Emotional Regulation and Perceptual Motor Functioning in Opioid Addicts and Non-Opioid Individuals

Abstract

Today in the era of modernization and globalization there has been significant restructuring of the society norms; and major changes are being seen in our day-to-day life. Common issues in these days are increasing nuclear family life style and emphasizing on materialistic prospects. All these changes have their own pros and cons. Changing shades of life in the contemporary world gave way to idyllic as well as harmful life style in individuals. Working parents, increased use of virtual social media, irrational following of western culture and lack of supporting guidance from elders are making our youth isolated, negative and specifically prone to drug addiction. One of the modem world's evils is drug abuse and intensified addiction. Governments all over the world dispatch constant efforts to reduce the drug trafficking by enacting strict laws and enforcing the same. But the corruption of human resource is still high due to drug addictions and the positive potentials of individuals are stunted. One such which has rooted strongly, is Opioid Addiction and for sure it is a hindrance for the progress of youth as well as the nation.Opioid Addiction: Opioid Addiction is characterized by individual inability to stop using opiates like heroin, smack, dodhe, afeem, brown sugar etc. and also presence of strong desire to take such drugs. It is mainly used initially as experimenting and for the sake of pleasure; and later to relieve cravings. The pattem of addiction starts primarily from abuse, gradually moving towards dependence or craving and ending up engaged in compulsion. This compulsion is harmful to an individual in psychological and biological modalities as well. It has been reported by Kosten and George (2002) that brain abnormalities are resulted from the use of heroin, morphine derived drugs. As per International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-IO (2009) any three or more following signs must be present to diagnose opioid withdrawal state - (i) Craving for an opioid drug, (ii) Rhinorrhea or sneezing, (iii) Lacrimation, (iv) Muscle aches or cramps, (v) Abdominal cramps, (vi) Nausea or vomiting, (v) Diarrhea, (vi) Pupillary dilatation, (vii) recurrent chills, (viii) Tachycardia or hypertension, (ix) Yawning, and (x) restless sleep. Chronic use of opioids may lead to weight loss, loss of libido, epilepsy, fatigue and skin changes.These drugs are derived from opium poppy which can be abused by inhaling through nose, injected into a vein or smoked in a cigarette. It is strongly believed that these drugs create euphoria, a feeling of intense pleasure in an individual. As a result, individuals become dependent upon them and when they need more of the opioids to get desired effect, they tend to have 'High Tolerance', i.e., the expansion of threshold in consuming drugs. Its intoxication can cause confusion, hallucinations, provide analgesia by binding to specific receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and to a lesser degree, the peripheral nervous system. When the opioid binds to the appropriate receptor, transmission of pain impulses is inhibited. The three main classes of these opioid receptors that constitute the endogenous opioid system are referred to as mu, delta, and kappa. This system is involved in many functions including modulation of the response to painful stimuli and stressors; reward and reinforcement; and homeostatic adaptive functions such as regulation of food, water, and temperature (Hilaire, 2010).Causes of addiction There are many reasons that are responsible for drug abuse. Kreek (2012) suggested that the internal as well as external factors are responsible including stress, social setting and addict mindset. Now-a-days, the very first reason for addiction among youth can be logically identified as relationship problems or breakups. They are engaged in relationships and when they find difficult to maintain it or doesn't get attention from the partner they start engaging themselves in drugs. Instead of facing or solving the problems, they disengage themselves and seek pleasure from substances. …