Drug Addiction Argumentative Essay
Natalee Sweet
Comp. #1
Mr. Yates
7-22-2012
Argumentative Essay: Addiction is a choice Alcohol and illicit drug consumption are all too prevalent today in high schools, colleges, and all across the globe. Students seeking to fit in or forget about the repetitiveness of school and homework have a tendency to experiment. Drug addiction is known by the scientific community to be a psychological condition based on excessive, obsessive, and compulsive actions. Once that regular user crosses the line into addiction their only concern is their self and their life revolves around the getting, using, and finding ways and means to get and use more. Most people start using drugs and alcohol occasionally, which is a voluntary decision, however, the more they choose to use, the more they become addicted. As the addiction grows they become physically and emotional dependent on the substance; they become a compulsive user and their drug use gets out of control. Addiction is defined as a chronic relapsing of the brain that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. At this point, drug use does not produce a “high”; instead, the user keeps taking the drug to stave off painful withdrawal symptoms such as fever, cramps, violent nausea, and depression. Although there is much debate about addiction, the medical research proves that addiction is undisputedly caused by a psychological or neurological disease and through heredity. The long term chronic abuse of alcohol and drugs slowly begins to change the chemical makeup of the user’s brain. Permanent neurological changes begin to affect the brain as the person compulsively continues to abuse the substance. Those neurological changes in the brain have a major impact over a period of time, on the way the user thinks and acts. An addict’s thought process and behaviors have been altered by the long term abuse of the substance. Long term use causes disruption of the dopamine
Comp. #1
Mr. Yates
7-22-2012
Argumentative Essay: Addiction is a choice Alcohol and illicit drug consumption are all too prevalent today in high schools, colleges, and all across the globe. Students seeking to fit in or forget about the repetitiveness of school and homework have a tendency to experiment. Drug addiction is known by the scientific community to be a psychological condition based on excessive, obsessive, and compulsive actions. Once that regular user crosses the line into addiction their only concern is their self and their life revolves around the getting, using, and finding ways and means to get and use more. Most people start using drugs and alcohol occasionally, which is a voluntary decision, however, the more they choose to use, the more they become addicted. As the addiction grows they become physically and emotional dependent on the substance; they become a compulsive user and their drug use gets out of control. Addiction is defined as a chronic relapsing of the brain that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. At this point, drug use does not produce a “high”; instead, the user keeps taking the drug to stave off painful withdrawal symptoms such as fever, cramps, violent nausea, and depression. Although there is much debate about addiction, the medical research proves that addiction is undisputedly caused by a psychological or neurological disease and through heredity. The long term chronic abuse of alcohol and drugs slowly begins to change the chemical makeup of the user’s brain. Permanent neurological changes begin to affect the brain as the person compulsively continues to abuse the substance. Those neurological changes in the brain have a major impact over a period of time, on the way the user thinks and acts. An addict’s thought process and behaviors have been altered by the long term abuse of the substance. Long term use causes disruption of the dopamine