by Lisa Frederiksen
I was re-reading NIDA’s free booklet, “The Science of Addiction” (revised 2010 and linked below), and want to share one of the images contained therein. It’s found on page 25.
On the left, you have the brain of a healthy person. In the middle is the brain of a METH abuser, 1 month after abstinence. And, on the right, is the brain of the METH abuser 14 months after abstinence. The key here is abstinence. And, as anyone who has dealt with a loved one or friend who continues to abuse illegal or prescription drugs or alcohol in spite of the havoc it causes in the lives of all concerned, HOW to get them to stop is the million dollar question.
Dr. Nora D. Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, answers this question, in part, in what she writes in the booklet’s Preface:
Throughout much of the last century, scientists studying drug abuse labored in the shadows of powerful myths and misconceptions about the nature of addiction. When science began to study addictive behavior in the 1930s, people addicted to drugs were thought to be morally flawed and lacking in willpower. Those views shaped society’s responses to drug abuse, treating it as a moral failing rather than a health problem, which led to an emphasis on punitive rather than preventative and therapeutic actions. Today, thanks to science, our views and our responses to drug abuse have changed dramatically. Groundbreaking discoveries about the brain have revolutionized our understanding of drug addiction, enabling us to respond effectively to the problem.
As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior. We have identified many of the biological and environmental factors and are beginning to search for the genetic variations that contribute to the development and progression of the disease. Scientists use this knowledge to develop effective prevention and treatment approaches that reduce the toll drug abuse takes on individuals, families, and communities.
Despite these advances, many people today do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. This booklet aims to fill that knowledge gap by providing scientific information about the disease of drug addiction, including the many harmful consequences of drug abuse and the basic approaches that have been developed to prevent and treat the disease. At the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), we believe that increased understanding of the basics of addiction will empower people to make informed choices in their own lives, adopt science-based policies and programs that reduce drug abuse and addiction in their communities, and support scientific research that improves the Nation’s well-being.
For more specific answers and information, download a copy — it’s free!
Science of Addiction – English
La Ciencia De La Adicción - Spanish
by Lisa Frederiksen
I was re-reading NIDA’s free booklet, “The Science of Addiction” (revised 2010 and linked below), and want to share one of the images contained therein. It’s found on page 25.
On the left, you have the brain of a healthy person. In the middle is the brain of a METH abuser, 1 month after abstinence. And, on the right, is the brain of the METH abuser 14 months after abstinence. The key here is abstinence. And, as anyone who has dealt with a loved one or friend who continues to abuse illegal or prescription drugs or alcohol in spite of the havoc it causes in the lives of all concerned, HOW to get them to stop is the million dollar question.
Dr. Nora D. Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, answers this question, in part, in what she writes in the booklet’s Preface:
Despite these advances, many people today do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. This booklet aims to fill that knowledge gap by providing scientific information about the disease of drug addiction, including the many harmful consequences of drug abuse and the basic approaches that have been developed to prevent and treat the disease. At the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), we believe that increased understanding of the basics of addiction will empower people to make informed choices in their own lives, adopt science-based policies and programs that reduce drug abuse and addiction in their communities, and support scientific research that improves the Nation’s well-being.
For more specific answers and information, download a copy — it’s free!
Science of Addiction – English
La Ciencia De La Adicción - Spanish