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The addictive nature of certain prescription drugs stems from their impact on the brain's ‘reward system’ . [13] Some addictive drugs stimulate the release of dopamine, a hormone associated with pleasure and happiness, reinforcing the desire for continued drug use. [14] A simple analogy of the 'brain reward' system
Having a lot of processed foods and unhealthy fats also raises the risk of weight gain, which can put “unnecessary strain” on your joints and muscles—and that can make pain worse, Williams says.
Opioids are a diverse class of moderate to strong painkillers, including oxycodone (commonly sold under the trade names OxyContin and Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco), and fentanyl (Abstral, Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora), which is a very strong painkiller that is synthesized to resemble other opiates such as opium-derived morphine and ...
Prescription drug addiction is the chronic, repeated use of a prescription drug in ways other than prescribed for, including using someone else’s prescription. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] A prescription drug is a pharmaceutical drug that may not be dispensed without a legal medical prescription .
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Since 2000, fatal overdose rates involving heroin and prescription painkillers have increased by 200 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 2013 to 2014 alone, the rates jumped by 14 percent.
[36] [56] [57] [58] Addiction involves the overstimulation of the brain's mesocorticolimbic reward circuit (reward system), essential for motivating behaviors linked to survival and reproductive fitness, like seeking food and sex. [59] This reward system encourages associative learning and goal-directed behavior.
There’s no single explanation for why addiction treatment is mired in a kind of scientific dark age, why addicts are denied the help that modern medicine can offer. Family doctors tend to see addicts as a nuisance or a liability and don’t want them crowding their waiting rooms. In American culture, self-help runs deep.