Yara Ashraf

15/00258
Essay final draft
Is it curable or not?

Can you get rid of your addiction? According to Psychology

Today, addiction is a medical condition where people do not have any
sort of control over what they are doing because of previous
extraordinary satisfaction. Although addiction is described to be very
compelling and imperative, many argue that it could be curable, yet
uphill. Though cures and healings for drug addiction might be feasible,
it is regularly hard to stop the desire to engage in disparaging
behaviors, in view of physical, mental, social and psychological
apprehensions.
Addiction can be managed successfully just like other chronic
diseases. Indubitably, some people make out hope for addicts, through
coming across potential cures and treatments for drug addicts. Not
only professionals help can cure drug addicts, but also the power of
their minds and their strong desire are enough too. Medications and
therapy treatments are important; sometimes they help patients
recover from the pervasive effects of addiction. In addition, there are

variety of rehabilitative services offered for patients. I do it for myself

is not just a quote, it shows how drug addicts are fully aware of how
harmful drugs are and you start curing yourself for yourself! If you are
looking for a good and healthy stable life, you should take your own
decision to recover from drug addiction. Mental health problems and
drug abuse often happen together. This results in many ways, like
affecting some parts of the brain. As The National Institute on Drug
Abuse mentioned, drugs have a great impact on the brain signals.
According to the national institute on drug abuse, some people are
forced to quit using drugs, but they suffer mentally and physically
which make the relapse easy for them. Addiction may seem hard to be
cured, but some people find their own way to recover, others are put in
uncontrolled situations that weaken their recovery.
When does relapse happen? It doesnt depend on the need of
drugs to satisfy the body again, but the addicts psychology gets
affected when he/she quits drugs, therefore his/her psychology is
affected. Psychological effects arise when they feel the need of the
drug, meaning that the need of using it results in changing their
routine and psychology. Like facing some mood swings and engaging in
fights, sometimes they can be affected mentally. In the article Effects
of Drug Addiction (Physical and Psychological) states the variety of
psychological effects on a drug addict, some of them are mood swings,
heart attacks and change in appetite. Drug use usually affects addicts

physically, but the interact of the mind-body problem happen which is

the unconsciousness of the addict to use drugs again. Therefore, the
output they do is resulted from this. Which means that when they are
affected physically, their psychology is influenced. They may think of
the circumstances concerning addiction a physical problem as an input
for the body, but they neglect the fact that outputs like mental and
psychical problems happen.
Furthermore, some addicts use drugs because they think they
have mental problems that are solved just by putting a certain type of
drug in their bodies. As drugs nowadays can be a savior for some
addicts to help them escape from their problems and life
complications, it would be hard for them to quit using drugs forever.
Firstly, Addicts keep on using drugs when their relationships, job,
health or self-respect are at risk, thus, they might not be capable of
picturing their lives without being able to exploit drugs. A survey by
Gene Heyman, a research psychologist at McLean Hospital in
Massachusetts, found that between 60 to80 percent of people who
were addicted in their teens could not impede drugs to fetch mental
euphoria. Conversely drugs can even be a root of some mental
problems, national institute on drug abuse reported that 65% of drug
addicts suffer depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and Antisocial
personality disorder as a result of drugs. The cycle is actually aroundthe-clock; drug addicts seek out drugs to lessen mental problems, and

yet the intake of drugs results in plenty of mental problems. But they
are never aware of how and to use it correctly. If they use a drug today
to escape, they may not be able to find it tomorrow, but if they do,
blame who are responsible for spreading it everywhere.
Drug addicts are influenced by many elements, like the
environment surrounding them and the genetic factors. These factors
make it hard for addicts to be cured. Genetic factor interacts with
critical developmental stages in a persons life to affect addiction
vulnerability. Posted by NCADD, a person decision to use alcohol or
drugs is a personal choice, influenced by multiple biological, familial
factors. The environment is a risk factor for a drug addict, it may be a
trend or a usual thing to do in the surrounded env. Followed by teens
mainly. A survey by CASA found that popular teens who attend druginfested schools are much likelier to smoke, get drunk, abuse
prescription and illegal drugs. It is not usually the persons
engagement in drug use; the factors surrounding him/her play a big
role when addiction happens. Do not blame someone for being an
addict, you never know how or where the addiction process started.
As a conclusion, for all of the people out there ,Who are you?
Why are you here? What is your biggest goal in life? Those three
questions are the questions that people struggle to answer everyday
from the day they were born until the day they die. Who are you? I'm
an addict. Why are you here? To get high. What is your biggest goal in

life? Finding a way to get drugs. People abuse drugs as a scapegoat in

order to avoid answering those three questions of life. There are those
who are willing to give up drugs in order to define purpose in their lives
and there are those who watch their lives fade away right in front of
their eyes by this abuse.

Works cited
Bai , Nina. Can You Cure Yourself of Drug Addiction? Scientific
American. 4 Mar. 2011. 11 April 2016

<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-you-cure-yourselfof-addiction>
Leshner , Alan. Addiction is a Brain Disease. The Addiction Recovery
Guide. 11 April 2016
< http://www.addictionrecoveryguide.org/articles/>
Tracy , Natasha. Effects of Drug Addiction (physical and
psychological) Healthy Place. 9 Oct. 2015. 12 April 2016
<http://www.healthyplace.com/addictions/drug-addiction/effectsof-drug-addiction-physical-and-psychological/>
Drug Info. 4 Feb. 2015. The Australian Drug Foundation. 12 April 2016
<http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/fact-sheets/why-do-people-usealcohol-and-other-drugs>
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. 25 April 2015.
NCADD. 12 April 2016
<https://ncadd.org/about-addiction/family-history-and-genetics>
The National Center Of Addiction And Substance Abuse. 16 Aug, 2007.
Center on addiction. 12 April 2016
< http://www.centeronaddiction.org/newsroom/press-releases/2007teen-survey>

National institute on drug abuse. July 2014. Drugs, Brains, and

Behavior: The Science of Addiction. 11 April 2016.
<https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behaviorscience-addiction/treatment-recovery>
National institute on drug abuse. (N.d). Drug Abuse and Mental
Health Problems Often Happen Together. 12 April 2016
<https://easyread.drugabuse.gov/content/drug-abuse-andmental-health-problems-often-happen-together>
Stories Of Recovery From Addiction. 2009-2010. Storiesofrecovery.
11 April 2016
<http://www.storiesofrecovery.org.uk/>