Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is defined as a compulsive chronic consumption of certain drugs. It should be differentiated from drug dependence, as they are two different conditions.

Drug dependence is a phenomenon that occurs on people who have been using a certain drug (often to treat a disease) for a relatively long time and experience an awful sensation and unpleasant symptoms when discontinuing such substance.

Drug addiction, although implies drug dependence, also includes a tendency of increasing the doses of the drug despite the fact that this compulsion causes more damage than good to the addict.

Causes Of Drug Addiction

Social, psychological, physical and biological factors may all be causes of drug addiction. Some people are more likely to develop an addiction to a particular substance than others, and this depends not only in genetic factors, but in other factors as well. For instance, a social environment where most people use drugs, the risk for an individual to “join his friends” and become addicted too is bigger.

Unpleasant situations and unexpected tragic events may be elements that trigger the need for an “escape” into drugs, and once a person has used an addictive drug it may be very difficult to stop.

Symptoms Of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction can be divided into two different elements, the psychological drug addiction and the physical drug addiction.

Physical drug addiction is characterized by a strong uncomfortable feeling of illness that appears when suspending or discontinuing the addictive drug. This is known as abstinence syndrome (hallucinations, nauseas, delirium).

Psychological addiction is when an addict has become emotionally dependant on a substance, and it suspension may cause really deep changes of mood and attitude, with the presence of stress, and the strong desire to receive the drug again.

Treatment Of Drug Addiction

There are many treatments for drug addiction, and their effectiveness depends on the addictiveness of the substance used, the aggressiveness of the treatment actions and the strength and sincerity of the addict’s desire to be recovered.

An effective treatment must address both the psychological and physical elements of the addiction. Many 12-steps programs similar to that implemented for recovering alcoholics have been found especially useful, for they are based in the underlying problems that lead to the abuse of drugs in the first place.

Prevention Of Drug Addiction

Information has been found to be essential in preventing drug addictions. When a person knows what a particular drug causes and how it works, he is less likely to start consuming it in the first place.

Another good way to prevent drug addiction is to stay away from social circles that are frequently visited by addicts.

Also, consulting a psychologist or a therapist to help you deal with problems that may arise in your life may prevent you from looking for other ways of escaping.

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