Addiction and the Brain

April 30, 2013

2.5 hours

Drugs have an enormous effect on family,  substance use leads to addiction there is a difference we need to understand how it comes together and how we wanted to change. In the 1980s there was an old message the health of the brain there were no air holes. With the advanced technology in the 1990s and in the 2000s people were able to look inside a brain and study it. There were three major groups in the brain: the cerebellum which is the "motor control" controls breathing and walking, the limbic system which is in charge of reaction and is where the pleasure points and rewards are; the area in the brain that justifies the repeating action of something. Although the gray areas in our brain may come back it does not completely come back after substance use. There are many myths about drugs and alcohol. Myth number one is that drugs and alcohol does not affect you and that is wrong! Myth number two: drinking water or having a big meal will make you less drunk that is wrong it may slow down the process of getting into the small intestine and into bloodstream but does not make you any less drunk because all alcohol goes through your bloodstreams and into the liver it cannot be sweated or vomited. Being drunk is very dangerous because it can lead to blackouts which is when the brain cannot remember a thing you do. An example of these blackouts are something called date rape when you under the  may the influence may forcefully have sex with someone and the next day not remember a thing. The type of all alcohol does make a difference because the S.D. labeling on bottles vary you may think you're having one shot of tequila but in reality it's as if you were drinking three or four beers. Myth number three: drinking coffee or taking walks sobers up a person, that is wrong the only thing that can sober a person up is time. Myth number four: you will not get a DUI if you wait a couple hours, wrong! According to the DMV if you are 110 pounds to 129 pounds two drinks in an hour or less are allowed, 130 pounds to 149 pounds three drinks in less than an hour. Myth number five: teen brain is no different than adult when drinking that is completely wrong! A child's brain at the age of 4-15 there are major growth going on by drinking alcohol or using drug the process it stopped and can permanently affect you. The problems that are at risk when choosing to take a drug or drink alcohol is that there are five different categories of risk factors: genetics, social environments, early use, childhood trauma, and mental illnesses.