Biopsychology of Drug Addition - Essay Example

? Biopsychology of Drug addition Drug consumption in the modern society indicates that the war against drug has a long way to go. Experts have developed various theories explaining the impacts of drug use to the society. Evidently, the society knows the dangers of drug addiction and consumption. Campaigns about drug abuse in the society are not new to the ears of the people. However, the society has not demonstrated that it is able to apply campaign information. Psychologists have been able to explain the challenges that drug consumptions bring to human health. The interest of many psychologists is to identify the extent of effects that drug consumption has to the normal functioning of the brain. This essay analyzes and compares various theories about drug addictions. Various research theories tend to explain psychological factors associated to drug addiction. Psychologists have grouped theories explaining drug addiction into the following groups: psychological theories, biological theory, problem behavior theory, and developmental theory. These theories present different argument on drug addiction. Neuro-scientific theories explain the concept of drug addiction by explaining how drugs affect human biology. This theory argues that exposure to drugs influence biological characteristics responsible for body functions. Human biological functions respond to chemical in various ways (Niaura). Research on drug addiction suggests that different drugs have different effects to the brain. Research indicates that drugs initiate two pathways in the human brain: dopamine reward and endogenous opioid (Goldberg, 2009). These two systems respond different when subjected to different drugs. Brain receptors would respond to these drugs by demanding the presence in the body when an individual has continuously been using them. The brain control various function in the human body. For instance, when person feel like taking alcohol, responsible receptors in the human brain will influence the body functions by demanding the presence of alcohol content in the body. Psychologists believe that this theory explains the appetite that drug addicts have for various drugs that they consume. Chemical responsible various body functions coordinate to produce a balance. However, exposure of human brain to other foreign chemical inhibits the normal body functions of the human body. This statement explains the response observed in drug addicts. Biological theory suggests that differences do exist in the manner the chemicals in the drug affect the brain (Pinel, 2009). It is apparent that alcohol or marijuana tends to show similar effects on its user. Cognitive learning theory suggested by Bandura Albert relates factors influencing human behavior to drug abuse. Bandura asserts in his theory that environment manipulates cognitive development (Sims, 2005). This means that human behavior is a product of what a person generates in his mind. Environment affects the way an individual would think, thereby influencing human behavior. It is arguable that what a person observes in the environment would influence the way the person would think. This stresses on the cognitive processes in the human mind, especially issues touching on quitting or using drugs. Decisions that people make in the society rely on exposure towards the effect leading to the decision (Sims, 2005). A person who lives in a society where people smoke cigarette would copy what he sees in his environment and may fail to identify any effects of smoking. Cognitive theory suggests that social learning is responsible for addictive behavior in drug consumption. Human development theories explain development stages of human being, how environmental factors, and biological factors influence human behavior (Niaura). Psychosocial theories of development argue that people ten d to learn from what they see in the environment. However, the interpretation of what they learn in the environment depends on the brain. Research on brain development indicates share chemicals with their parents at early stages of stages of development. The child would depend on the fluids from the mother. Scientists have observed drug addictive parents pass the chemicals responsible for drug addiction to their children during early stages of development. Exposure of fetus to chemicals influences brain development. Studies indicate that such children would crave for same drugs when they grow up. Human development theories tend to suggests two things that are responsible for drug addiction. First intrinsic factors influence biological functions of human brain, which has an influence on the kind of demand the body would make. Second environmental factors that a person learns would influence the cognitive thinking, which has an influence on drug taking behavior (Niaura). It is evident that early developmental stages of a person have a greater bearing to the life of that person at later stages. Children in abusive families will embrace what they see in their environment (Sims, 2005). It is arguable that by addressing environmental factors, which exposes an individual to drugs, would lead to a reduction in drug craving behavior. Psychologists have observed that children learn from what they observe in the society. In addition, children carry experiment on what they see, and make decisions after experimenting. Psychologists have observed that children do not have enough experience about what they see in the society. This explains why environmental factors influence attraction and addiction to drugs. Problem behavior theory relates human behavioral outcomes to environmental exposure. The concern of the theory explains behavioral outcomes such as deviancy, substance abuse, and risky sexual behavior. Research on problem behavior cites various factors affecting environment where a person lives. It argues that a perceived environment has distal social influence and proximal social influence (Pinel, 2009). It cites immediate family and its demand as factors that shape human behavior. In addition, the theory argues that peer groups and their demand may coerce an individual to acquire a behavior against his will. Human beings have the feeling that they should belong to a certain clique in the society. This argument explains why some people venture into drug abuse in the society. It is arguable that the group would influence individual choices by dictating problems behavior as their choice. Research attributes problem behavior among adolescent with substance abuse (Goldberg, 2009). Deviant behaviors displayed by many people indicate that they are prone to drug abuse. The research also suggests that drug addiction varies across ethnic diversity. This finding supports research finding on problem behavior which argued that the behavior various across ethnic diversity. In conclusion, theories explaining drug addiction identifies biological influences in human body and environmental issues as factor that influence human behavior. Biological theory asserts that human behavior depend on chemical responses, which influence thinking. The theory suggests that chemical responsible for various body functions influence drug addiction. Psychological theory, cognitive theory, and problem behavior theory suggests that environmental exposures plays a greater role influencing human reasoning. Evidently, drug abuse in the society depend on risks factors that exposes a person to drug consumption. Many decisions, which people make, come from the observations they make from the environment. References Goldberg, R. (2009). Drugs Across the Spectrum. New York: Cengage Learning. Niaura, Raymond. Cognitive social learning and related perspectives on drug craving. Web 26 Mar 2012 from http://people.uncw.edu/noeln/Articles/article%20for%20Gina.pdf Pinel, J. P. J. (2009). Biopsychology. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Sims, B. (2005). Substance abuse treatment with correctional clients: practical implications for institutional and community settings. London: Routledge. Read More