Prescription drug dependence: Prevention and Treatment. Most people who take pain medication as prescribed by doctors don't get addicted even after long periods of use. Fear of being addicted to drugs should not stop you seeking treatment for your pain. The flip side is that you could be more vulnerable if you have had a history with substance abuse.
Most medications work by stimulating dopamine's reward circuit in the brain. Dopamine reward loop surges encourage pleasure but not harmful behaviors, and encourage people back to do the same thing.
Why does some people become addicted to drugs while others can resist? There are many factors that will predict whether a person will develop an addiction to drugs. A variety of factors determine the likelihood that someone will develop an addiction. A person's predisposition to using drugs will increase the likelihood that they will become addicted.
Biology. The genes passed down from parents make up about half of an individual's risk for addiction. The likelihood of drug abuse is also affected by gender, ethnicity and other mental health issues.
Environment. Environment. A person's environment can have many effects. Some of these include the quality of their life, family, friends and economic standing. Peer pressure and early exposure to drug abuse, stress and parental supervision all play a major role in a person's likelihood of developing an addiction or engaging in drug use.
Addiction is defined as the inability to stop. Not when it jeopardises your health. Not when it causes you or your loved ones financial, emotional, or other troubles. Even if you wish to quit, the need to get and use drugs might consume you at all hours of the day.
Addiction differs from physical dependency and tolerance. Withdrawal symptoms occur when a drug is abruptly stopped in situations of physical dependency. Tolerance occurs when a substance's dosage becomes less effective over time.
Majority of drugs act on the brain's "reward system," which produces pleasure and releases dopamine. A healthy reward system can motivate people to take the necessary actions for survival. Dopamine spikes within the reward circuit are responsible to reinforcing dangerous, but enjoyable, behaviors like drug use. Therefore, people engage in the same behaviour again.
Avoid becoming addicted to pain relief drugs by following these steps: Always follow your doctor's orders when you use any drug. You or someone in your family have a history or addiction to drugs. Tell your doctor. They can then prescribe the best treatments.
It is normal for people to become addicted to pain medication. To provide the same pain relief, the dosage of the drug may need to be increased. This is perfectly normal, and it does not mean that you have an addiction problem. An addiction may require you to take greater doses. But this is not because you are suffering from pain. If you experience severe side effects, consult your doctor.
Get help immediately, and don't delay. Your doctor should be consulted if you feel your drug use is excessive or causing problems. Recovery from drug addiction may take time. There is no cure. However, treatment can help to quit using drugs and stay clean over the long-term. Talking to a professional, taking medication, or both, can all be therapies. Discuss your options with your healthcare provider to decide the best treatment for you.
There is no single factor that can be used to predict whether a person will develop a drug dependence. There are many variables that can affect the risk of developing an addictive behavior, such as genetic, environmental, or developmental factors. The higher likelihood that a person will become addicted to drugs, the more predisposed characteristics they have.
Addiction to drug use is treatable.
Another encouraging aspect is the fact that addiction and drug usage can be avoided. It falls to parents, teachers, doctors, and other professionals to teach young people about the dangers of addiction and how to prevent them from using drugs.