Addiction is a biopsychosocial disorder characterized by compulsive involvement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. Despite the involvement of a number of psychosocial factors, a biological process - one caused by repeated exposure to an addictive stimulus - is the core pathology that drives the development and maintenance of addiction, according to the "brain disease model" of addiction . However, some scientists who study addiction claim that the brain disease model is incomplete and misleading.
The brain disease model states that addiction is a disorder of the brain's reward system that arises through transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms and develops over time through chronically high levels of exposure to an addictive stimulus (e.g., food eating, cocaine use, involvement in sexual activity, participation in exciting cultural activities such as gambling, etc.). DeltaFosB (ΔFosB), a gene transcription factor, is a critical component and common factor in the development of virtually all forms of behavioral and drug addictions. Two decades of research on the role of ΔFosB in addiction have demonstrated that addiction develops and intensifies or attenuates the associated compulsive behaviors along with the overexpression of ΔFosB in medium spiny neurons of the D1 type of the nucleus accumbens. Because of the causal relationship between ΔFosB expression and addictions, it is used preclinically as an addiction biomarker. ΔFosB expression in these neurons directly and positively regulates drug self-administration and rewards sensitization through positive reinforcement, while decreasing sensitivity to aversion.
Addiction takes an "astonishingly high financial and human toll" on individuals and society as a whole. In the United States, the total economic cost to society is greater than that of all types of diabetes and all forms of cancer combined. These costs derive from the direct adverse effects of medications and associated health care costs (e.g., emergency medical services and outpatient and inpatient care), long-term complications (e.g., lung cancer from smoking tobacco products, liver cirrhosis and dementia from chronic alcohol use, and meth-mouth from methamphetamine use), lost productivity and associated welfare costs, fatal and non-fatal accidents (e.g., traffic accidents), suicides, homicides and incarceration, among others. Classic features of addiction include impaired control over substances or behaviors, preoccupation with substance or behavior, and continued use despite consequences. Habits and patterns associated with addiction are typically characterized by immediate gratification (short-term rewards) coupled with delayed harmful effects (long-term costs).
The etymology of addiction has often been misunderstood throughout history and has taken on different meanings associated with the word. One example is the use of the word during the early modern era. 'Addiction' during that time, meant to 'attach' to something, giving both positive and negative connotations. The object of this attachment could be characterized as "good or bad," but the meaning of addiction during this period was usually associated with positivity and goodness. During the highly religious era, it was seen as a way to "devote oneself to another." Modern research on addiction has led to a better understanding of the disease with research studies on the subject dating back to 1875, particularly on morphine addiction. This furthered the understanding of addiction as a medical condition. It was not until the 19th century that addiction was seen and recognized as a disease, both a medical and psychological condition.
Today, addiction is seen as a disease that negatively affects those who are diagnosed, usually associated with drug and alcohol abuse. The understanding of addiction has changed throughout history, impacting how it is medically treated and diagnosed.
Examples of drug and behavioral addictions include alcoholism, marijuana addiction, amphetamine addiction, cocaine addiction, nicotine addiction, opioid addiction, food addiction, chocolate addiction, video game addiction, gambling addiction and sexual addiction. The only behavioral addiction recognized by the DSM-5 and ICD-10 is gambling addiction. Gaming addiction was added with the introduction of ICD-11. The term "addiction" is often misused when referring to other compulsive behaviors or disorders, especially dependence, in news media. An important distinction between drug addiction and dependence is that drug addiction is a disorder in which stopping drug use results in an unpleasant state of withdrawal, which can lead to further drug use. Addiction is the compulsive use of a drug or performance of behavior independent of withdrawal. Addiction can occur in the absence of dependence, and dependence can occur in the absence of addiction, although the two often occur together.
Treatment BeterKlinic
BeterKliniek is the clinic for Integrative Medicine that bridges regular and non-regular medicine.
An van Veen (physician) and Michael van Gils (therapist) look for the cause of a condition or disease. That is where the treatment starts otherwise, as people often say, it is 'carrying water to the sea'. We call this cause medicine. Sometimes it is also desirable to treat the symptoms (at the same time). We call this symptom medicine.
Chronic disorders often have their cause in epi- genetics. You can schedule a free informative telephone consultation (phone number 040-7117337 until 1 p.m.) at BeterKliniek to discuss your symptoms so that we can provide you with further advice.
