Drug dependence

Drug Dependence

If you take an addictive drug repeatedly, over a long period of time, the drug becomes less and less effective, i.e. more of the drug is needed to produce the same effect as before. That is called drug tolerance. At the same time, a state develops in which stopping the drug actually causes illness. That is called drug dependence. Stopping suddenly results in a drug withdrawal sickness, that is eliminated by taking another dose of the same drug. Tolerance and dependence are narrowly interrelated, as dependence accompanies tolerance, and they both result from biochemical changes in the brain.

Effects of Drug Dependence

A drug takes effect as soon as it reaches the brain, where it acts on its receptors. In metabolic tolerance, the body adapts itself to a drug by developing an increased capacity to destroy it. Then a dose that was effective initially becomes less effective in time. Each repetition of the initial dose provides less and less drug for shorter times at the sites of action in the brain. Progressively higher doses are needed to produce the desired effect. Metabolic tolerance develops if a drug causes increased production of the very enzyme that destroys it.

Cellular tolerance results from fundamental changes in the brain itself. The neurons adapt to the drug, becoming less sensitive to it with continued exposure, so the dosage will have to be increased to fully obtain the original intensity of the drug effects. As the neurons continue to adapt to higher and higher drug doses, their function remains seemingly normal despite their being bathed in the drug. In this state, when the effect of a dose has just worn off, a considerable drug concentration remains, enough to have caused an extreme behavioral effect (possibly even death) originally. The apparent normality of the brain function masks an underlying neurochemical change that only becomes manifest if the drug is withdrawn. The brain has becomes dependent on the drug.

More recently identified is the learned tolerance, that is, drug tolerance related to behavioral conditioning processes. Here, tolerance can be demonstrated when a drug is administered in the context of usual predrug cues, but not in the context of alternative cues. This means that tolerance to a variety of effects of many drugs is environmentally specific, and that tolerance to the last of a series of drug administrations is more pronounced if this final administration occurs in the same environment as the prior drug administrations.

Drug Withdrawal

Dependence, which typically accompanies tolerance, can be observed in the absence of the drug that caused it. When an addictive drug is administered repeatedly at an interval that produces tolerance, the brain adapts to the presence of the drug (that is called neuroadaptation). Only when drug administration is suddenly stopped do brain disorders ensue, known as withdrawal or abstinence syndrome. The withdrawal symptoms are relieved by using the drug again, and that is what makes it hard for dependents to abstain, because they know that the drug will bring immediate relief.

Other prescription drugs with withdrawal symptoms and various side effects:

I) Lexapro is an antidepressive drug with a heavy withdrawal syndrome and various side effects.

II) Effexor /Effexor XR is an antidepressive drug with notable withdrawal symptoms and side effects.

III) Prozac is an antidepressive drug that comes bundled with a strong withdrawal syndrome and side effects.

IV) Paxil/ Paroxetine /Seroxat /Aropax /Pondera /Deroxat /Paroxat /Cebrilin is another antidepressive drug that presents some of the heaviest complications and drug´s side effects at the moment of withdrawal.

V) Zoloft presents such a strong withdrawal syndrome that it eclipses any side effects the drug may have.

VI) Diazepam marketed under brand names Valium, Stesolid, Seduxen, Bosaurin and Apozepam.

VII) Prolonged use of Melatonin causes dependence and consequently withdrawal at the hour of cessation of medication.

VIII) Vicodin, Anexsia, Anolor DH5, Bancap HC, Dolacet, Lorcet 10/650, Lorcet HD, Lorcet Plus, Lortab, Lortab 10, Lortab 5/500, Lortab 7.5/500, Lortab Elixir, Norco, T-Gesic, Vicodin, Vicodin ES, Vicodin HP, and Zydone is an analgesic with an opioide base(codeine) and causes a very pronounced addiction and the subsequent withdrawal not forgetting the side effects.

IX) Bupropion (amfebutamone) (brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban) is an antidepressant of the aminoketone class that causes various side effects and has a liability to be abused due to its addictive properties and thus causing withdrawal symptoms.

X) Alprazolam (comercialized under the trade name Xanax) is a short-acting drug in the benzodiazepine class used to treat anxiety disorders and as an adjunctive treatment for depression. It has a strong addictive component that implicates a high abuse and recreational use and abuse and in mixture with other drugs causes deep side effects. The withdrawal syndrome caused at the end of the medication period is so strong that it needs more medical help to beat the addiction.

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