A large number of people drink alcohol in moderate quantities such as in meetings with friends, having meals in the restaurants, etc., without this generating an addiction in them. For this reason, most people do not understand why some people turn out to be addicted and are not able to just leave it. Well, there are two main clues that can help us define what the addiction to alcohol or drugs is which are as follows;
1 – There is a loss of control over the use of the substance.
2 – It continues to be used despite having the adverse results.
Genetic Predisposition
There are more than a few factors that influence when it comes to generating an addiction. Many of the addicts have a genetic predisposition to developing it. This is why it is not surprising that most of the addicts have one or more family members who are also addicted.
The brain of these people does not react in the same way as that of others when exposed to alcohol or drugs. Many alcoholics, for example, remember perfectly the first time they drank alcohol. They describe it as a wonderful experience. Suddenly, for the first time in their lives, they could feel that they were themselves, and that they fit in with the others; the anxiety and discomfort that had accompanied them all their life faded magically and they felt happy.
The brain of a person with this genetic predisposition generates a lot of endorphins when exposed to alcohol. Endorphins are natural opiates found in certain areas of brain exercise
It seems that the brain’s pleasure center of a person at genetic risk of being an alcoholic does not work well. Alcohol or drugs provide them with a sense of well-being that may be habitually absent, making them feel ‘normal’, so the motivation to resort to it again and again is very strong. Even so, the consequences of dependence are so great that once they quit addiction, they manage to feel much better.
This predisposition does not mean that an addict is not responsible for his or her addiction. For dependency to develop, no matter how fast it does, it is necessary for a person to voluntarily abuse a substance for a time. It is important for an addict to recognize this degree of responsibility if he or she wants to overcome the addiction. Genes do predispose, but they do not sentence. Assistance from the local rehab centers can be taken to overcome the addiction.
