What Causes Drug Addiction
What Causes Drug Addiction? There are several factors and causes to consider about drug addiction. First there is a genetic component, that is, what is passed on to you through your family.- If your blood relatives had a predisposition to become addicted, chances are you have that same tendency.- Personality contributes to drug addiction.- Peer pressure is huge, both for teenagers and adults alike.
Drug Addiction Changes the Brain Drug addiction occurs when the pathways in the brain, the brain’s communication system, are altered by repeated use of a substance. Some of the brain’s nerve cells, called neurons, use chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are released into the gaps, called synapses, between nerve cells.Take it to an extreme. There is normal brain chemistry activity, but when that activity is affected by the drug, the internal communication is altered, creating an otherwise abnormal affect.If you were to abuse the pain medication by going way over the prescribed limit and frequency, because you need that drug, you are becoming addicted.Addiction is a chronic condition, making the chances for relapse great. The drug takes over and the person loses control and will do anything to get the drug, regardless of the consequences.What might have started as a decision to use the drug for a proper, medical purpose now becomes a spiraling, out-of-control experience for the user. Otherwise intelligent, rational people lose their ability to make good decisions.The drug has taken over.What Causes Drug Addiction?… permanent changes in brain chemistry Because of the change in the brain’s chemistry and function, it’s very difficult for people who are addicted to stop using; that’s what is so difficult about drug addiction.Treatment centers around the country have found that a combination of medications, along with behavioral therapy is the most effective way of helping the patient manage the disease.Treatment centers will tailor-made a program to meet the needs of patients seeking help. We are body, mind and spirit. Medicine can effectively treat the body and the mind, but medicine alone does not treat the spirit. What Causes Drug Addiction? Relapse is common Are there going to be setbacks? Yes. Human beings make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean a person can’t get back on course. People who relapse need to be reinstated to the program, to get back to sanity and allow therapists to make necessary adjustments to their meds, or seek help in making modifications to their lifestyle. Perhaps an alternative treatment is called for. Again, everyone is different, and so treatment programs must meet the needs of the individual. The more you understand about drug addiction the more you realize why it is so difficult to treat.What are the signs of drug abuse or drug addiction? The symptoms vary. Perhaps it’s just trying something with friends at a party, or maybe a person hurts and they want to numb the pain. It can start most any way, and some drugs are more addictive than others, but once the progression reaches the point where a person needs the drugs because of a physical dependence and compulsively works to get them, regardless of the impact on their friends and family, their job and their community, that person’s life is out of control.Drug addition does not discriminate. It affects men and women of all ages; seniors, career-aged, young adults, teenagers and even children. The affects of drug and alcohol addiction impact all of society. For more what causes drug addiction link to About Drug Addiction
This site contains six MAIN pages that EVERYONE should read:
ABOUT…
Read these six pages and learn what you need to know to spot drug addiction in: Yourself… Your Family… Your Friends… Your Community…The rest of the pages are there for your reference to explain important topics in more detail.
Finally don’t miss the Spiritual and 12-step sections to fully explore how understanding THE SPIRIT can lead to recovery! 