Drug Addiction
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If a person takes a drug often
enough, the brain will make changes so that it can handle all the extra
chemicals that are being put into it. In an attempt to adjust, the brain tells
the neurotransmitters to slow down the release of certain chemicals in the
pleasure circuit. As a result, normal levels of chemicals are too low. When
that happens, a person becomes depressed. The person will then take more of the
drug in order to feel better. The drug addict will temporarily feel better. The
extra chemicals from the drug again tell the brain to stop producing its own
chemicals, which further reduces normal levels. When the drug wears off, the
addict feels even worse than before. This is called withdrawal. The person then
craves more drugs to help him feel better, and the cycle starts all over again.
The human body has a system of checks and balances that keep us from being too
happy, too sad, too stressed out-too anything. In a way, it's as if we have an
electrical circuit board in our brain that determines how much of various
neurotransmitters we need in certain situations. When it gets the signal, the
brain then produces the correct amount. Drugs and alcohol act like a power
surge, overloading the brain with chemicals. Just as an electrical power surge
can blow up a computer or turn off all the lights, drugs cause problems with
the chemicals in our brains. This causes drug addiction, in which the
brain can, no longer function without a drug.
Most people who become
addicted to drugs follow a similar pattern of addiction. First, they experiment
with drugs. People start to take drugs for many reasons. They may try drugs
because of pressures at home, an ache or pain, coaxing from friends, or
curiosity about how a drug will make them feel. Their tolerance increases. The
more of a chemical they use, the more of that chemical they will need to get
the same effect. They may have blackouts. There may be times when they do not
remember what they did when drinking or using drugs. An addict will avoid
talking about drugs or alcohol. As the addiction develops, they try to take
attention away from anything that will point it out. They become preoccupied
with drug use. Spending time thinking about drugs, plan their drug use
carefully, and choosing friends based on drugs. Addicts blame others and make
excuses for their drug use. They may even cause fights as an excuse to drink or
drug. All control of drug use is lost. They cannot control how much is used and
are unable stop from taking more. An addict may feel weak or think that they do
not have willpower. The drug use affects family, friends, employment, and
education. It may destroy the addict's relationships and abilities to handle
even the simple life tasks. The addict may have medical, legal, or emotional
difficulties or problems. The addict will lose hope. As the addiction gets
worse, they may feel as though there is nothing they can do to stop it. The
addict will feel as if life has lost it's meaning or is not worth living.
Information on this page courtesy of National Institute on Drug Abuse.
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Drugs
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