Physical Aspects to the Cause of Cravings
Paola Martinez | 23.11.2012 21:14 | Education | Birmingham

When addictive drugs are consumed, they bypass the normal functions of the body that would generate signals of pleasure after activities like sex, eating or other pleasurable actions. The chemicals in the drug trick the body into feeling pleasure
Physical Aspects to the Cause of Cravings

When addictive drugs are consumed, they bypass the normal functions of the body that would generate signals of pleasure after activities like sex, eating or other pleasurable actions. The chemicals in the drug trick the body into feeling pleasure - thus the euphoria and sense of well-being a person can get when they are high.
When a person has become addicted to drugs, the body gives over the production of certain hormones to the drugs and stops producing them itself. Thus a person can feel terrible when they stop using drugs - their bodies don't immediately start producing these hormones again. The addicted person may crave drugs to make this feeling go away.
Ref: Pain Medications
But there is another, far more significant and long-lasting cause of cravings.
Anything consumed by a person is broken down by the body so that the nutrients in the substance can be used or so that any toxins in the substance can be safely eliminated from the body. As drugs flow through the bloodstream and are filtered through the liver and other organs, these addictive chemicals are broken down and some are eliminated through urine, feces or sweat. These remnants of drugs are referred to as metabolites. This is what drug tests are looking for: what metabolites are left in a person's body after they consumed cocaine, heroin, marijuana, alcohol, OxyContin, etc.
Since drugs have an affinity for fats, some of the metabolites get lodged in fatty tissues of the body and don't get eliminated. Even thin people have some fatty tissue which may serve as cushioning between organs. These metabolites can and do stay in the body for years.
When a person experiences an intense emotion as in a fight or argument, or goes through a highly stressful physical activity, these metabolites can be released into the bloodstream. It has been found that at these times, it is very common for a person to crave drugs.
Some rehabilitation programs tell you to handle these moments by calling for someone to support you. Others may have you practice how you will deal with these strong cravings when they hit. Or the cravings can be medicated away by substituting another drug such as an opioid or a benzodiazepine so the cravings won't be felt so strongly.
A thorough recovery from drugs that leaves a person free from cravings would enable a person to live a drug-free life with much less effort. He would be free to create a future without needing to constantly guard against daily cravings. She would not need constant supervision to be sure she could stay sober. It's a better kind of recovery and is the one offered at a Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. For more information go to www.drugfreeworld.org
For more information visit the Foundation’s website- www.drugfreeworld.org. Knowledge is powerful.
And for the person with a drug problem, there are real solutions to addiction. Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program that utilizes the methods of L. Ron Hubbard, has a success rate of more than 75% (www.narconon.org)

When addictive drugs are consumed, they bypass the normal functions of the body that would generate signals of pleasure after activities like sex, eating or other pleasurable actions. The chemicals in the drug trick the body into feeling pleasure - thus the euphoria and sense of well-being a person can get when they are high.
When a person has become addicted to drugs, the body gives over the production of certain hormones to the drugs and stops producing them itself. Thus a person can feel terrible when they stop using drugs - their bodies don't immediately start producing these hormones again. The addicted person may crave drugs to make this feeling go away.
Ref: Pain Medications
But there is another, far more significant and long-lasting cause of cravings.
Anything consumed by a person is broken down by the body so that the nutrients in the substance can be used or so that any toxins in the substance can be safely eliminated from the body. As drugs flow through the bloodstream and are filtered through the liver and other organs, these addictive chemicals are broken down and some are eliminated through urine, feces or sweat. These remnants of drugs are referred to as metabolites. This is what drug tests are looking for: what metabolites are left in a person's body after they consumed cocaine, heroin, marijuana, alcohol, OxyContin, etc.
Since drugs have an affinity for fats, some of the metabolites get lodged in fatty tissues of the body and don't get eliminated. Even thin people have some fatty tissue which may serve as cushioning between organs. These metabolites can and do stay in the body for years.
When a person experiences an intense emotion as in a fight or argument, or goes through a highly stressful physical activity, these metabolites can be released into the bloodstream. It has been found that at these times, it is very common for a person to crave drugs.
Some rehabilitation programs tell you to handle these moments by calling for someone to support you. Others may have you practice how you will deal with these strong cravings when they hit. Or the cravings can be medicated away by substituting another drug such as an opioid or a benzodiazepine so the cravings won't be felt so strongly.
A thorough recovery from drugs that leaves a person free from cravings would enable a person to live a drug-free life with much less effort. He would be free to create a future without needing to constantly guard against daily cravings. She would not need constant supervision to be sure she could stay sober. It's a better kind of recovery and is the one offered at a Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. For more information go to www.drugfreeworld.org
For more information visit the Foundation’s website- www.drugfreeworld.org. Knowledge is powerful.
And for the person with a drug problem, there are real solutions to addiction. Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program that utilizes the methods of L. Ron Hubbard, has a success rate of more than 75% (www.narconon.org)
Paola Martinez
