Christine Peacock
It’s February. That means it’s Black History Month. We all also know that Valentine’s Day is in this month too. It’s a time to care about loved ones, maybe romantically, but in my interpretation of the holiday, Valentine’s Day is a reminder that we should care about other people too, maybe people you’ve never met, and consider what they are going through. It is a time to connect with other people and the challenges that they may be facing, including addiction.
Addiction, to start off, is a brain disease caused by brain circuits that get in a cycle of craving. A person is unable to stop trying to get a pleasurable feeling, like the sensation of using drugs or alcohol.
The cycle of addiction begins when someone takes in nicotine, a drug found in vapes and cigarettes. The nicotine stimulates the brain, and the reward center of the brain releases a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is linked with positive emotions and experiences. That’s why teens get high when they get a hit of a vape. This feel-good sensation is so strong that it makes teens want to achieve it over and over again. When they can’t stop, they develop an addiction.
What are some changes that are happening to the brain? Firstly, neuron cells lose their dopamine receptors, making it difficult for them to communicate with each other. Secondly, as a teen vapes more and more, the reward center produces less and less dopamine, making it more difficult for them to achieve that positive reward of vaping. People can even go into withdrawal, which is a negative stage of emotions. Some symptoms include nausea and irritability. When they go into withdrawal, they want to get out of that stressful situation and vape, hoping to get a good brain boost.
What are some causes of addiction? Addiction can actually be inherited. If the parents are addicted to drugs, it is more likely that their children will be addicted. Next, strong drugs can cause addiction off of one hit. Another possible cause is if someone vaped at a young age. When someone is in their teenage years, their brain undergoes a lot of healthy changes. Some of these normal changes include the brain getting rid of unused nerve cells responsible for thoughts and emotions. These cells are referred to as gray matter. Additionally, the brain increases white matter. Using drugs alters these normal changes. A disruption to the changes in the gray and white matter makes it especially hard for teens to decline vaping or smoking.
Lastly, why would someone want to partake in using harmful substances? Some explanations are coping with stress, enhancing mood, fitting in, or socializing.
It certainly is astonishing to realize the effects of vaping or smoking on someone’s mind. It harms their physical state and makes them even more susceptible to stress. This past Monday was Valentine’s Day. Use that as a reminder to not only connect with close loved ones, but to reach out to others, and listen to them. Perhaps they’re going through something stressful in their lives and want to turn to vaping. Convince them otherwise and be there for them.
