Effects Of Substance Dependence On A Person s Brain

Nearly everyone knows someone who is dependent upon drugs or alcohol. Substance dependence is an issue, with lifetime alcohol dependence from 2001-2002 in the United States alone being 12.5%, and lifetime drug dependence on drugs being 2.6%. (Fleury, Grenier, Bamvita, Perreault, and Caron 204). Risk for substance dependence varies from one person to another; there are so many factors that can influence it, including just personality and certain attitudes people have. The psychology of a person’s brain is so complex that it would be impossible to determine every single thing that affects a person’s risk for substance dependence. There are some factors, however, that can be studied and measured - and studies have been done on those factors†¦show more content†¦6). These studies show that although not everyone with a family history of substance dependence becomes an addict themselves, it does put them at a significantly greater risk of developing a dependence upon any type of substance they may abuse in their lifetime. â€Å"For the individual with a history of substance dependence in his or her family, even occasional or sporadic abuse should be viewed with more concern that if family substance dependence were not present† (Margolis and Zweben 67). Those with parents and grandparents that have had a substance addiction should be extra cautious when using drugs and alcohol, because it can affect them very differently. â€Å"Just trying it once† could turn into a lifetime reliance upon the substance. The biology of this is not fully understood though one hypothesis is that it has to do with having a fewer number of dopamine receptors in the brain, meaning they might not be absorbing as much dopamine as normal people do (Casey, Benkelfat, Cherkasova, Baker, Dagher, and Leyton 23). This may cause a desire to increase the amount of dopamine in the brain through certain types