Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Why Do People Get Addicted To Drugs

Individualized Treatment Is Essential

Why Do People Get Addicted to Drugs and Alcohol?

The question of why some become addicted and others dont isnt easy to answer, because everyone develops an addiction differently. The most important thing to note is that professional help is essential for long-term recovery, and since no two individuals addictions are alike, no two individuals treatment plans should be the same.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration stresses that just as there is no single pathway to addiction, there is no single pathway to recovery. Regardless of why someone becomes addicted, an individualized treatment plan is essential for the best possible outcome of treatment.

NA/AA DISCLAIMER: This Site is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. The information on this Site is provided for informational purposes only. If there are any discrepancies of times, dates, or locations of meetings, please contact us so we can update the information as we strive to keep the information as current as possible.

Can Drug Addiction Be Cured Or Prevented

As with most other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, treatment for drug addiction generally isnt a cure. However, addiction is treatable and can be successfully managed. People who are recovering from an addiction will be at risk for relapse for years and possibly for their whole lives. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medicines with behavioral therapy ensures the best chance of success for most patients. Treatment approaches tailored to each patients drug use patterns and any co-occurring medical, mental, and social problems can lead to continued recovery.

More good news is that drug use and addiction are preventable. Results from NIDA-funded research have shown that prevention programs involving families, schools, communities, and the media are effective for preventing or reducing drug use and addiction. Although personal events and cultural factors affect drug use trends, when young people view drug use as harmful, they tend to decrease their drug taking. Therefore, education and outreach are key in helping people understand the possible risks of drug use. Teachers, parents, and health care providers have crucial roles in educating young people and preventing drug use and addiction.

They Do It To Relieve Stress

Stress is a part of everyday life. It can be anything from changing a tire to pressures at work. For an addict, stress, no matter how small, can fuel the desire to use drugs.

Drugs offer them an escape from their daily problems. Take alcohol, for example. Many people go to a bar and drink away the day.

Alcoholics do it even more so. Some are even so bad, they need alcohol just to function.

As is the case with self-medication, drugs make the problem worse. It also inhibits a users ability to handle stress sober.

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Who Is At Risk For Drug Addiction

Various risk factors can make you more likely to become addicted to drugs, including:

  • Your biology. People can react to drugs differently. Some people like the feeling the first time they try a drug and want more. Others hate how it feels and never try it again.
  • Mental health problems. People who have untreated mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are more likely to become addicted. This can happen because drug use and mental health problems affect the same parts of the brain. Also, people with these problems may use drugs to try to feel better.
  • Trouble at home. If your home is an unhappy place or was when you were growing up, you might be more likely to have a drug problem.
  • Trouble in school, at work, or with making friends. You might use drugs to get your mind off these problems.
  • Hanging around other people who use drugs. They might encourage you to try drugs.
  • Starting drug use when you’re young. When kids use drugs, it affects how their bodies and brains finish growing. This increases your chances of becoming addicted when you’re an adult.

What Happens To A Persons Brain When They Consume Drugs

Why do people get addicted to drugs?

Numerous drugs cause euphoria while also filling the brains reward circuit with dopamine. A fully functioning reward system encourages a person to repeat behaviors necessary for survival, like being with their family and eating. Dopamine spikes promote enjoyable but harmful behaviors like drug usage, causing individuals to repeat the activity.

The brain adjusts by lowering the capacity to react to drugs as they continue using them. This reduces the persons high compared to when they initially started using the medication, a phenomenon known as tolerance.

To attain the same high, they can consume more drugs. As a result of these brain changes, people are often unable to take pleasure from things they once enjoyed, such as activities with friends, sex, and meals.

Long-term use also affects other chemical processes and circuits in the brain, impacting activities such as:

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The Drugs Are Very Effective

Most addictive prescription drugs are usually potent and effective. For instance, a person recovering from a major surgery feels better shortly after taking opioid painkillers. This, in itself, can become the reason some people develop an addiction to prescription drugs.

You see, the intensity of the problem is significantly reduced not long after ingesting the medication. Therefore, the medicine becomes the go-to when the issue comes up whether its pain, stress, anxiety or depression.

This effectiveness can cause one to develop a dependence on the medication. As such, in a bid to deal with their condition or prevent a recurrence, people may reach out for the pill bottle more often than necessary. This results in prescription drug abuse and addiction.

How Addiction Gets Started

The reason that people engage in activity that can become addictive in the first place is to experiment, because of the social environment, or achieve a feeling of euphoria or to relieve an emotional state of dysphoria.

When people drink, take drugs, or participate in other reward-seeking behavior they experience a “high” that gives them the reward or relief they are seeking.

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What Does Addiction Do To The Brain

Addiction impacts the brain on many levels. The chemical compounds in Stimulants, Nicotine, Opioids, alcohol, and Sedatives enter the brain and bloodstream upon use. Once a chemical enters the brain, it can cause people to lose control of their impulses or crave a harmful substance.

When someone develops an addiction, the brain craves the reward of the substance. This is due to the intense stimulation of the brains reward system. In response, many users continue use of the substance this can lead to a host of euphoric feelings and strange behavioral traits. Long-term addiction can have severe outcomes, such as brain damage, and can even result in death.

Addiction & Causes

The risk factors for addiction include both genetics and lifestyle. Dr. Ashish Bhatt explains how the combination of influences and genetics can cause some to develop a substance use disorder earlier in life than others.

Getting Help For Drug Addiction

Why do we get addicted to drugs?

At the earliest stages of addiction treatment, a professional will conduct a thorough assessment to identify your current status, symptoms, and the most appropriate course of action to manage your recovery. An evaluation includes:8

  • A complete physical health and mental health history.
  • Information regarding the drug being used, such as:
  • The specific substance used.
  • The duration, rate, and dose of use.
  • If other drugs are used concurrently.
  • Previous treatment attempts.
  • Risk for violence or suicide.
  • Living situation.
  • Based on the information gathered during this assessment, you will be referred to a level of addiction treatment that best fits your condition.8

    At the outset of addiction treatment, many people require a period of professional detoxification to allow the body to readjust to the lack of the drug while under supervision.8 Professional detox is a necessary first step in treatment for many people getting sober, because quitting certain substances will bring about a range of distressing withdrawal symptoms that may venture into life-threatening territory.8

    Detox, and the treatments that follow, can occur in inpatient or outpatient settings:8

    Whether you think addiction is a disease or not, everyone can agree that addiction is a serious problem that adversely affects the lives of the people using substances as well as the people in their lives. The suffering that comes along with addiction can be immense, but treatment offers a ray of hope for the future.

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    The Challenges Of Chemical Dependency

    No matter how you come to abuse prescription drugs, the ultimate outcome is the same: chemical dependency. Chemical dependency occurs when your body thinks it needs drugs to function.

    If you suddenly stop using, your body reacts with powerful withdrawal symptoms that can send you back to abusing prescription drugs. Some of the most common symptoms of withdrawal include:

    • Feeling jittery, depressed, anxious, or angry.
    • Vomiting and diarrhea.

    Does Everyone Who Takes Drugs Become Addicted

    Not everyone who uses drugs becomes addicted. Everyone’s bodies and brains are different, so their reactions to drugs can also be different. Some people may become addicted quickly, or it may happen over time. Other people never become addicted. Whether or not someone becomes addicted depends on many factors. They include genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.

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    What Are The Treatments For Drug Addiction

    Treatments for drug addiction include counseling, medicines, or both. Research shows that combining medicines with counseling gives most people the best chance of success.

    The counseling may be individual, family, and/or group therapy. It can help you:

    • Understand why you got addicted
    • See how drugs changed your behavior
    • Learn how to deal with your problems so you won’t go back to using drugs
    • Learn to avoid places, people, and situations where you might be tempted to use drugs

    Medicines can help with the symptoms of withdrawal. For addiction to certain drugs, there are also medicines that can help you re-establish normal brain function and decrease your cravings.

    If you have a mental disorder along with an addiction, it is known as a dual diagnosis. It is important to treat both problems. This will increase your chance of success.

    If you have a severe addiction, you may need hospital-based or residential treatment. Residential treatment programs combine housing and treatment services.

    Withdrawal Inhibits Recovery From Heroin Addiction

    Reasons why people get addicted to drug abuse and what to ...

    Individuals who are dependent on heroin commonly take the drug to stave off uncomfortable heroin withdrawal symptoms. Rather than using the drug to get high, they take it to avoid feeling dope sick.

    Heroin withdrawal is rarely deadly, but its often described as the most miserable type of drug withdrawal. It lasts longer than withdrawal from cocaine and meth. Its shorter than alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal, but the physical symptoms of heroin withdrawal are often described as worse.

    Few people are capable of getting through heroin withdrawal without treatment. If they do, they often lack the tools and resources necessary for avoiding relapse.

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    Unresponsive Not Breathing And No Pulse: Bob Saget 911 Call Released

    In 1987, he landed his big break on Full House playing alongside friends John Stamos and Dave Coulier, whose impressive flatulence Saget regularly referenced in his memoir.

    Behind the scenes, the trio was always cracking raunchy, juvenile jokes and even raided the prop closet to do whippits while the crew filmed scenes for the birthday party of Michelle Tanner .

    I grabbed Dave and John and we went into the prop room backstage and locked the door I swung open the refrigerator, and behold! Six cans of whipped cream. Reddi-wip. Nitrous oxide is dangerous. Can cause brain damage Dave and John followed my lead and we inhaled the little bit of air still left in the cans that were meant for Michelles birthday cake scene. I guess we got high, dont think so though. It was hard to tell, cause we were in a hurry and whipped cream started squirting everywhere.

    But Saget wasnt really one for getting high. He admitted to trying cocaine, but wrote, Im anti-drugs, except the ones I take for cholesterol, anxiety, a sleep disorder and tranquilizing animals.

    In 1982, he married high school sweetheart Sherri Kramer and had three daughters, Jennifer, Aubrey and Lara. But the pair divorced in 1997, and he told Stern, We werent happy together. He added: The last couple years of our marriage, I was more of a flirter than Id ever been in my life it wasnt about me being famous, it was about me being an idiot.

    To this day, Im appreciative of his compassion.

    Kelly Rizzo: I Am Completely Shattered By Husband Bob Sagets Death

    TV writer Alan Zweibel first met Saget in 1986 while working on Its Garry Shandlings Show, noting he was very sensitive and ended every conversation with I love you.

    Saget loved his role on Full House. He loved every second of it because he got to be a dad, Zweibel told The Post. His email address was bobbydaddy.

    At the time of his death, Saget was doing a 22-city comedy tour.

    A devastated Gottfried spoke to his friend just a week ago.

    He certainly seemed happy. He was happy about going out on the road more and having a direct connection with the audience. He was happy with how the previous show went. We said, I love you.

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    Why Do We Get Addicted To Things

    17 October 17

    Think about an experience that makes you feel good. It could be successfully completing a project at work, eating a warm chocolate chip cookie or taking a swig of whiskey. It could be a puff of a cigarette or a shopping trip. A dose of Vicodin or a hit of heroin.

    Those experiences don’t automatically lead to addiction. So what makes a particular habit or substance an addiction? What propels some people to seek out these experiences, even if they are costly or detrimental to their health and relationships?

    “Addiction is a biopsychosocial disorder. It’s a combination of your genetics, your neurobiology and how that interacts with psychological and social factors,” said Maureen Boyle, a public health advisor and director of the science policy branch at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. That means it’s a lot like any other chronic disorder, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease. And just like other chronic diseases, addiction is both preventable and treatable, Boyle said, but added that if left untreated, it can last a lifetime.

    Beset By Family Tragedy

    Why do people get addicted to drugs or alcohol?

    Compassion was a virtue that also helped define Saget, whose family hardships and tragedies also influenced his work.

    At 21, he won a Student Academy Award for a black-and-white short, Through Adams Eyes, which followed his 7-year-old nephews facial reconstruction surgery.

    He lost his sister Andi at age 34 to a brain aneurysm. In 1994, sister Gay died, at age 44, from scleroderma, a rare disease that results in the hardening of body tissue.

    Two years later, he directed a television movie on ABC called For Hope about a woman stricken with the then-largely unknown disease in the prime of her life. It was loosely based on his familys experience and helped raise awareness of the destructive condition.

    He was on the board of directors at the Scleroderma Research Foundation and threw events that drew A-listers like Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Jimmy Fallon.

    That charity meant so much to him, and it was a beautiful event every year, said Ellin, whom Saget roasted for his 45th birthday.

    Saget also wrote that losing sisters and several uncles he told Stern that three of his uncles died of heart attacks before the age of 40 made him obsessed with death at a young age.

    As you now know, many of my relatives died young, he wrote, adding, I never pictured myself making it past my fifties.

    I know he was 65, but he just seemed so young, said Ellin.

    And though he shed much of his Danny Tanner-isms, he reprised his role in the 2016 Netflix reboot, Fuller House.

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    Today More Doctors Policymakers And Everyday Americans Are Embracing The Science Of Addiction

    Thats good news. But its important to remember that addiction has always been an illnesseven when our health care systems were most hostile to the idea, and even when the people American culture primarily associated with drugs and addiction were Black or Latinx Americans. Learn about the social impact of addiction in America.

    Injecting Snorting & Smoking Increase Addiction Risk

    Heroin is an opioid, and most opioids affect the brain in the same way. So why do many people say heroin is more addictive? Most people smoke, snort or shoot heroin. These methods of administration have more immediate effects on the brain than swallowing a drug, according to the Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah.

    Many prescription drugs have formulas that make pills difficult to crush and snort or to melt and inject. When a person swallows a pill, the medication goes through the stomach and liver, where its slowly absorbed into the bloodstream. The brain gradually feels the drug over time.

    But when a person smokes, injects or snorts a drug, it can reach the brain in seconds. The brain is more likely to become addicted to a drug when the full dose of the drug enters the brain all at once. Heroin is rarely swallowed in a pill, so its more likely to cause addiction because its almost always used in high-risk ways.

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    New Insights Into The Causes Of Addiction

    Addiction involves craving for something intensely, loss of control over its use, and continuing involvement with it despite adverse consequences. Addiction changes the brain, first by subverting the way it registers pleasure and then by corrupting other normal drives such as learning and motivation. Although breaking an addiction is tough, it can be done.

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