Addiction- we’ve all heard this term at some point in our lives. From our parents to our doctors, this word is all around us, attached to things as common and seemingly harmless as social media, to life threatening substances like drugs. Addiction is a condition that haunts scores of people around the globe, but it’s nothing new. Addiction has existed in multiple forms throughout most of human history, and will likely continue to affect our species, because of the very nature of the condition.
Addiction is defined as “a psychological and physical inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity, or substance, even though it is causing psychological and physical harm.” (Felman & Saripalli, 2018)
Different people have different types of addictions. These could vary from simple things like activities we love to do, like playing video games, to the most dangerous form of addiction: recreational drug usage. We all are susceptible to addiction. It can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any point in time because anything in excess is poison.
The domino effect of addiction is generally started by a voluntary action, which means that addiction starts when people consent to a particular activity. But before they know it, they could become inclined to continue to participate in that activity despite knowing that there are consequences that could entail from their actions.
In the month of April, the world commemorates Alcohol Awareness Month. During this month, people worldwide try to raise their voices on the negative health effects of alcohol addiction and try to provide support to people suffering from addiction by teaching them how to overcome their addiction through various approaches.
Alcohol addiction is one of the most injurious types of addiction, to which 18 million people in the United States of America have fallen prey. These large numbers may not be surprising, as we commonly find that alcohol addiction leads to an increase in the incidence of cases of drinking and driving, domestic violence, and other impulsive and violent crimes, which are perhaps the most dangerous effects of alcoholism.
Now, you may wonder- why does alcohol addiction happen in the first place, and why is it so hard to overcome? The answer to this question mainly revolves around how the brain registers pleasure. It recognizes pleasure the same way as any other stimulus it receives. Alcohol binds to dopamine receptors on neurons, causing a rapid release of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which provides a pleasurable feeling in the body and brain. Furthermore, alcohol binds to excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter binding sites, preventing neurons from firing impulses. During this stage, people would usually experience minor impairment in memory (“How Alcohol Impacts the Brain,” 2018).
When alcohol is consumed very frequently, it will not have the same pleasurable experience as before. Thus, to gain the right amount of pleasure from it, greater amounts need to be consumed which will eventually release more neurotransmitters and block the neurons resulting in brain damage or even in extreme cases lead to the victim becoming brain dead. This cycle continues, causing depression and worsening the addiction, along with other detrimental effects on the body such as liver cirrhosis and cardiovascular diseases.
Fortunately, alcohol addiction can be treated. People suffering from alcohol addiction can be treated by receiving the right types of medication prescribed by their psychologists and doctors. According to research, Naltrexone, a medicinal drug, seems to be one of the most effective methods for the treatment of alcohol addiction (T., 2020). However, since only three such drugs have been approved by the FDA, it is one of the most underused methods for treating alcoholism.
Another way of treating alcohol addiction is by motivating patients to take part in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). This is a form of psychological treatment which helps treat the problems created by the excessive consumption of alcohol. This technique has two main components- functional analysis and skills training. In functional analysis, the causes and consequences of a patient’s addiction are addressed. Together with the therapist, the patient will be able to lower the risk of relapsing by understanding the root causes and managing them. Skills training mainly focuses on foregoing alcohol consumption habits and helping them learn new and healthy habits to avoid relapses.
By devising the right strategies to cope with patients’ alcohol addiction, the above methods have proven to be very effective in helping them improve their self-control, which is a major cause of prolonged alcohol addiction. It also helps the victims avoid situations that could trigger their addiction further. Furthermore, the patients are trained to be self-aware, thus overcoming negative thoughts and notions. By recognizing their negative thoughts, they may be able to think positively and slowly change their consumption habits.
Approximately 60% of people who are treated with cognitive behavioural therapy for a substance use problem can maintain their recovery for a year (T. & Block, 2020). Many suffer from Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (also known as Discontinuation Syndrome, which occurs when a person who suffers from alcohol addiction suddenly reduces their alcohol consumption). Some symptoms include mild anxiety and nausea. The most severe cases usually include symptoms like seizures and hallucinations. It is quite difficult to recover quickly since the body is not used to such changes in the amount of alcohol consumed by the person. It is because of AWS that patients are advised not to quit cold turkey, but to slowly wean themselves off of alcohol dependency instead. Over time, most patients recover from AWS and can lead healthy lives.
A big part of the work which takes place during Alcohol Awareness Month is overcoming the stigma that surrounds alcoholism and substance abuse. For most people, denial is a common trait among those who struggle with alcohol addiction. They often underestimate the amount they drink, the duration of their drinking problem, and the impact it has had on their life, or they end up overestimating their ability to control their drinking. Denial is also common among friends and family members who are uncomfortable acknowledging the reality of the situation that their loved one finds themselves in, which contributes to the stigma around this form of addiction.
In light of Alcohol Awareness Month, the NPSi Med Club would like to remind you that habits can be easy to learn, but difficult to forget. When we get too used to doing things a certain way, we can’t adjust and adapt to new changes. But the right first step is simply acknowledging that a problem exists, whether it is a problem that lies in you or a loved one. And once the problem is acknowledged, it becomes much less daunting to take the steps to recover. This Alcohol Awareness Month, we hope that you learn that one alcohol consumption turns into alcohol awareness, the addict- the patient- should not be shunned and judged. They should instead be treated with patience, love, and empathy. After all, none of us have perfect restraint, do we?
Stay happy and healthy!
Written by Tasya Jacob
1. Badii, C., & Legg, T. L. (2018, September 16). Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/alcoholism/withdrawal
2. Felman, A., & Legg, T. L. (2018, November 2). Addictive Disorders: Causes and reasons why they might get worse. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323483
3. Felman, A., & Saripalli, V. (2018, October 26). Addiction: Definitions, Symptoms, Withdrawal and Treatment. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323465
4. How addiction hijacks the brain. (2011, July). Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/%E2%80%A6/how-addiction-hijacks-the-brain
4. How Alcohol Impacts the Brain. (2018, April). Northwestern Medicine. https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/alcohol-and-the-brain#:~:text=Euphoria.,Depression%2C%20disorientation%20and%20memory%20loss.
5. T., B. (2020, September 30). Effective Treatments For Alcohol Use Disorders. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/study-defines-most-effective-alcoholism-treatments-66739
6. T., B. (2020, November 6). How CBT is used to treat addiction. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/cognitive-behavior-therapy-for-addiction-67893
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