Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a complex illness characterized by intense and, at times, uncontrollable craving for a drug, as well as compulsive drug seeking and use that persist even in the face of devastating consequences. The path to drug addiction begins with the voluntary act of taking drugs, but, over time, a person's ability to choose not to use the drug becomes compromised, and seeking and consuming the drug becomes compulsive. This behavior results largely from the effects of prolonged drug exposure on brain functioning. Addiction is a brain disease that affects multiple brain circuits, including those involved in reward and motivation, learning and memory, and inhibitory control over behavior.

Because drug abuse and addiction have so many dimensions and disrupt so many aspects of an individual's life, treatment is not simple. Effective treatment programs typically incorporate many components, each directed to a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences. Addiction treatment must help the individual stop using drugs, maintain a drug-free lifestyle, and achieve productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society. Because addiction is typically a chronic disease, people cannot simply stop using drugs for a few days and be cured. Most patients require long-term or repeated episodes of care to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained abstinence and recovery of their lives.

Drug addiction can be treated, but there is no cure. It is a long-term disease that people must learn to manage. Most treatment plans for addiction involve behavioral changes, cognitive therapy, and rehabilitation programs.

There are no specific causes of drug addiction. There is no way to accurately predict who will become dependent on the use of a drug.

Any substance or activity that is pleasurable can become an addiction by impacting the reward, motivation, and memory pathways of the brain.

People of all ages, life stages, and socioeconomic strata can be affected by addiction. A combination of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors likely contributes to and increases the risk of addiction. You are more likely to experience addiction if you:

• Have parents or older family members who suffer from addiction or are involved in criminal behavior
• Have friends who suffer from addiction
• Experience academic failures or have poor social skills
• Have unstable family relationships
• Have mental illness
• Experienced trauma or abuse

Reach out to a doctor, pharmacist, or counselor if you cannot stop using a drug despite the harm it causes. Call or text 988 for a crisis, and call 911 immediately for signs of overdose such as slow breathing or unresponsiveness.