Alcoholism and drug addiction has already reached epidemic proportions in the 21st Century. One of the biggest misconceptions about addiction is that it only affects certain groups within society: for example that poor people from poor neighborhoods and ethnic minorities are more likely to be addicted to alcohol and drugs. The truth is however that addiction is blind to race, color and socio-economic background. Another fact is that drug and alcohol related crimes are increasing all over the world.
There are many reasons why a person might first try drugs. Some of these might include peer pressure from friends, stress and personality characteristics. People take drugs and alcohol because of the elevating or relaxing effects they have on the body otherwise people wouldn’t take them in the first place.
But as the person develops a habit, the chemistry of the brain starts to change and adapt, demanding more and more of the drug as it resists the discomfort of withdrawal. The person becomes an addict and the initial masons for taking the drug soon pale in significance as the need for drugs and or alcohol begins to dominate every aspect of the addict’s life. Addictions are lifelong illnesses that are very hard to treat. The disturbing fact is that 1/3rd of patients who do receive treatment usually relapse within one year.
Many scientists believe that addiction is related to our most basic instinct, survival. Since the beginning of time our brain has evolved to ensure the survival of our species. The brain controls behavior by rewarding actions that will ensure survival of the species. For example, the intake of nutrients such as sugars and fats activate taste receptors that in turn activate brain reward mechanisms. The activation of these mechanisms produces certain changes in the individual ranging from being in a much better mood to intense pleasure and euphoria. We are far more likely to continue to seek out and eat these nutrients because the brain rewards us for taking the nutrients into the body by releasing chemicals that make us feel good.
The problem lies in the fact that these reward systems do not only reward the intake of harmless substances such as sugars and fats. Some chemicals activate brain reward systems directly, bypassing the sensory receptors mediating natural rewards. Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine all activate brain reward mechanisms directly.
But other far more harmful drugs such as heroine, crack and cocaine are better at activating brain reward systems, producing a far more powerful effect compared to a feeling of calmness or relaxation after eating a good nutritious meal. The activation is much more intense causing the individual to crave the drug and to focus their activities around taking the drug. The ability of addictive drugs to strongly activate brain reward mechanisms and their ability to chemically alter the normal functioning of these systems can produce an addiction. However some people become addicted while others do not.
Many people drink alcohol or smoke cannabis or even cocaine and other illegal drugs but this does not necessarily make them addicts and not all addicts have the same intensity of addiction. It has been estimated that approximately 10% of any population of any country will tend to have an addictive nature and become addicts of some kind. It is true that though that some races, notably Native American Indians and Eskimos, do tend to have higher rates of addiction than others for reasons that are not fully understood. It is also true that people who become addicts may be highly intelligent and be extremely motivated but are unable to control their addiction. Addiction is by no means dependent on intelligence. Some of the most skilled and intelligent people might become addicts even though they are fully aware of the detrimental nature of continuing to take drugs or alcohol.
The fact is that still we do not know why some people become addicts and others do not although there are many theories that reason that some people simply have an “addictive personality type”—being far more susceptible to the reward mechanism that produces addiction—while others still believe that it is the addicts’ lack of will power to refrain from taking drugs or alcohol. The biggest killer though is a person’s denial of his or her condition, that they believe that they do not have a problem, do not seek help but instead continue the abuse until they have either lost everything or die as the body cannot cope and eventually shuts down.
1.In paragraph1, the word misconceptions is closest in meaning to（ ）.
2.According to the passage, who is most likely to become addicted to drugs and/or alcohol?
3.According to the author, most people first try drugs, and alcohol because（ ）.
4.According to the passage, why might there be a problem in the brain’s natural reward system?
5.In paragraph 7, the word intensity is closest in meaning to（ ）.
