Drug Addiction

 

Drug Addiction

        Drug addiction, also known as substance :use disorder, refers to the dangerous and excessive intake of legal and illegal drugs. Drugs are substances that change a person's mental or physical state. They can affect the way your brain works, how you feel and behave, your understanding and your senses. This makes them unpredictable and dangerous, especially for young people. The effects of drugs are different for each person and drug.

Why  Drug addiction occur?

        People become addicted to these drugs because they want to feel happier. The drugs cause a chemical called dopamine, which induces happiness to be released. The brain starts to increase dopamine levels, and thus the person becomes addicted to the drug to match the increasing levels.

Types of Drugs

        Drugs can be grouped together in different ways , by the way they affect the body or by how or where they are used.

Drug categories

    

• depressants : slow down the function of the central nervous system
• hallucinogens : affect your senses and change the way you see, hear, taste, smell or feel things
• stimulants : speed up the function of the central nervous system

   1-Depressants

        Depressants slow down the messages between the brain and the body,  they don’t necessarily make you feel depressed.

Examples include:

• alcohol
• benzodiazepines (minor tranquillisers such as Valium)
• cannabis
• GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate)
• ketamine
• opioids (heroine, morphine, codeine) 

    2-Hallucinogens

        

        Hallucinogens change your sense of reality,  you can have hallucinations. Your senses are distorted and the way you see, hear, taste, smell or feel things is different, e.g you may see or hear things that are not really there or you may have unusual thoughts or feelings

    3-Stimulants

        Stimulants speed up the messages between the brain and the body.You can feel more awake, alert, confident or energetic.

Examples

• caffeine
• cocaine
• nicotine

Effect on Your Brain

        Your brain is wired to make you want to repeat experiences that make you feel good. So you are motivated to do them again and again.

The drugs that may be addictive target your brain's reward system. They flood your brain with a chemical called dopamine. This triggers a feeling of intense pleasure. So you keep taking the drug to chase that high.

When you use drugs for a long time, it can cause changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well. They can hurt your:

• Judgment
• Decision making
• Memory
• Ability to learn

Signs of Addiction

        You may have one or more of these warning signs:

• An urge to use the drug every day.
• You take more drugs than you want to.
• You always have the drug with you, and you buy it even if you can’t afford it.
• You keep using drugs even if it causes you trouble at work or makes you lash out at family and friends.
• You spend more time alone.
• You don’t take care of yourself.
• You steal, lie, or do dangerous things.
• You spend most of your time getting, using, or recovering from the effects of the drug.
• You feel sick when you try to quit.

  How to Overcome Drug Addiction

    1-Surround yourself with supportive people

    

    2-Find new hobbies

    

    3-Exercise

    4-Eat well

    

    5-Meditate

    6-Seek Professional help