Misconceptions about drug addiction are prevalent. Those who suffer from it are thought of as immoral, weak, or defective in some way, and are looked down on and dismissed. However, drug addiction is a disease that needs to be treated like any other disease. How people become addicted to drugs involves many factors, including physiological changes caused by the use of drugs.
Drug Addiction Defined
Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by persistent drug seeking, drug use that is hard to control, and continued use despite negative consequences. Initially, drug use is usually voluntary, but over time it causes changes in the brain that lead to addiction. Keep in mind that this is true even of legal drugs, such as prescription opioids and alcohol, so the initial voluntary use of the drugs may have been an innocent act.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease because the changes that are made by drugs in the brain are somewhat permanent, which means that relapse can happen. This is why recovery from drug addiction is a lifelong process.
Drugs and Brain Changes
So what exactly happens in the brain when you use drugs? Drugs affect the brain’s reward system and cause it to release a large amount of dopamine, which leads to the euphoric high. Over time, the brain comes to expect this release of dopamine, seeking to get back to the euphoric state. Essentially, the pleasure you feel is reinforcing the behavior of using drugs. Then with continued use of the drug, the brain adapts, needing more drugs to produce the same effect. Eventually, the addicted person has difficulty achieving pleasure from anything but drugs, even things that they used to enjoy.
After long term drug abuse, other negative effects occur on the brain affecting judgment, memory, decision making, and the ability to learn.
The good news is that after treatment and a period of sobriety, the brain can adapt back to some level of normal. Its ability to do this is called neuroplasticity. When this happens, over time, staying sober becomes easier, although a strong support network is still a necessity.
Why Doesn’t Everyone Develop an Addiction?
Not everyone who uses drugs become addicted. For example, many people drink alcohol, but do not develop an alcohol use disorder. No single cause for certain people developing addictions is known, but it seems to be influenced by a few factors, including:
- Genetics: Genetics seems to be responsible for about half of addiction development.
- Environment: Growing up in an environment where drug use is prevalent plays a role, as well as life experiences such as abuse, peer pressure, or being a product of poor parenting or poverty.
- Development: The earlier in life drugs are used, the more likely that the drug use will become an addiction. This is because the brain is still developing during childhood and the teenage years, meaning that they are still learning good judgement and decision making. Experimenting with drugs interrupts this development.
Treating Drug Addiction
While drug addiction is chronic and can’t be cured, it can be treated effectively, allowing the addicted person to live a full life. For some addictions, medication can be an effective treatment, either in the short term, or as a long-term maintenance solution. For example, opioid addiction may be treated with buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone.
However, medication is not a standalone treatment for any addiction and must be supplemented with intensive therapy and long-term support.
Several different types of therapies, either alone or in combination, have proven to be effective for drug addiction.
- Motivational Interviewing: The goal of motivational interviewing is to build your motivation to recover successfully. It involves setting goals, and determining what motivates you to achieve those goals, whether your health, your family, your career, or something else. Your motivation and goals are personal to you. This type of therapy is generally used first to increase your engagement during the rest of treatment.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is the most commonly used treatment for drug addiction. It focuses on changing your thought patterns by replacing irrational or negative thoughts with reasonable and positive thoughts. For example, you might find yourself thinking that you can just use your drug of choice one more time. You’ll learn to challenge that thought and come to a better conclusion like “I can’t control my drug use. I have to focus on treatment and staying clean.”
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT is very similar to CBT but focuses more on regulating emotions and behaviors. It also involves learning mindfulness techniques, such as meditation.
After treatment, it’s important to get continued support, which many people do by joining support groups or going to individual therapy regularly.
Preventing Drug Addiction
While it’s not possible to know who is likely to develop an addiction, drug use can be prevented with early education. Young people should learn early about the risks of drug use, and how it can affect their lives and health. Many programs aim to do this in schools, through community outreach, and with educational efforts focused on families. The media is also a powerful tool in youth education.
In Closing
Becoming addicted to drugs does not have one clear cause, nor does addiction have a cure, but it can be treated and even prevented with early outreach. If you have a problem with drugs, realize that you are not alone, that it doesn’t make you a bad person, and that you can overcome your addiction and live a healthy life. Health Service Alliance is here to help. We are dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized, and accessible care regardless of your ability to pay. Reach out today to learn more.
