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Why isn't there a cure for drug addiction yet?

Dresden

Dresden

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Feb 2, 2010
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And I don't count rehabs or 12-step programs as cures, although they work for some people for some of the time. They say most people mature out of doing drugs on their own after a while, but I'm 37 and still getting high.

Also, do you regret ever trying drugs in the first place?
I don't regret trying illegal drugs, but it seems like every new drug I try just makes my drug addiction that much more powerful.
 
If you haven't taken a look at this thread then I would say give it a gander. If this theory of addiction is correct then it means that we have logged the use of certain drugs into our natural drives as something necessary for life and we now experience the almost overwhelming drive to use those drugs. I have quite a few ideas on this subject and will post a better response when time allows.



The Brain and Addiction (under construction)

Really good thread Idea thanks!
 
There isn't a cure for a addiction because it's a psychological and life long disease. You don't get cured. You work on recovery and you work hard. Addiction isn't something that just goes away. A true addict has reasons for his drug use. Often times these reasons require a great deal of work.

Look at depression, there isn't a cure for that is there? Addiction is very much the same. Some medications work for depression and some work for addiction. However, depression is a multifaceted issue that can be brought on by any number of things. Addiction is very similar in this respect.
 
neversickanymore said:
If you haven't taken a look at this thread then I would say give it a gander. If this theory of addiction is correct then it means that we have logged the use of certain drugs into our natural drives as something necessary for life and we now experience the almost overwhelming drive to use those drugs. I have quite a few ideas on this subject and will post a better response when time allows.



The Brain and Addiction (under construction)

Really good thread Idea thanks!
Click to expand...

im also starting to believe in this theory..way too many addicts have said that when they started taking their drug of choice, this feeling of normalcy came upon them, like they have never felt before..this is aside from the euphoria..also, upon further reading from a few neuro-scientists, it seems a percentage of us addicts are simply not able to feel pleasure like most normal folks, this is why we need drugs. ..i do know this, when i took my first drug, it simply opened up a whole new world to me..

also, i think, which goes along with my first paragraph in order to eliminate addiction, you would somehow have to get the drugs to stop working so well, ie making you feel better, faster, smarter, more motivated, empathetic, list goes on and on..i dont see that as being possible..
 
^ rite belfort.. I think that once it has been logged into the system it is probable and likely to be passed down from generation to generation. The genetic influence of addiction has been studied through identical twin studies who were separated at birth and really showed an amazing correlation. The scary thing is that the heavy use of a substance, even in a person with no apparent genetic predisposition, can still cause addiction. Since, as of now, we have no cure for addiction.. that means that we could be creating new addicts and their addiction looks clearly to be transferred to their children.. so in essence the amount of addicts in the world could be steadily rising as time goes on.
 
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Thats some deep thinking there, neversick. ;)

Good post. I feel fine doing drugs infrequently, but doing them daily is what I call a disease.
 
neversickanymore said:
^ rite belfort.. I think that once it has been logged into the system it is probable and likely to be passed down from generation to generation. The genetic influence of addiction has been studied through identical twin studies who were separated at birth and really showed an amazing correlation. The scary thing is that the heavy use of a substance, even in a person with no apparent genetic predisposition, can still cause addiction. Since, as of now, we have no cure for addiction.. that means that we could be creating new addicts and their addiction looks clearly to be transferred to their children.. so in essence the amount of addicts in the world could be steadily rising as time goes on.
Click to expand...

yes i do believe in a way we are creating more addicts..problem with curing addiction is you would have to find a way to hit the 'pleasure centers' in our brain without giving us euphoria...in essence you would have to basically just give addicts some type of maintenance drug that hit the reward centers yet didnt provide euphoria, so no abuse potential..this simply isnt possible though, not yet, i dont think it ever will be..

in that short video, meth provides a huge surge of pleasure, ok now what can a long term meth addict do when he/she gets clean in order to start feeling pleasure again?just live with anhedonia forever?
 
belfort said:
in that short video, meth provides a huge surge of pleasure, ok now what can a long term meth addict do when he/she gets clean in order to start feeling pleasure again?just live with anhedonia forever?
Click to expand...

I think that a clean addict has to live a life that facilitates as much dopamine as possible. exercise, sex, foods that are sweet salty or fattening, meditation, giving ourselves credit for everything we do, but the most powerful is to change the way we think we need to change our thinking so that we are always living the dream. We also need to show ourselves the joy in life. We need to work out our brains and do everything else we can to try and promote neuro regeneration and return the neuro chemicals to as near baseline as we can. healthy non chemical induced sleep.

Hey I thought the grey matter of ADD could chew on this....
 
^^if only it were that simple..before drugs i was an exercise freak, now i realize it had more to do with my addiction issues than wanting a 6 pack..plus, each addict is different and im not sure if anyone of us knows what 'normal' means..when u factor in depression, anxiety, motivation, other personality disorders, it becomes a big complicated mess..but yes, exercise is a must at least in my case..but even clean living doesnt help me feel pleasure the way a normal person would..
 
Is a complex mental disease, the same reason there isn't a "cure" for OCD, schizophrenia, anxiety, etc.

There is a combination of medication, lifestyle, and therapy, that may or may not work, it's not so black and white
 
^^will power does play a part in addiction and relapse and this is why i sometimes have a hard time calling addiction a disease as this gives many people a reason or excuse to relapse..how much are we truly in control of ourselves when we are addicts or former addicts?im lucky in that i never get cravings, i havent had a craving in many years but i have friends that get very strong cravings..so im lucky in that i dont get cravings but i do have lingering anhedonia ..
 
I think that everyone has their own individual cure, that's why there is no universal cure for drug addiction. Essentially, for an addict, drugs are probably some of the most pleasurable activities in their lives. In order to be "cured" of addiction, one must replace the joy and pleasure they receive from substances with some other more natural form of pleasure, like an active social/family life. It's different for everyone though, there is no one size fits all. Some may find it more pleasurable to accomplish some personal goals like finishing school or painting a good picture, or playing tennis.
 
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Allthough i believe there is a part of genetics in addictive behaviour and addicts, many people are addicts for different reasons, this is why therapy works the best in the long term, because yes you can substitute opiates with bupe or 'done or booze and cocaine with baclofene for instance, but these do not treat the core reasons of why we became addicts, and why in some cases we are still indulging in our addictive behaviour.

There is no "cure" for addiction because there is no single cause for addiction IMO... But therapy (often combined with medication at least at the begginning) would be the closest to treating the symptoms of this illness
 
Studies have found chemical compounds that can be used to subdue or even delete memories.Several studies have found chemical compounds that can be used to subdue or even delete memories in mice (and maybe someday in people). In June, a report led by an Emory University researcher showed that SR-8993, a drug that acts on the brain’s opioid receptors, can prevent a fear memory from forming. Researchers strapped mice to a wooden board for two hours—a stressful experience that later gave them a heightened sense of fear similar to PTSD. But mice given SR-8993 before or after the stressful incident were less likely to end up this way. Another study identified a drug, Latrunculin A, that can erase memories days later. The researchers trained rodents to consume methamphetamine in an environment with distinctive visual, tactile, and scent cues such as black walls, gridded floors, and the scent of vanilla or peppermint. Rodents that were injected with Latrunculin A two days later didn’t seek out meth when returned to that environment, but others did. Latrunculin A is known to mess up scaffolding that supports connections between neurons. Considering how broadly these two drugs affect the brain, there’s a possibility of serious side effects.

http://www.popsci.com/article/science/how-scientists-are-learning-shape-our-memory


This is really interesting
 
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