Question

What are the physiological mechanisms that make people prone to addiction?

Answer 1

Reward pathways: The nucleus accumbens, which is located in the hypothalamus region of the brain is responsible for mediating rewards . When a reward is achieved through sex, food or other pleasurable activity, this region is filled with dopamine, which gives the feeling of pleasure to a person. People who have low levels of dopamine are more likely to abuse substance as they seek the pleasure which dopamine provides them. With continued use, tolerance builds up and people need more and more of the drug to feel the same pleasure.

Genes: Research has shown that children whose parents have addiction problem are prone develop addiction. No specific gene has been identified which causes this to happen, but addiction does tend to run in families.

Mental Illness: Patients with mental illness have a high likelihood of abusing substance. Mental illness could give rise to addiction, in other cases chronic addiction could lead to mental illness. In many disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia and mood disorders, substance abuse is very common.