On the origin of Addictions

Artificial Intelligence is a great example of how humanity has evolved in recent years, so much so that it makes us dizzy to see it.

However, can we say the same about the knowledge of the human mind? What to say about the treatment of mental health that now worries us so much? And what about addictions specifically?

Let's look at this last point in detail. Let's start by asking ourselves: Since when are addictions in our history?

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The origins of addiction

According to a study from Santa Fe College in Florida, an ancestor of Homo sapiens already consumed alcohol ten million years ago. It seems that the fermented fruits that fell from the trees reached a graduation similar to that of the wine.

There is archaeological evidence that suggests that coca leaves were chewed 8,000 years ago in Peru. And it seems that the Sumerians 7,000 years ago already consumed opium, which they named as the "pleasure plant".

It is true that substances like these were not only used for recreational purposes but also for medicinal purposes, and were even part of religious rituals. The point is that

drugs, legal or illegal, have always been present in the lives of human beings, even before we existed as such.

But why are some people more likely to abuse these substances? Is it really a disease? Is it genetics? Is it a solution to a problem of emotional discomfort?

• You may be interested in: "How does self-deception work in addictions?"

The concept of addiction is born

The definition of addiction as a physical and psychological disease given by the WHO is from 1956, relatively recent.

The great-granddaughter of revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky, Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the United States, He is very clear about his position: "Addiction is not a problem of the will, but a chronic disease that must be treated like any other." other".

It seems that less and less importance is given to aspects of genetics in terms of addictions and more value to experiencesespecially those that occur in childhood. Epigenetics, a discipline that has gained strength in recent years, corroborates this and Neuroscience, which does not stop growing, too. Anyone with addictions can tell you that at first consumption is sought for pleasure, without a doubt one of the most powerful forces that drive humans.

Then the intensity of that sensation decreases, until in the end the bad habit is maintained to avoid pain.

The relationship between dependency and emotions

The renowned Canadian doctor Gabor Mate, who for years ran a drug addiction center in Vancouver, goes in a different direction to the concept of disease, stating that: "Addiction is a response to emotional pain”. According to this author, the concept of chronic illness makes those who suffer from it feel bad, because let's not forget that it is something that he has caused himself and that he will also suffer throughout his life.

His posture is very different, perhaps more human, more empathetic. That is why he has become a worldwide reference. Guilt is the predominant emotion of these people, followed by shame and helplessness. for not being able to escape from that prison. Is it fair to blame them even more?

Gabor Mate does not hesitate to affirm that the real causes of addictions are not really being treated. He believes that the question we should be asking is not “why the addiction?” but "why the pain?" He says that all addiction has its origin in the traumas, being his role relieve the feeling of emptiness and give us a sense of connection with others.

Scientists around the world are already pointing in the same direction. One example is the psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, founder of the Massachusetts Trauma Center.

In his internationally successful book The body keeps score, affirms that the trauma is not only a fact of the past; but rather an imprint that was left in the mind, body and brain, with consequences so serious that they make it impossible to live in the present. In his words: “Is anyone surprised that people who have suffered trauma themselves cannot bear remember it and that they often resort to drugs, alcohol or self-mutilation to block out something so unbearable from know?"

The people affected by childhood traumas are much more numerous than we think and let us not ignore that many traumas are forgotten, repressed in the unconscious, for which they seek to be relieved of the worst shapes.

If society were capable of advancing in the awareness of how important childhood is, future generations may be guaranteed better emotional development. I don't think there is a greater act of preventing addiction than becoming aware of this reality.