Definition Drug Addiction
Definition Drug Addiction
Definition Drug Addiction
Defining drug addiction is often in the eyes of the beholder. If you are using a drug, let’s choose marijuana, you will never believe you’re drug addicted. If you have a son/daughter and you find a marijuana pipe in their room, you may be absolutely convinced that they’re drug addicted.
Generally, if we’re the one using, we NEVER believe we are or will become addicted. But if our loved one is using we’re more likely to assume they’re addict even if they only use occasionally./**/
So what is the Definition Drug Addiction?
According to Dictionary.com addiction is a noun defined as:
Addiction is ” the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.”
According to ASA (American Society of Addiction Medicine) the Definition Drug Addiction is as follows:
”Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations.
This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.
Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response.
Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.”
These are two good definitions and a few parts of the definition should be noted.
A Brain Disease
First and foremost drug addiction (be it alcohol, pot, heroin, cocaine, meth, etc.) is a brain disease. That means when you consume any “mood-altering” drug it actually changes your brain chemistry. Because it changes your brain chemistry most addicts loose the ability to stop using the drug and their personality changes sufficiently that they become different people.
The changes in the brain occur in reward, motivation and memory parts of the brain. That’s why, for example, a cocaine addict may completely loose all of their short term memory and never get it back.
Addiction leads to “diminished recognition of significant problems”
Any Definition Drug Addiction discusses the changes characterized by the addiction. Because key parts of the brain are altered the addicted is truly unable to realize that they have a problem.
Addiction changes the brain chemistry of the addict so that it diminishes the addict’s normal ability to recognize and resolve problems. This is the usual reason they continue to use no matter what the consequences are.
Addiction is a “chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission”
Addiction is CHRONIC, just like being obese or high cholesterol. It needs treatment and the addict is very likely to relapse multiple times during treatment. But as will trying to loose weight, just because the addict relapses doesn’t mean he/she are hopeless and can’t be helped.
There are many types of treatments and each addiction is unique. What works for one doesn’t work for someone else. Most addicts go through multiple treatment and rehab experiences before the shake the disease of addiction. This is normal, but the addict MUST keep trying, and the more family support they get the better.
“Addiction is PROGESSIVE!”
If you remember nothing else for this Definition Drug Addiction, remember that addiction is progressive. It continues to get worse and worse. If an addict/alcoholic has been drinking for twenty years, they have twenty years of damage to their body and a likely to begin to have MAJOR medical problems.
Addiction is also progressive in the sense that addicts tend to use more and more of a drug or multiple drugs over time. A person starts out using marijuana on the weekends and then to get a “better” high move to cocaine or prescription medications as the disease progresses.
Addiction causes ”premature death”
This is the part of drug/alcohol addiction that everyone seems to ignore. Addiction is FATAL, to causes death! It is not some benign problem that the kids will grow out of, or that just mom being mom.
You shouldn’t ignore it, dismiss it, make it excuses for it, enable it, rationalize it or support it in any other way.Like any terminal disease addiction much be treated and AA/NA/Alnon is a great place to begin.
For More about Definition Drug Addiction click here
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