personal growth paper
fadoo
UppersDownersAllArounders-8thEdition-CH7.pptx7.1 - There are many behaviors that stimulate the survival-reinforcement circuit of the brain and produce the cascade of dopamine similar to that of psychoactive drugs. Those with vulnerable brains that experience a greater stimulation of their survival-reinforcement circuit from behaviors like gambling or internet use suffer addiction as if they are using drugs like methamphetamine or cocaine when they participate in those behaviors.
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7.2 – More dopamine activity at the nucleus accumbens septi (go switch) and less activity at the orbitofrotal cortex (stop switch) occur in the brain of gamblers and sex addicts when they are involved in those behaviors; similar to what happens when cocaine is used by a cocaine addict.
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7.3 – Inhalants cause a wide variety of toxic effects on the body. For the most part people who use inhalants are young and poor. Those who use either live short lives or move on to less toxic substances.
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7.4 – Abuse of inhalant gasses to alter states of consciousness dates back thousands of years.
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7.5 - People who inhale substances under pressure can freeze their lung due to the intense cold. This lung damage can cause the onset of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD greatly diminishes the ability breathe and function normally.
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7.6 – Nitrous oxide in small can or even whipped cream containers continue to be diverted for use as a “cheap high”.
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7.7 - In professional sports the pressure is intense and their athletes abilities are so close that some teams or individuals look for an advantage including cheating. This is especially true in endurance sports where the use of EPO can overcome the buildup of lactic acid. In baseball or football it is the strength that they seek from steroids that gives them an edge.
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7.8 – although the abuse of performance-enhancing (ergogenic) drugs appears to be on the decline in men’s sports, many athletes have found newer synthetic ergogenic substances to use that are not yet detectable in urine or blood testing.
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7.9 – The safety of most newer synthetic performance-enhancing drugs has never been tested in humans. Those that have been tested are rife with physical and emotional side effects that sometimes take years to manifest.
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7.10 – Athletes like Lance Armstrong and Barry Bonds have never tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance though they have admitted to using newer legal and non-tested drugs to improve their performance.
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7.11 – Therapeutic drugs, like ergogenic drugs, have some major side-effects. They can be abused to allow athletes to perform before their injuries have healed putting them at risk for more serious injuries.
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7.12 - HGH has also been used to increase muscle mass in athletes who need more strength. For example weight lifting, hammer throw, shot put, baseball and football. Side effects from its abuse include heart problems, thyroid disease, pituitary tumors, impotency and even a decrease in lifespan by as much as 20 years.
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7.13 - Chewing tobacco was the preferred drug in baseball because it kept the players hands free, didn’t impede their lung capacity by inhaling it, and had the stimulating effects they needed to stay focused on their sport. Oral cancers and other tobacco related medical problems usually occur during retirement of tobacco chewing baseball players.
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7.14 - Many people who are gamblers also drink and smoke. Some people who are in recovery take up gambling as a recreation and find that it is as addictive of their drug of choice and may in fact be the reason for a relapse. “Using drugs” can be substitutes in the 20 questions of Gamblers Anonymous to make them applicable to alcohol, heroin, cocaine or any substance-use disorder.
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7.15 - Behavioral addictions are every bit as self destructive as psychoactive drugs. These addictions can also be associated with other codependency issues as well as mental illness.
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7.16 - The dopaminergic response is a cascade of neurochemicals that are interpreted by the brain to be conducive to survival. It feels so important to survival that the brain says “do this again, this is needed to live”. This is the response people get from psychoactive drugs or from food high in salt, sugar, and fat.
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7.17 – Over-eating disorders operate in a similar way to drug addiction. Anorexics, bulimics and compulsive overeaters all have inappropriate dopamine activity in their brains fooling them to continue their dangerous behaviors to survive.
Sometimes bulimics use syrup of ipecac to induce vomiting. Ipecac is syrup used to induce vomiting in case of accidental poisoning. This drug can cause heart damage with repeated use and is blamed for the death of Karen Carpenter in 1983.
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7.18 – Again, alcohol or drug can be substituted for eat or eating to see how similar compulsive overeating is to substance abuse.
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7.19 - Compulsive shoppers get their dopamine rush by purchasing things they don’t need with money they don’t have. Drug addicts get their dopamine rush by using drugs.
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7.20 - Sexual addiction has been defined as anyone who engage in persistent and escalating patterns of sexual behavior, acted out despite negative consequences to self and others. Inappropriate dopamine activity is seen with behavior addictions (sex, gambling, internet) similar to what occurs with drug addictions.
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7.21 - There have been documented cases of people who have gone several days without food or water while on-line gaming who have dropped over dead. The Korean government has banned the play of multi player on line game for six hours a night to protect people who would play around the clock. World of Warcraft, Farmville, Candy Crush and many other popular internet games as well as texting and internet surfing have all been associated with addictive behaviors in participants.
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