Psychological Factors of Addiction Essay - 1096 Words

The basis for addiction can be assigned to a combination of social, physiological and psychological aspects. Social factors highlight the fundamental tendency for humans to interact and form social groups which contributes to the commencement of addiction. The intricacy of the human brain has slowed the understanding of physiological and psychological factors, however experts agree the neurotransmitter dopamine is instrumental to explaining the cause of addiction and ascertaining successful pathways to assist addicted individuals. Analysing addiction within the domain of methamphetamine use provides an insight to the causes and potential treatment strategies for these individuals. There is no single treatment for methamphetamine addiction,†¦show more content†¦Ultimately, these factors contribute to the development of methamphetamine-abuse but also provide tangible strategies to counteract addiction. Boshears et al. (2011) suggest methamphetamine-users separate from existing social networks that encourage consumption and discover new networks that support cessation of drug-use. However, many methamphetamine addicts would be forced to disassociate from immediate family or be required to terminate employment which create limitations due to the impracticality of these changes. Evidently, social determinants contribute to methamphetamine addiction, however successful treatment can only occur in conjunction with the attenuation of significant physiological and psychological factors. The complexity of the human brain creates mystery when determining the influence of neurophysiological factors and their role in the process of addiction. There is a proposed relationship between drug addiction and the mesolimbic dopamine system, with the mesolimbic pathway from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens considered the ‘reward centre’ of the human brain (Alcohol Rehab, 2011). A release of dopamine is necessary for ‘reward’ which is hypothesised to initiate the addiction cycle by providing positive reinforcement for drug self-administration (Feltenstein See, 2009). Methamphetamine triggers the release of dopamine from synaptic vesicles which flood the synaptic cleft activating feelings of euphoria, well-beingShow MoreRelated Psychological and Sociological Factors in Smoking Addiction 2475 Words   |  10 PagesPsychological and Sociological Factors in Smoking Addiction Understanding the habit of smoking tobacco The essay will discuss how smoking tobacco became a habit among people; what are the factors that affect the thinking of individuals in experimenting tobacco smoking; and what makes them think of quitting smoking. It will address both psychological and sociological ideas and will attempt to apply each idea in order to understand people’s lifestyles. 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