NB: This may not be a word-for-word transcript.What Causes Addiction, and Why Is It So Hard to Treat?Judy GriselAs of 2021, more than 36 million people worldwide were estimated to be experiencing substance abuse disorder. This condition spans a spectrum of patterned drug use that causes issues in a person’s life. At the more severe end of the spectrum is substance addiction. To understand why some people are more susceptible to addiction and why it can be so difficult to treat, let’s take a look at how addictive drugs affect the body.When someone repeatedly uses an addictive substance, their brain may adjust to account for its regular presence. This is called tolerance; it diminishes the drug’s effect and means more is required to produce the same experience. Alcohol, for instance, increases the transmission of chemical messengers like endorphin and GABA, which promote sensations of pleasure and calmness. When someone uses alcohol frequently, their brain will adapt to its presen
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