Understanding Drug Abuse & Addiction
People experiment with drugs for many different reasons. Many first try drugs out of curiosity, to have a good time, because friends are doing it, or in an effort to improve athletic performance or ease another problem, such as stress, anxiety, or depression.
Use doesn’t automatically lead to abuse, and there is no specific level at which drug use moves from casual to problematic. It varies by individual. Drug abuse and addiction are less about the amount of substance consumed or the frequency, and more to do with the consequences of drug use.
No matter how often or how little you’re consuming, if your drug use is causing problems in your life—at work, school, home, or in your relationships—you likely have a drug abuse or addiction problem.
Why do some drug users become addicted, while others don’t?
As with many other conditions and diseases, vulnerability to addiction differs from person to person. Your genes, mental health, family, and social environment all play a role in addiction. Risk factors that increase your vulnerability include:
- Family history of addiction
- Abuse
- Neglect or other traumatic experiences in childhood
- Mental disorders such as depression and anxiety
- Early use of drugs
- Method of administration—smoking or injecting a drug may increase its addictive potential
- Drug addiction and the brain
Addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use. While each drug produces different physical effects, all abused substances share one thing in common: repeated use can alter the way the brain looks and functions.
Taking a recreational drug causes a surge in levels of dopamine in your brain, which triggers feelings of pleasure. Your brain remembers these feelings and wants them
repeated.
If you become addicted, the substance takes on the same significance as other survival behaviors, such as eating and drinking. Changes in your brain interfere with your ability to think clearly, exercise good judgment, control your behavior and feel normal without drugs.
Whether you’re addicted to illegal drugs, prescription drugs, inhalants, or alcohol. The uncontrollable craving to use grows more important than anything else in your life, including family, friends, career, and even your own health and happiness.
The urge to use is so strong that your mind finds many ways to deny or rationalize the addiction. You may drastically underestimate the number of drugs you’re taking, how much it impacts your life, and the level of control you have over your drug use.
At ARCA Rehabs we understand addiction.
To find out more about addiction and the various addiction treatments available contact Arca JHB in Johannesburg or ARCA Durban for assistance related to any form of addiction.