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Addiction
Definition
of Addiction
Mechanisms
of Addiction
Definition
of Addiction
The
American Psychiatric Association defines addiction using five
criteria, tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control, preoccupation,
and continuation despite adverse consequences. An addict will
display three or more of the criteria.
- Tolerance
is either a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance
to achieve the desired effect, or markedly diminished effect
with continued use of the same amount of the substance.
Many tobacco users rapidly go from "one now and then,"
to buying a pack or a can a day.
- Withdrawal
consists of uncomfortable or dangerous symptoms when the
user stops taking the substance for a time. Tobacco users
experience irritability, restlessness, lack of concentration,
fatigue, hunger, nervousness, and other symptoms when they
go without nicotine.
- Loss
of control is when the user takes larger amounts or
takes the substance over a longer period than was intended.
The user usually has a persistent desire or makes unsuccessful
efforts to cut down or control substance use. Remember,
48% of current smokers wish they could quit, but feel that
they can’t.
- Preoccupation
means that the user spends a great deal of time obtaining
and using the substance and/or recovering from its effects.
Smokers may panic if they have few or no cigarettes left
or if they are out of matches.
- Continuation
despite adverse consequences means that the user gives
up or reduces important social, occupational, or recreational
activities because of substance use. For example, he or
she may stand in the winter cold to smoke or stop visiting
friends or family members who won’t allow smoking in their
homes. It may also mean that the person continues using
even though he or she knowingly has a persistent or recurrent
physical or psychological problem caused or made worse by
the substance. For example, someone may continue chewing
tobacco even after losing gums or teeth or continue smoking
despite a daily cough.
Mechanisms
of Addiction
Nicotine
stimulates the release of the brain's neurotransmitters (messenger
chemicals.) An increase in neurotransmitters creates a heightened
alertness and aids short-term memory. The first rush of nicotine
hits the brain within a few seconds. The amount of nicotine
in the blood begins falling rapidly as soon as the user stops
smoking or chewing. Within 45 minutes of using, the concentration
of nicotine in the blood is at about half of its peak. The
user begins to feel withdrawal symptoms, like irritability
and restlessness. The withdrawal drive the user to smoke or
chew again.
Over
time, the tobacco user’s brain becomes accustomed to a certain
concentration of nicotine in the blood, and tolerance builds.
Users’ brains actually trick them into maintaining a set level
of nicotine. Studies have shown that smokers who switch to
lower nicotine cigarettes subconsciously smoke more cigarettes,
inhale more deeply, hold the smoke longer, or cover the tiny
holes in the filter. All of these strategies, conscious or
not, increase the amount of nicotine the smoker absorbs.
The
tobacco industry insisted in public for decades that nicotine
was not addictive, but was "flavoring" agent. However,
internal industry documents reveal the truth. Tobacco company
Brown & Williamson’s general counsel wrote in 1963, "…nicotine
is addictive. We are, then, in the business of selling nicotine,
an addictive drug effective in the release of stress mechanisms."
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