Drug Addiction : The Overwhelming Involvement Of Drugs

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) describes addiction as a, “chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences” (“Understanding Drug Use and Addiction,” 2016). Long-term use can effect and change a person’s ability to learn, judge, and make decisions. Stress, memory issues, and behavior problems are also common side effects of extended drug use. There is not one single factor that can determine if a person will become addicted drugs. However, certain risk factors have been identified as predicting higher probabilities of addiction because of a person’s biology, environment, and development. Adolescents who abuse

Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disorder which produces compulsive drug seeking and use. The abuse of drugs leads to changes in the function and structure of the brain. Consuming chemical substances to achieve pleasure or euphoria The most commonly abused classes of prescription drugs according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse include opioids used for chronic pain; central nervous system (CNS) depressants used in anxiety and sleep disorder treatments; and stimulants, such as amphetamine among others, utilized to treat attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy.[4]

Addiction is a powerful force. The complex interplay of biological, environmental, social, and behavioral factors puts addicted individuals at great personal risk. While addiction has traditionally been viewed as an urban issue, in recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the foothold opioids have gained in rural America (U.S. DHHS, 2012). As rates of drug addiction rise throughout the Midwest and Ohio, rates of hospitalization and drug poisoning deaths also increase. While extant data does not elucidate a causal relationship between these variables, strong correlations are evident. Furthermore, the lack of information about this issue highlights the need for more accurate data collection in order to resolve the

And some substances are more addictive than others: Drugs like crack or heroin are so addictive that they might only be used once or twice before the user loses control.

Substance abuse and the addiction to these substances that can result takes a terrible toll on families and friends of an addict. The problem becomes even larger when we look at all the millions of addicts in society when we consider drugs, alcohol, smoking and all the other substances that people can become addicted to. These are addictions that have a powerful physiological effect on people but then there are behavioral addictions such as gambling. It has been commonplace over the past couple decades to regard those who face addiction as having a disease, but there are increasing numbers of experts who say this view is wrong.

Concerns about addictions and drug use have been an ongoing battle for several years, especially for adolescents. There are still controversies about how and why an individual becomes addicted to a substance. Family members and loved ones of the addicted individual continue to ask why this individual continuously chooses to go back to the drug, no matter what the consequences are. To this day, research has opened our eyes to new possibilities, new explanations, and new interventions in order to help us start answering some of the many questions out there about addiction.

In the article, “Understanding Drug Use and Addiction,” it states, “ Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.” When someone first takes drugs it is voluntarily, but after the intake of too many drugs, it changes your brain. When the brain changes it causes the person's self-control and ability to resist to be challenged. Which makes drug addiction a relapsing disease. In other words, when an addicted person tries to stop, the addiction can come back because their brain starts to change again as they stop taking drugs. To have an effective recovery from drug addiction, the recovery plan needs to be changed with the brain.

Personal experience: mom not letting me hang out with older cousin, as i got older, realized it was because, him having a drug addiction.

Have you ever dealt with the effects of drugs firsthand? A drug is a substance which has a psychological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. The causes of drug use can vary depending on the person. According to “Causes and types of narcotic addiction: A Psychosocial View” in the Psychiatric Quarterly it says, “The causes of drugs stem from the manner of which you were introduced to it whether it be by abnormal curiosity, chance encounters with addicts and narcotic peddlers, or prolonged illness” (Ausubel). So in other words its somewhat bad luck if you become addicted. The effects of drugs can be different in certain people as well whether it be for pleasure or to take away the pain. Most of the effects of drugs occur in the brain, where it increases the level of dopamine at a specific site possibly giving the addict the pleasure they were feigning for (Robbins). I believe I was around the age of six when I started noticing the signs of my Aunty Wendy becoming extremely skinny and looking somewhat unhealthy. As a child I didn’t know much about drugs except for what your parents and teachers at school tell you which is,“Just Say No.”

Watching my older brother struggle with drug addiction has taught me more in my life than anything else. He was a smart kid with a good head on his shoulders.  As he grew older he made some unwise choices with regard to substance abuse that quickly turned into a full blown addiction lasting over five years and landed him in and out of four different rehabs.  He was striving to get clean, but every time he took one step forward he fell three steps back.  Taylor entered Drug Court, after finding himself in a lot of trouble with the law, due to drug related incidents.  Drug Court is a state run program offered to non-violent felony offenders suffering from the disease of addiction.   If you successfully complete the 3-5-year program, charges can be expunged immediately.  But if you fail to complete the program, your alternative sentence is state prison for the maximum term of your sentence. As Taylor took this opportunity, he knew he had to be fully committed to his recovery or he would be faced with a 10-year prison sentence.  Commitment was not a problem; his life started to change for the better. He started his own landscaping business, fell in love with a girl and seemed to be heading down the right road.  But as many do not understand, heroin retains such a ferocious grip on brain cells that relapses are part of the recovery process.   Though Taylor had every intention of getting clean, he struggled and he relapsed on more than one occasion.  The 10-year prison sentence

Individuals are well on the way to begin drug abuse including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and many more drugs which are illegal. It has been seen that most affected category falls under the effect of drug abuse is adolescence and young adulthood. The percentage of senior students during their high school, who will have tried alcohol is 70 percent in the ratio and 40 percent of them start smoking and nearly 20 percent of them start taking prescription drugs. (National Institute on Drug Abuse,“ The principles of Adolescent Substance Abuse Use Disorder Treatment: A research Based Guide”).

Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), National Drug Control Budget: FY2015 Funding Highlights, March 2014,

In going through the counseling process with Marge she was explained that there is the possibility that it could be a factor of genetics. When considering her background one has realized that she not only has an alcohol addiction, but it was the same for her father and her uncle, both of whom had lost their lives to the disease. In talking about the disease model with Marge she seemed to be more at ease with the situation and more willing to accept the fact that she does have a problem. Per the disease model, addiction is a brain disease which alters the brain and how it functions (Horvath, Misra, Epner, & Cooper, 2016, para. 2).

Have you ever dealt with the effects of drug addict? A drug is a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, which has a psychological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. The effects of drug use can vary depending on the person. According to “Causes and types of narcotic addiction: A Psychosocial View” in the Psychiatric Quarterly it says, “The causes of drugs stem from the manner of which you were introduced to it whether it be by abnormal curiosity, chance encounters with addicts and narcotic peddlers, or prolonged illness” (Ausubel). The effects of drugs can be have different effects on everyone differently depending if its for pleasure or for relieving pain Most of the effects of drugs occur in the brain, where it increases the level of dopamine at a specific site possibly giving the addict the pleasure they were feigning for (Robbins). As a child I didn’t know much about drugs except for what your parents and teachers at school tell you which is, “Just Say No.”

Drug addiction is one of society 's biggest problems and it is rampant among teenagers and young adults and one of the most abused drugs is marijuana. Cannabis sativa or marijuana usually grows throughout tropical and temperate climates and then plant 's stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds are then dried. What attracts to most users is the mind altering effect these parts produce which is addictive to some extent. It is usually smoked as cigarette, or in a pipe. It is also smoked in blunts, in which cigars will be emptied of tobacco and refill with marijuana or sometimes it is combined with another drug. It can also be brewed as tea or mixed in food. Hashis is a more concentrated, resinous form which is sticky black liquid, hash oil. The