problems canweaken our resolve to deal with other issues (such as drug use) in our lives. They can distract and exhaust us, and possibly lead to self-medicating, which might be problematic. Although treating our ills is, of course, important, a doctor’s involvement is often needed, particularly when abusable drugs are involved.
Temperament and Personality Traits
Many studies show a correlation between personal temperament and drug use. For example, impulsivity, physical activity level, having difficulty sitting still, and the tendency to become emotionally upset have been correlated with higher drug use. On the other hand, having a more positive mood and a desire to be around people have been
negatively
correlated with drug use. Often, personality traits in
adolescence
correlate with higher drug use as
adults
. This is clearly an important topic and an active area of research.
Availability of Drugs
Availability of drugs is obviously a major factor in becoming a drug user. If drugs were not available, then there would be no users. But, drugs are available in many places, and staying away from drugs is essential for recovering addicts (and everyone else, of course). For example, Alcoholics Anonymous focuses on staying away from alcohol and provides a support system for doing so. Availability can have a marked and destructive effect on an entire community.
Kids, Teenagers, and Adults
Adolescents are a special case. Being exposed to drug use or participating in drug use at an early age has an impact on drug use later in life. Figure 8-3 shows that there is a relationship between the age at which drugs are first used and the likelihood that the same person will become drug dependent at some later time in his or her life.
Figure 8-3. Adolescent drug use increases the likelihood of drug dependence later in life. (Reprinted from
Journal of Substance Abuse
, Vol. 10, Bridget F. Grant and Deborah A. Dawson, “Age of onset of drug use and its association with DSM-IV drug abuse and dependence: Results from the national longitudinal alcohol epidemiological survey,” pp. 163-173, Copyright (1998), with permission from Elsevier.)
The data shows that when drugs are used before about 17 years of age, the likelihood of dependence at some time later in life rises dramatically.
There is plenty of physiologic evidence that the adolescent brain can be more responsive to drugs than adult brains. For example, dopamine neurons (which many drugs affect) in the adolescent rat are more sensitive to stimulation than those in adult rats (see Figure 8-4 ). The young neurons are different; their response to a particular stimulus is greater than that of an older neuron.
Figure 8-4. Dopamine neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) in young mice are more responsive than those in adult mice. The dopamine neurons in the VTA, in a slice of mouse brain, were stimulated for 2 seconds (shown by elevated line on bottom trace) and the elicited action potentials were recorded. An individual action potential is shown as an upward line rising sharply from the baseline. There are many more action potentials in young neurons than in adult neurons. Young dopamine neurons are capable of responding more than adult neurons to the same stimulus. The VTA is a region containing dopamine cell bodies that is relevant to developing addiction. (Reprinted from
Biochemical Pharmacology
, Vol. 78, Andon N. Placzek, Tao A. Zhang, and John A. Dani, “Age dependent nicotinic influences over dopamine neuron synaptic plasticity,” pp. 686-692, Copyright (2009), with permission from Elsevier.)
This is definitely a message for parents and communities, and it makes young people an important target for prevention efforts.
Drugs Impair Our Judgment and Perpetuate Drug Use
In many ways, drug abusers are among the least capable of stopping drug use. As they become intoxicated, their normal, cognitive and self-regulating abilities become compromised. For example, as they become
Temperament and Personality Traits
Many studies show a correlation between personal temperament and drug use. For example, impulsivity, physical activity level, having difficulty sitting still, and the tendency to become emotionally upset have been correlated with higher drug use. On the other hand, having a more positive mood and a desire to be around people have been
negatively
correlated with drug use. Often, personality traits in
adolescence
correlate with higher drug use as
adults
. This is clearly an important topic and an active area of research.
Availability of Drugs
Availability of drugs is obviously a major factor in becoming a drug user. If drugs were not available, then there would be no users. But, drugs are available in many places, and staying away from drugs is essential for recovering addicts (and everyone else, of course). For example, Alcoholics Anonymous focuses on staying away from alcohol and provides a support system for doing so. Availability can have a marked and destructive effect on an entire community.
Kids, Teenagers, and Adults
Adolescents are a special case. Being exposed to drug use or participating in drug use at an early age has an impact on drug use later in life. Figure 8-3 shows that there is a relationship between the age at which drugs are first used and the likelihood that the same person will become drug dependent at some later time in his or her life.
Figure 8-3. Adolescent drug use increases the likelihood of drug dependence later in life. (Reprinted from
Journal of Substance Abuse
, Vol. 10, Bridget F. Grant and Deborah A. Dawson, “Age of onset of drug use and its association with DSM-IV drug abuse and dependence: Results from the national longitudinal alcohol epidemiological survey,” pp. 163-173, Copyright (1998), with permission from Elsevier.)
The data shows that when drugs are used before about 17 years of age, the likelihood of dependence at some time later in life rises dramatically.
There is plenty of physiologic evidence that the adolescent brain can be more responsive to drugs than adult brains. For example, dopamine neurons (which many drugs affect) in the adolescent rat are more sensitive to stimulation than those in adult rats (see Figure 8-4 ). The young neurons are different; their response to a particular stimulus is greater than that of an older neuron.
Figure 8-4. Dopamine neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) in young mice are more responsive than those in adult mice. The dopamine neurons in the VTA, in a slice of mouse brain, were stimulated for 2 seconds (shown by elevated line on bottom trace) and the elicited action potentials were recorded. An individual action potential is shown as an upward line rising sharply from the baseline. There are many more action potentials in young neurons than in adult neurons. Young dopamine neurons are capable of responding more than adult neurons to the same stimulus. The VTA is a region containing dopamine cell bodies that is relevant to developing addiction. (Reprinted from
Biochemical Pharmacology
, Vol. 78, Andon N. Placzek, Tao A. Zhang, and John A. Dani, “Age dependent nicotinic influences over dopamine neuron synaptic plasticity,” pp. 686-692, Copyright (2009), with permission from Elsevier.)
This is definitely a message for parents and communities, and it makes young people an important target for prevention efforts.
Drugs Impair Our Judgment and Perpetuate Drug Use
In many ways, drug abusers are among the least capable of stopping drug use. As they become intoxicated, their normal, cognitive and self-regulating abilities become compromised. For example, as they become
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