Alcohol Addiction: Response to Jessica Nawrocki

When a person uses an addictive substance, it causes different effects on different neurons and receptor sites in the brain. Depending on the substance it can cause different neurotransmitters to be inhibited or be in an excited state and produce more (Advokat, 2014).

In treating alcoholism, it is necessary to increase GABA activity in the brain. There also needed to be a reduction of glutamate activity in the brain as well. It takes both of these components to help break the addition to alcohol (Advokat, 2014).

Caffeine affects the adenosine receptors in the brain. Caffeine blocks the receptors, that creates a sense of wakefulness in the person (Advokat 2014).

To treat alcohol and caffeine additions it takes an antagonist flumazenil which is used for a sedation, a drug called gabapentin which is for Neurontin to help to reduce the cravings and an antihistamine agent hydroxyzine to help manage any of the withdrawal systems the person will exhibit (Advokat 2014).

Even though caffeine and alcohol have opposite effects on the body, they would not be good treatments for the each other. They both cause different  addictions in the brain. The adverse effects from each of these on the brain is not a form of treatment. To treat an addiction with another substance that could cause an addiction, has the potential to not be successful, and only cause another addiction (Advokat, 2014)

Resources

Advokat, C. D., Comaty, J. E., & Julien, R. M. (2014). Julien’s primer of drug action: A comprehensive guide to the actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs (13th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.