Addicted to Drugs

Addicted to Drugs

Being addicted to drugs is a chronic condition that is characterized by using drugs compulsively, regardless of the harmful consequences. The addiction is considered a brain disease because the brain is changed by drug usage. The changes that are made in the brain can be lifelong and lead to behaviors that are harmful. When you are addicted to drugs, the functions of your brain are disrupted and, if left untreated, the preventable consequences can be lifelong.

Why Take Drugs?

There are many reasons people begin taking drugs:

• It makes them feel good: most drugs will provide the user an intense feeling of pleasure. This sense of euphoria is generally followed by other effects, depending on the drug being used. For example, opiates give a feeling of satisfaction and relaxation while cocaine gives the user increased energy and feelings of power and self-confidence after the initial high.
• It makes them feel better: many people who suffer from depression, stress, and anxiety began using drugs to help them feel less stress. Stress typically plays a major role in drug use.
• To perform better: some users feel pressured to improve their athletic or cognitive performance. For this reason, it typically starts as experimentation and eventually leads to drug abuse.
• Out of curiosity: youth are particularly vulnerable to trying drugs because of peer pressure. They begin experimenting with the risky behaviors to impress their friends or to claim their independence from their parents and society.

So, What’s the Problem?

You may ask yourself, if drugs can help people do or feel better, why is there a problem? When someone starts using drugs, they may see what they believe are positive effects. Most of them will believe that they can control their usage. Drugs, though, don’t take long to take over someone’s life. As a user continues to use drugs, other activities they have enjoyed in the past come less pleasurable. The drugs become necessary for them to feel like themselves. Even when being addicted to drugs causes problems in their life, they continue to do it. They also begin to build up a tolerance and need to take higher amounts of the drug more frequently to get the same feelings. These signs point to a drug addiction.

Even drugs that are considered moderate pose dangers. A social drinker can easily become intoxicated, take a drive, and in an instant, turn what was an enjoyable activity into something that becomes tragic.

Is Continued Use Voluntary?

The decision to start taking drugs initially is voluntary most of the time. As the user continues to use, though, their ability to control themselves and their usage becomes seriously impaired. When they are unable to control their usage, they are addicted to drugs. Studies on the brain have shown that addicted individuals have physical changes within their brain that control their behavior, learning, memory, decision-making, and judgment. The changes made in the brain affect how it works and can help explain the addict’s behaviors that are destructive and compulsive.

Conclusion

Though drug use may begin as a simple way to improve your life, it can quickly turn into something out of your control. If you find yourself in this situation, give Coastline Behavioral Health a call. We can walk beside you and help you discover ways to overcome your addiction.

Tags: Drug Addiction, Treatment Centers