What is a Drug Addiction?

Addiction is a chronic disease that requires high-quality medical treatment to give you a chance to overcome it.

Like cancer or heart disease, genetic factors, environmental factors, and chance combine to put you at risk for developing this condition. Drugs take effect directly on your brain, meaning dependence on substances can cause serious lapses in judgment and even prevent you from realizing the extent of your problem. Accepting that you need help is the first step along the journey to recovery. To do this, you may need to gain a more complete understanding of what addiction is.

There are several ways that people fall victim to drug use. You may have started off using a substance recreationally, to feel more comfortable in social situations or to relax and unwind. In other cases, especially with prescription opioids or benzodiazepines, you may have initially received a prescription painkiller by a doctor. Addiction usually occurs when you particularly enjoy the feeling a drug gives you and find yourself seeking out that sensation with increasing frequency.

For some, it may have started as a response to peer pressure or by copying behaviors in your family. After using drugs a few times, you begin to enjoy the sensation so much you can’t seem to go without it. The consequences of using are usually diminished by the fact you’ve seen the people around you taking drugs.

The Stigma

Drug addiction is frightening for people who are going through it. With old-fashioned opinions of what addiction means still prevailing, you may feel like there is no hope. It’s easy to feel like you’re to blame, or the problem has come about because you’re weak or fulfill a certain stereotype. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Addiction is a chronic disease that requires high-quality medical treatment to give you a chance to overcome it.

Like cancer or heart disease, genetic factors, environmental factors, and chance combine to put you at risk for developing this condition. Drugs take effect directly on your brain, meaning dependence on substances can cause serious lapses in judgment and even prevent you from realizing the extent of your problem. Accepting that you need help is the first step along the journey to recovery. To do this, you may need to gain a more complete understanding of what addiction is.

If you or a loved one need help to overcome drug addiction please call 330-953-3300 or click here to contact us.

What Is Drug Addiction?

There are several ways that people fall victim to drug use. You may have started off using a substance recreationally, to feel more comfortable in social situations or to relax and unwind. In other cases, especially with prescription opioids or benzodiazepines, you may have initially received a prescription painkiller by a doctor. Addiction usually occurs when you particularly enjoy the feeling a drug gives you and find yourself seeking out that sensation with increasing frequency.

For some, it may have started as a response to peer pressure or by copying behaviors in your family. After using drugs a few times, you begin to enjoy the sensation so much you can’t seem to go without it. The consequences of using are usually diminished by the fact you’ve seen the people around you taking drugs. Regardless of how you started using drugs, addiction is defined as compulsive use in spite of their negative impact on your life and the lives of your loved ones.

Addiction is not a simple disease. It occurs due to a complex set of factors that interplay with each other. No formula tells you you’re going to develop an addiction, and there is no stereotypical person who develops a chronic substance use disorder. Certain common factors seem to predispose some people to develop the condition, but not everyone who possesses these traits (or goes through the same experiences) goes on to become addicted to drugs. 

Genetic Factors

  • Family history of addiction
  • A predisposition towards sensation-seeking behavior
  • An impulsive personality
  • Mental health issues such as depression or anxiety
  • Sensitivity to stress

Environmental Factors

  • Alcohol abuse, cigarettes or drugs from a young age
  • Lack of strong family bonds
  • Not enough parental supervision
  • Watching friends or family use drugs
  • Exposure to trauma, violence or neglect in childhood
  • Availability of drugs where you live
  • Stress or trauma at any age

If you or a loved one has been using drugs and you’re noticing a deterioration in their physical and mental health and overall well-being, addiction could have taken hold. People who suffer from this condition tend to get very good at hiding the worst aspects of their habits, so there are some more subtle warning signs of drug addiction to look out for.

Substance abuse disorders can be stubborn and cause certain aspects of your personality to change. What may have started as a bit of fun or something to make you feel better can end up taking a severe toll on your life while hurting family members and the people who are close to you.

What Are the Physical Signs of Drug Addiction?

When it comes to substance use and drug abuse disorders, there are usually physical changes to a person’s body as well as tangible evidence of drug use. If you want to help someone close to you, you’ll need to become an expert in the common signs and symptoms of addiction. Drug users tend to become secretive and deceptive, so if you’re naive to the way drugs make people act or the type of paraphernalia they use, it’ll be easier to pull the wool over your eyes.

Different types of drugs have different effects on the body. Most substances fall into the categories of central nervous system depressants or central nervous system stimulants. The former causes the brain and body to be less reactive, and the latter does the opposite. In both cases, these can be prescription drugs or, even more dangerous, can be illegally manufactured drugs and there is no telling what could have gone into their creation.

Signs of Depressant Drug Abuse

Some examples of commonly used depressants include benzodiazepines like Xanax and valium, opioids like heroin and prescription painkillers, as well as barbiturates and alcohol.

  • Drowsiness
  • Mood swings – anxiety and wakefulness when they don’t have drugs and lethargy when they do
  • Needles
  • Small plastic bags
  • Tinfoil
  • Blister packs from sleeping pills or benzodiazepines
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Disappearing for long periods
  • Fever
  • Depression
  • Change in friendship groups
  • Confusion
  • Tremors
  • Weight loss

Signs of Stimulant Drug Abuse

Some examples of commonly abused stimulants include amphetamines like Adderall or Dexedrine, methamphetamines and cocaine. 

  • Excitability
  • Excessive talking
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Change in friendship groups
  • Straws/razorblades/mirrors
  • Glass pipes
  • Frequent trips to the bathroom
  • Mood swings – hyperactivity while high and anxiety, depression and low mood when without drugs
  • Sweating
  • Sleeplessness
  • Weight loss
  • Dilated pupils

Symptoms of Drug Use and Addiction

If you’ve developed a drug dependence and you’re worried your habit is getting out of hand, there are 11 symptoms below that could indicate an addiction. If you can identify with two or three, you have a mild substance use disorder. If you can relate to four or five, it’s a moderate substance use disorder, and if you can identify with six or more, it’s considered a severe disorder.

  • Hazardous use
  • Neglecting responsibilities
  • Using more or over longer periods than you intended
  • Interpersonal issues
  • Using drugs or obtaining drugs is your main priority
  • Cravings
  • Abandoning activities you once enjoyed
  • Increased tolerance
  • Withdrawal symptoms
  • Trying to stop and not being able to
  • Health problems related to drug use

Every level requires treatment, but depending on the length of time you’ve been using, mild or moderate may need outpatient care. Severe substance abuse is usually best treated in a residential setting, but your doctor can advise you on what type of treatment program or rehab is best for you individually.

How Can I Help Someone Who’s Addicted?

Seeking professional addiction treatment is the best way to begin the journey of long-term recovery. Call New Day Recovery at (330) 886-4744 today to speak to an expert about how to get help for yourself or someone you love.

Not only can drug use cause serious problems in your life, it can also severely hurt your loved ones and the people closest to you. The effects of drug addiction and substance use are far-reaching, although it can be difficult to fully comprehend how much you’re hurting yourself and others while you’re experiencing it.

In the short term, substance abuse causes unpleasant side effects, and in the long term, they can be extremely detrimental to your physical and mental health. In many cases, people with mental illness are more susceptible to developing addiction and substance use disorders, which then further compounds their pre-existing conditions. Read on to learn more about how different prescription drugs and illegal drugs affect your body and mind.

Side Effects of Drug Addiction

Heroin

Heroin use is highly dangerous, and yet it can be incredibly appealing to some people. It causes an intense rush, numbs pain and makes the limbs feel heavy. Drowsiness, vomiting, nausea and itching can also occur. It’s long-lasting and highly addictive, which usually leads to the disruption of a person’s entire existence. Overdose can lead to respiratory depression, coma and death.

Opiate Painkillers

These types of medication are used to treat severe pain, but they are popular substances of abuse because of the intense relaxation and pain relief they offer. Many of these substances, like heroin, are converted to morphine in the liver and share similar side effects. Liver damage is often a long term effect of chronic opiate usage.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines cause drowsiness, memory loss, confusion, blurred vision, slowed breathing and muscle weakness. They can help with anxiety but are highly addictive when used for more than a few weeks.

Cocaine

Stimulants such as cocaine cause a spike in dopamine that leads to increased confidence, euphoria and hypersensitivity to sight, touch and sound. It increases the body temperature, dilates the pupils and increase heart rate while causing your blood vessels to constrict. This can lead to heart attack, overdose and death.

Long-Term Negative Effects of Drug Abuse

Heroin

Chronic use of heroin can cause structural brain damage, creating long-term imbalances in vital hormones and neurotransmitters. White matter diminishes, meaning you’ll struggle with decision making and responding to stressful situations and have less control over mental and physical functions.

Opiate Painkillers

Long-term use of these drugs leads to an increased risk factor for developing osteoporosis, as well as causing brain changes and functioning. Anxiety and depression are common in chronic, long-term users of opioids.

Benzodiazepines

In the long term, these drugs can cause impaired vision, disinhibition, sexual dysfunction and memory problems. While they can be used short term to treat the symptoms of anxiety or depression, they don’t address the cause of these issues and end up making them worse in the long run.

Cocaine

Long-term cocaine use can cause the reward pathways to become less sensitive to natural stimuli, making it difficult to experience feelings of pleasure from things you once enjoyed. It also makes you more vulnerable to stress, leading to irritability and mood swings when you don’t have access to the drug.

There is a difference between abuse and addiction, although both require medical attention – and potentially detox – as one usually leads to the other. Substance abuse is when a person is using drugs in a way other than intended. With prescription drugs, this could mean taking more or using them more often than the doctor has directed you or continuing to take them when you no longer require them.

Any use of illicit substances is considered to be substance abuse, as they have no clinical purpose and are illegal because they do more harm than good. Both of these conditions fall into the category of substance abuse disorder, which is an umbrella term used to describe the array of drug-related illnesses that can occur. In many cases, substance abuse, including alcohol addiction, can require a recovery program – whether inpatient treatment or outpatient treatment – in a rehab center.  

Is Addiction Treatable?

Like most illnesses, addiction can be treated and is best done so in a clinical environment. Each person requires a treatment plan that is tailored to their individual needs, as no two people share the same experience. While there is no specific cure for addiction, rehab is highly effective at managing symptoms and preventing relapse. Recovery is an ongoing process that requires continued strength and aftercare to help ensure you make the right choices based on what you learned during drug treatment.

If you need help freeing your addiction or you’d simply like to chat with an expert who can offer advice, call New Day Recovery Center at 330-886-4744 or chat with an adviser online. 

New Day Recovery provides effective drug addiction treatment programs to residents in the local areas of Mahoning County, Columbiana County, Trumbull County and the following cities of Boardman, Canfield, Struthers, Hubbard, Girard, Warren, Alliance, Salem, Columbiana, and Youngstown.

Signs and Symptoms of Drug Addiction

Physical
  • Lack of regard for personal hygiene

  • Fluctuations in weight

  • Bloodshot eyes

  • Pinpoint or dilated pupils

  • Disrupted sleep patterns such as insomnia or sleeping too much

  • Itching

  • Rubbing of the nose or constant sniffing

  • Burns on the fingers

  • Track marks

Behavioral
  • Out of character, dishonest or secretive behavior

  • Problems with school or work

  • Becoming socially withdrawn

  • Losing interest in activities that you once enjoyed

  • Continuing to use drugs in spite of negative consequences

  • Repeated unsuccessful attempts to stop using the drugs

Psychological
  • Existing mental health conditions becoming worse

  • Sense of hopelessness

  • Lack of self-worth

  • Loss of memory

  • Poor judgment

  • Preoccupation with obtaining drugs

  • Irritability

  • Defensiveness

  • Paranoia

  • Tiredness

  • Mood swings

  • Becoming quick to lose your temper

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