Discussion

Pharmacokinetics Name Institution Course and Code Professor Date Pharmacokinetics Three Things Learned One thing that I learned is the concept of tolerance, illustrated by the story of King Mithridates VI and his practice of mithridatism. Throughout his life, he lived in constant fear of being poisoned. To protect himself, he gradually took increasing poison doses until he could tolerate large amounts without falling ill (Hancock & McKim, 2018). Tolerance refers to the decreased potency of a drug due to repeated administrations, leading to the need for higher doses to achieve the same effect. Understanding tolerance is crucial for addiction counselors because it helps explain why individuals may require increasing amounts of a substance to achieve the desired effect over time. Tolerance can develop through various mechanisms, such as pharmacokinetic tolerance, which involves changes in how the body metabolizes the drug, and pharmacodynamic tolerance, which involves adjustments made by the body to compensate for the drug's effects (Hancock & McKim, 2018). Another thing I learned is that the nervous system is made up of neurons and glial cells, with nearly 100 billion of each. Neurons are cells that process and convey information and are in charge of receiving sensory input, integrating and storing information, and controlling behavior (Hancock & McKim, 2018). On the other hand, Glial cells, initially thought to serve a structural role, play various crucial roles, including protecting neurons, supplying them with nutrients, and facilitating communication between neurons (Hancock & McKim, 2018). This complex cell network is reminiscent of the interconnectedness emphasized in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 12:12, where different parts work together for the functioning of the whole, much like the body of Christ (N...