The Deathly Path Of Addiction And Alcoholism

American freelance journalist, Chuck Palahniuk stated, "I admire addicts. In a world where everybody is waiting for some bline, random disaster, or some sudden disease, the addict has the comfort of knowing what will most likely wait for him down the road. He's taken some control over his ultimate fate, and his addiction keeps the cause of death from being a total surprise." According to Gale Encyclopedia of Science, addiction is defined as, "a compulsion to engage in unhealthy or detrimental behavior" ("addictquotes" 1). Studies report that over a million people are affected by some type of addiction each year in the United States ("Addiction" 1). There are many different types of addictions that fall into the categories of chemical substances or non-chemical desires ("Addiction" 1-3). Dependencies and side effects such as psychological and physiological consequences are brought along with the addiction (Juzwiak 1-2). One of the major worldwide predicaments is alcoholism, as well as being the most popular widespread form of drug abuse (Meyer 1). Though alcoholism and other addictions cause many serious issues to the addicts and people associated with them, there is a provided solution and escape from the chaos. Because addiction overcomes numerous people in many dangerous forms such as alcoholism, this deathly problem should be recognized and treatment should be pursued.

A person creates an addictive relationship with something because the substance or desire gives off a longing effect (Marsden 1). Dr. Marsden states that, "people take drugs, for instance, because of their physical effects. They have a marked effect on the body and mind. No one sets out to become addicted. Crucially, substances and certain behaviors change the way we feel. If they make us feel better, relax us, make us feel powerful, excite us, let us escape and so on, we tend to go back to them" (Marsden 1). A person might try something one time and immediately be hooked. On the other hand, it might take two or three times before a person develops an addiction (Marsden 1). Addicts will perform the abuse repeatedly over again in order to try and get the first primary effect (Marsden 1). Dr. Marsden goes on to say, "In some people, those experiences uncover a powerful attraction. What can start out as casual experimentation, normal social behavior or even a doctor's prescription can lead to repeating the behavior more frequently and with greater quantities. The more you do, the more likely you are to do more" (Marsden 1). There are many different causes and beginnings of an addiction.

It has been debated time and time again about the causes of an addiction. Addictions can be created within any given person no matter what their age is. Genetic links, emotional issues and social problems are believed to be the main cause of an addiction (Juzwiak 1). Rich Juzwiak asserts, "some argue that certain personality traits make some people more likely than others to develop an addiction. Other personality factors such as low self-esteem and insecurity also play a part in addiction" (Juzwiak 1). Scientists discovered in 2005, a theoretical addiction gene that they think might have a cause in making a person be more capable of developing an addiction. Genetic links can play a part in an ongoing addiction but aren't necessarily the only cause (Juzwiak 2). Learned behavior can also be an influence to developing an addiction. Rich Juzwiak states, "A large part of how you act is determined by the way your parents act. You learn by watching and interacting with them. Unfortunately, people who are raised in addictive families learn addictive beliefs and addictive logic" (Juzwiak 2). Addictions can also be created by the want of an emotional escape. Rich Juzwiak explains by stating, "internal feelings such as stress, isolation, and lack of love can send you searching for relief. Often people turn to substances and compulsive actions as ways to escape from these difficult feelings" (Juzwiak 2). The addict is trying to escape from reality for a short time and does not want to deal with real life. Therefore, they have something that temporarily gets them "high" that will make them feel better, but only temporarily (Juzwiak 2). Addictions can be very different physically in ranging form chemical substances to non-chemical wants.

There are many chemical addictions that convey many serious side effects. Some chemical addictions have worse side effects than others ("Addiction" 1). UXL Encyclopedia concludes chemical addictions to be related to "alcohol, the opiates: opium, morphine, heroin, cocaine, caffeine, and nicotine." UXL Encyclopedia goes on to assert that, "withdrawal symptoms are cause by psychological, physiological and chemical reactions in the body that are brought on as the amount of addictive chemical in the blood begins to fall. Withdrawal symptoms can include uncontrollable body shaking, hallucinations, seizures, irritability, intense craving, headaches, mood changes, abdominal pain, nausea, chills, tremors, sweating and panic" ("Addiction" 1-3). Contrasting chemical addictions, there are many non-chemical addictions that can be created.

Non-chemical addictions can seem to be not as serious as chemical addictions. Some of the most popular non-chemical addictions can include codependency (Nagle 1), gambling, the internet, work, and other things that might give a person a certain intense high ("Addiction" 3). UXL Encyclopedia reports, "the single characeristic common among all addicts-whether their addiction is chemical or non-chemical-is low self-esteem. A desire to fit in, an attempt to relieve anxiety, and inability to cope with the stresses of daily life- all of these factors have been cited as possible springboards to addiction" ("Addiction" 4). Chemical and non-chemical addictions both bring dependencies that can be physiological or psychological.

Physiological and psychological dependencies can both be severely dangerous to a person. Some dependencies on addictions are more consequential than others and can affect an addict physically and mentally depending on the circumstances. Rich Juzwiak defines psychological addiction as an "emotional dependence on the feeling a drug or action gives you" (Juzwiak 1-2). Psychological dependencies alter the addicts normal desires to influence them to adjust their life around the addiction. Serious side effects that occur to an addict physically are a noticed as physiological dependency (Juzwiak 2). Rich Juzwiak explains physiological dependencies as something that "goes beyond mental cravings. You know you are physiologically addicted to a substance when your body has