Potentially addictive substances target brain's reward system. Your brain is inundated with dopamine. This creates a feeling of immense pleasure. The high can be maintained by continuing to take the drug.
Over time, your brain adjusts to the higher levels of dopamine. To achieve the same effect, you might need to take more medication. You may also find it less enjoyable to do things that you love, such as eating out and spending time with loved ones.
Addiction, abuse, and tolerance: A comparison Using any type of substance, legal, or illegal, in an improper manner is called drug abuse. Overdosing on medication or switching a person's prescription for you is considered drug abuse. If you want to feel good, relieve stress, or just ignore reality, you might use drugs. However, it is possible to alter your bad behaviors or quit completely.
Addiction is defined as the inability of stopping using. It is not recommended that you use it if it poses a risk to your health. You should not put yourself or those you care about in a financial or emotional bind. Many people wish to stop using drugs. However, many find that they are unable to do so because of their addiction.
At first, you may choose to take a drug because you like the way it makes you feel. You may think you can control how much and how often you use it. But over time, drugs change how your brain works. These physical changes can last a long time. They make you lose control and can lead to damaging behaviours.
Addiction vs. Abuse and Tolerance: Drug abuse is when you use legal or illicit substances in ways you shouldn’t. You might take more than the regular dose of pills or use someone else’s prescription. You may take drugs to feel good, reduce tension, or ignore reality. But usually, you’re able to change your unhealthy habits or stop using altogether.
One example is that you might become dependent on opioids to manage pain. This is not a reason to become addicted. In general, only a small fraction of individuals become addicted to drugs that have been prescribed by competent medical professionals.
Effect on Your Brain Your brain is programmed to encourage you to repeat positive experiences over and over again.
Long-term abuse can cause cognitive and behavioural problems. It can alter brain chemical systems and circuits. Long-term drug use is an addiction that many people continue to use, despite the obvious dangers.
Don't Wait; Get Help Now. If your drug use is out of control or causing problems, talk to your doctor. Getting well from drug addiction might take time. There’s no cure, but treatment can help you stop using drugs and stay drug-free. Your therapy may include counselling, drugs, or both. Talk to your doctor to figure out the best plan for you.
Is it possible to recover from or prevent drug addiction?
Similar to other chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease, drug addiction treatment seldom results in a full recovery. On the other hand, addiction is treatable, and its symptoms may be handled efficiently. People in the process of recovering an addiction will be susceptible to relapse for an extended period of time, if not for the remainder of their lives. It has been demonstrated that the combination of medicine and behavioural therapy offers the highest possibility of recovery for the majority of addicts. Continued abstinence is possible via the use of treatment techniques that are tailored to each patient's drug use history as well as any concurrent medical, mental, or social concerns.