Avoid going to areas where drugs are available.
- Learn how to control anxiety and other intense feelings like: sadness and anger.
- Be with your friends or family members who don’t use drugs.
- Make your relationship better with your family and friends.
- Exercise regularly.
- Keep yourself busy.
Some lines for you:
There’s a time when you’ll quit using drugs but it may be possible that you start using drugs again due to emotional pressure, physical discomfort, strong urge to use drugs etcetera. But the thing that you need to remember is that you should never give up because a person learns from mistakes.
Science club 