What We All Need to Know About Drug Addiction
It is painfully obvious that drug addiction can wreak significant devastation on the lives of afflicted individuals and those who care or depend upon them. But any implications that all addicts “choose” to pursue personal destruction demonstrate a fundamental understanding of the insidious nature of addiction.
Drug addiction and alcoholism are complex disorders that are characterized by an often uncontrollable compulsion to acquire and use substances. The National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA) describes addiction as “a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences to the individual who is addicted and to those around them.”
Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain.
Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person’s self control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time send intense impulses to take drugs. (NIDA InfoFacts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction)
In other words, the vast majority of individuals who eventually become addicted to drugs have no intention of damaging either themselves or others. But the nature of addiction leads to a loss of control and, in many cases, a series of what may be best described as cataclysmic consequences.
People start using drugs for a number of reasons, including curiosity, an attempt to numb themselves to emotional or physical pain, and peer pressure. The problem, of course, is that using the drugs eventually exacerbates the underlying conditions that the user was initially hoping to bring under control. As tolerance, dependency, and addiction begin to take over, the user loses control over the behavior, leading to continued negative effects.
This vicious cycle is often associated with diminished physical and mental health, damage to social and professional relationships, and poor performance at work or in school. It is no exaggeration to state that the compulsion to use drugs can take over an individual's life.
Because addiction is such a complex condition that impacts so many aspects of an individual's life, treatment often requires a multidimensional approach designed to help the patient achieve and maintain a drug-free lifestyle while becoming a productive member of society. Effective drug abuse and addiction treatment programs typically incorporate many components, each focused on a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences.
Because addiction is a chronic disorder, the ultimate goal of lifelong sobriety often requires sustained and repeated treatment.
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