The life Cycle and Mechanics Addiction: Intervention for the Drug Addict
Whether a person is genetically or biochemically predisposed to addiction or alcoholism is a controversy that has been debated for years within
the scientific community. One school of thought advocates the “disease concept,” which embraces the notion that addiction is an inherited
disease, and that the individual is permanently ill at a genetic level, even for those experiencing long periods of sobriety. Another philosophy argues that addiction is a dual problem consisting of a physical and mental dependency on chemicals, compounded by a pre-existing mental disorder (i.e. clinical depression, bipolar disorder, or some other mental illness), and that the mental disorder needs to be treated first as the primary cause of the addiction. A third philosophy subscribes to the idea that chemical dependency leads to “chemical imbalances” in the neurological system. The fact remains that there is scientific research to support all of these concepts, but that none of these theories are absolute. There are varieties of treatment methods being used today, which are administered based on what school of thought the treatment provider believes in. With statistics, based on national averages, showing a 16% to 20% recovery rate, the message is clear that we have a lot more to learn if we are to bring the national recovery rate to more desirable level. There is a 4th school of thought, which has proven to be more accurate. It has to do with the life cycle of addiction. This data is universally applicable to addiction, no matter which hypothesis is used to explain the phenomenon of drug dependency. The life cycle of addiction begins with a problem,discomfort or some form of emotional or physical pain a person is experiencing. They find this very difficult to deal with. We start off with an individual who, like most people in our society, is basically good. He then encounters a problem or discomfort that he does not have the ability to resolve. This could include problems such as difficulty “fitting in” as a child or teenager, anxiety due to peer pressure, identity problems or divorce as an adult. It can also include
physical discomfort, such as a broken arm or a bad back. The person experiencing the discomfort has a real problem. He feels his present situation is unendurable, yet he sees no good solution to the problem. Everyone has experienced this in his or her life to a greater or lesser degree. The difference between an addict and non-addict happens to be that the person that was subjected to pro-drug influences or peer pressures at the time his particular problem was manifesting itself. The painkilling effects of drugs or alcohol become a solution to his discomfort. As soon as they experience relief from the discomfort, he inadvertently attaches value to the drug or drink, because it helped him feel better, even though the relief is only temporary. It appears to him to be a solution and this assigned value is the only reason the person ever uses drugs or drinks a second or third time. At this point, it is just a matter of time before he becomes fully addicted and loses the ability to control his drug use. Once an addict has been through treatment, there are two main reasons for relapse.
These are: 1) mental and physical cravings and 2) depression. These manifestations can haunt someone for years after they have sobered up and more times than not, if left untreated, will trigger a relapse. These unresolved symptoms, whether physical or mental in origin, create an underlying, low-level type of stress, which cannot be completely ignored by the addict. The addict can “just say no” a thousand times, but it only takes him saying “yes” one time to start the cycle of addiction again. Drugs and alcohol are broken down in the liver. There is a byproduct from this Detoxification process called a metabolite. It is these metabolites that find their way into the person’s body fat. Keep in mind that each time anyone has ever used a drug or alcohol, they have a complete memory of that life experience. Whether good times or bad, happy or sad, all emotions, feelings and sensations that were present at the time the drugs were used is filed away in the memory. Even if a person Is in a blackout, the experience is recorded. So each metabolite is connected to a memory of a life experience related in some way to drugs or alcohol at the time they were consumed. The body will metabolize and burn fat any time a person undergoes a life experience that cause the heart rate to speed up. Stress can do this, as can strenuous exercise or intense emotion. We all experience these things on a fairly regular basis. When an addict experiences these life situations and their heart rate speeds, up the body begins to mobilize and burn fat. The fat contains toxins or metabolites from past alcohol and drug use. As the fat cell burns, it releases the metabolite back into the person’s blood stream. Because the metabolite is a byproduct of the drug and that metabolite is connected to the memory of the life experience in which the drug or alcohol was taken; as the toxin finds its way back into the blood stream it acts as a physical and mental reminder of the drug or alcohol consumption. In short, the toxin re-enters the blood and triggers or stimulates a physical reminder of the drug or alcohol and the memory of feelings, thoughts, sensations and emotions connected to that experience. The person starts feeling and thinking like they did in the past when they were under the influence and so are prone to relapse at these times. The reactive compulsion to continue to use drugs or alcohol is, in part, caused by the drug’s interaction with natural chemical substances. These natural chemicals act as a built-in reward system for us so when we exercise and eat; the chemicals are released to reward us for taking care of the body. Other substances that our bodies produce are natural painkillers that are released when we are injured. These help to kill pain long enough for our bodies to repair the injury. So the natural chemicals are directly related to our physical survival. In the beginning of the addiction cycle, the brain and body identify the drug as an aid that enhances the release of these natural chemicals. As the person becomes addicted and starts to use chemicals on a regular basis, the chemicals begin to deplete the body of key nutrients and amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for natural chemicals (called neurotransmitters). These nutritional deficiencies prevent the body from producing the natural chemicals. The brain has been fooled as it has identified the drug or drink as an aid to releasing the natural chemicals at tube beginning of the drug or alcohol problem. This is what causes the uncontrolled compulsion to continue that overrides the negative and often times life-threatening consequences the addict is faced with on a day-to-day basis. The drug or alcohol gets misidentified as an aide to the production and release of the natural chemicals when in fact it is suppressing the body’s ability to manufacture the neurotransmitters. Guilt is another component in the life cycle of addiction. Most addicts are basically good people before they become addicts and have some sense of right and wrong with no intention of hurting others. As they become dependent on the chemical, they begin experiencing situations where they are doing and saying things they know deep down aren’t right but can’t control themselves. They become trapped in a vicious circle of committing transgressions, i.e., lying, stealing, which create memories of each time transgressions are committed. The reaction this has on the addict is the negative action occurs, he creates a memory of that moment, which includes whomever he was involved with at the time. These memories of guilt then get triggered by seeing the people and places the transgressions were committed in and they feel bad about it. In time these transgressions are committed more and more often and the people in the addict’s life where these transgressions have occurred become “triggers” of the dishonest act or deed. The people, family members, loved ones and friend’s appearance to the addict triggers the guilt. Family or friends don’t necessarily have to say a word to the addict, just the sight of them can trigger the guilt. To avoid these unpleasant guilt feelings, the addict will use more drugs to insulate themselves from the guilt. The addict will also begin to withdraw more and more from friends and family as the transgressions committed by the addict increase in number. They will eventually pull away from the family, seclude themselves and/or become antagonist towards those they love. The end result is an individual who is unable to break free of the dwindling spiral of addiction.
