Study Links Stress and Genetics to Opioid Addiction

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Opioid addiction has increased to epidemic levels over the course of the last decade. Treatment and therapeutic interventions, however, haven’t developed in the same rate. Treatment options remain limited and inaccessible. Rehab Near Me is dedicated to helping families get their loved ones back, free from addiction.

One of the ways to develop a solid plan against the opioid epidemic is to spread awareness about the problem—help individuals by learning more about addiction as a medical condition. There is a stigma that addiction is simply a moral failure, and that is one of the obstacles keeping patients from receiving proper treatment.

But one study reinforces the fact that opioid addiction, like all other types of addiction, has genetic and environmental components. By understanding the triggers for the development of addiction, more targeted prevention and treatment methods can be employed.

A recent study published in the scientific journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) revealed that there are genetic factors associated with opioid abuse.

Researchers in the field of neuropsychiatry set out to discover whether or not some people are more vulnerable to addiction based on certain factors. As in most cases of psychiatric disorders, genetic and environmental factors do interact to determine how likely to develop substance use disorder a person is.

Opioids and other drugs of abuse affect the brain’s reward system while also blocking pain signals. It makes people feel good by releasing euphoric sensations. The brain’s reward center transfers signals using a neurotransmitter called dopamine. However, the function of this system is affected by genetic and environmental factors.

According to the PNAS study, a type of small infectious agent integrates within a gene that regulates the activity of dopamine. This integration is frequently found in people with substance use disorders, as well as those with drug addiction and dependence. This infectious agent is a type of RNA virus called human endogenous retrovirus-K HML-2, or HK2.

Stress and the Environmental Factors that Cause Addiction can be closer than one thinks.

Genetics can make a person susceptible to drug use disorder, but the same can be said about environmental factors like stress. Excessive stress can induce epigenetic changes that can trigger the development of certain psychiatric disorders and also drug addiction.

These epigenetic changes refer to regulations of gene expression that do not involve alterations in the sequence of the genetic material, or DNA, itself.

Epigenetic changes can, therefore, be considered added information that affects that existing genetic material. This can affect the expression of genes.

Stressful situations are very common, but some are more impactful than others. The death of a significant other or losing a job, or any major life change can trigger the release of steroid hormones that are called glucocorticoids. The stress hormones trigger alterations in many different systems within the body, inducing epigenetic changes.

Eventually, this affects the reward center of the brain, triggering the development of addiction. In others, stress can induce a relapse in drug or alcohol while in recovery.

It is therefore important to give importance to the role of stress reduction and stress management when it comes to treating addiction in the long term. Patients should go through behavioral therapy to help them cope with major life changes and the stress that these events cause.

The negative effects of stress can be alleviated by other factors such as physical activity or social support. Many drug rehab facilities are taking this into consideration when formulating a treatment program that is suitable to their patients.

If someone in the family is struggling with opioid addiction, it is important to seek help. A combination of medical detox and behavioral therapy can go a long way in the fight against drug abuse. But because every individual is affected by addiction differently, a comprehensive program tailored to their specific needs is necessary. Look for a addiction treatment facility today and find out how drug treatment programs work.