Alcohol abuse thread

[Mr Brooksy]

Originally Posted by Express

I’m posting this in both the Ice and Alcohol threads for those who may have missed it.

For parents, family and friends who have loved ones that are suffering from addictions, Catalyst on the ABC tonight had a program on Oxytocin.

This is a chemical that is produced in the body that looks as though it may have great potential in treating social disorders such alcoholism and drug addictions.

And for those who believe addicts are responsible for their own addictions this study does not agree with you.

Catalyst presented a 20 minute story on how and why Oxytocin is produced in the body of very young children and the effects this has on addictions in later life.

For anyone interested you should be able to catch a repeat of it on the ABC’s iView.

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4402591.htm

So what I learnt from the story is that, Oxytocin directly injected into the brain (or the best transfer method they can find) is a very real and positive form of treatment for addictions such as alcoholism and drug abuse etc.

And the major root cause for a lack of production of Oxytocin in the brain is a lack of healthy and strong social interactions in a humans early development. I guess it would not be a stretch to also assume that negative social interactions and events can be a catalyst for damaging that development...

The science makes sense, and is the argument is completely plausible. I'm interested to know at what age and stages of development they are referring to as their references for social development? 0-4... 0-14... 0-20? I'm interested because I'd like to know at what stage the scientists are theorising leaves someone most vulnerable and helps drive them to addictive behaviours? And crucially for me, is it at an age where someone is totally reliant on a care giver, or does it extend to older teens and early young adults where our choices are the catalyst for our behaviours?

If the last min or so is any indication (the teenager needing a hug), then it seems to imply that it can be caused during any stage of the human brain development, which typically slows in a humans early 20s. Either, as a brain soaks up the world around them (typically from in utera to 14); or questions and explores the consequences of their decisions, upbringing and beliefs (typically between 14 and 20ish, depending on the person).

In essence, are we the victims of others peoples decisions that effect us, or do our decisions have a part to play in our condition?

I'm guessing both.