What Is Drug Addiction?
Drug addiction is more than a desire to use drugs. It is an intense disease that brings many challenges. Drug addiction is a form of substance use disorder (SUD) where a person’s brain, reward system, and behavior are all impacted. Those living with addiction may even be aware of the negative consequences of their drug use, but find it difficult to stop, as the brain is reprogrammed to expect drug use in daily life.
A person living with drug addiction may experience a loss of control over their drug use, coupled with increasing tolerance to drugs, creating a cycle of drug use that can bring further challenges to a person’s physical health, mental health, decision-making skills, relationships, personal and professional life, and much more. Those living with addiction will also experience withdrawal symptoms when attempting to decrease or stop the use of drugs, making it difficult to stop.
Addiction is a complicated disease and is often stigmatized and misunderstood, especially by those who have not lived through its challenges. Substance abuse and addiction are not the result of a moral failing, nor are they a sign of a lack of character. Rather, the disease can cause fundamental brain changes, and nobody is immune to developing addiction or experiencing its negative effects.
The Science of Addiction: What Happens in the Brain
Addiction is not just a lack of willpower. Rather, it is a chronic disease that affects the body and brain in many ways. Substance use disorder (SUD), whether a person is drinking alcohol or using drugs, has profound effects on the brain, thoughts, and behaviors.
Drug use hijacks dopamine receptors, or the chemical in the brain linked to heightened mood. Drugs force the release of dopamine, taking over the reward center of the brain. With persistent substance misuse, drugs can become necessary to “feel good” at all, and the brain may also begin to expect it as part of daily life, seeing drug use not as a recreational activity but a necessary part of daily survival. This change can make drug use feel like the only thing that brings relief, lessening the effects of other things that used to bring joy, such as hobbies or relationships.
However, while drug use continues, tolerance also develops, causing a person to use more and more of a drug to achieve the same effects as before, resulting in further drastic and destructive effects until addressed. When stopping the use of drugs or in times between drug use, the brain and body can also react, bringing with it withdrawal symptoms, mental health issues, stress, and much more. Professional addiction treatment programs are often necessary to overcome drug addiction. Talking to the professionals at Harmony Grove Behavioral Health or a person’s health care providers can all help explore the effects of drug use on the brain, potential interventions, detox, residential treatment, and outpatient support to overcome drug addiction.
Types of Drugs Linked to Addiction
While drug addiction is a serious disease, there are still a lot of misconceptions about what it means. Each person can experience it a little differently, depending on their own experiences, external factors, support, and even the drug being used. Knowing the drug being used can be crucial in addiction treatment, as approaching opioid use disorder (OUD) can be different from a marijuana addiction, with this information helping to personalize each person’s addiction treatment plan. Some of the most commonly misused substances include:
- Prescription drug abuse
- Opioids
- Stimulants
- Cannabis
- Hallucinogens
- Amphetamine
- Methamphetamine, especially if being misused under an ADHD prescription
- Benzodiazepines
- Heroin
- Fentanyl
Each of these can be highly addictive. Likewise, a person’s journey in healing and sobriety can be further complicated if a person is using multiple substances, either combining various drugs or using drugs in combination with alcohol. However, whether a person is exposed to illicit drugs as a way to cope with mental health conditions or stress, or develops addiction as a result of prescription drugs to deal with chronic pain beyond their control, finding treatment to manage drug addiction is paramount to taking the first step toward a healthy and sober life.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Health Problems
Drug use of any kind can lead to a myriad of short- and long-term health challenges that can affect daily life, with profound effects on both mental and physical wellness. Some of these short-term health issues include:
- Feelings of euphoria, paranoia, depression, or shifting between moments of elation and depression
- Hallucinations, whether auditory, tactile, or olfactory
- Impaired judgement, decision-making skills
- Confusion
- Memory problems or gaps
- Increased agitation, frustration, or anger
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chills
- Shaking and tremors
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
However, the effects of drug use continue long after the immediate effects of drugs wear off, especially for those whose drug use has been a persistent part of daily life. These long-term effects of drug addiction include:
- Mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or psychosis
- Cognitive decline and difficulty forming and recalling memories
- Compromised decision-making skills
- Liver and kidney damage
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Compromised immune system
However, while each of these challenges can profoundly affect daily life, they do not account for all of how drug addiction can affect a person’s daily life. Damage to personal relationships, personal and professional ambitions, social needs, and more are also part of the healing journey, with each of these individual challenges informing the need for a personalized approach to change.
Signs of Drug Addiction
Given how destructive drug addiction can be, it is paramount to be cognizant of the signs of drug addiction in oneself, loved ones, or family members. While each person will have a unique journey with drugs and recovery, some common factors can indicate the need for change, and recognizing any of the following symptoms can be a reason to contact Harmony Grove or a local professional drug treatment facility to learn more about addiction and the treatment options available.
Physical and Cognitive Symptoms
Drug use can have many signs, and a person does not necessarily have to directly observe a loved one using drugs to witness their effects. Some of these physical and cognitive signs of drug addiction include bloodshot eyes, lack of coordination, confusion, and sudden weight changes. Likewise, those living with addiction may also compromise personal hygiene routines. Coupled with damaged skin, thinning hair, or pronounced or unhealing scabs and puncture wounds, a person’s physical appearance and wellness can be greatly impacted by drug addiction.
Behavioral and Emotional Changes
In addition to the physical and cognitive symptoms of drug addiction, those living with drug addiction can also experience behavioral and emotional changes. Adopting a more secretive lifestyle, such as locking doors or being vague when asked about one’s schedule or day, can all be signs of lying. Inability or unwillingness to tend to daily responsibilities, professional obligations, or other tasks can also indicate the need for change. This can also be accompanied by an increase in risk-taking behaviors, from unsafe sexual practices to driving under the influence.
Feelings of anxiety, paranoia, depression, compromised emotional regulation, and more are also common as a result of drug addiction. This furthers the need to stop the use of drugs and pursue professional support and treatment for navigating these emotional effects of addiction for a truly transformed approach to a sober life.
Risk Factors for Developing Drug Addiction
Addiction can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, religion, or any other factor. However, there are risk factors that can increase a person’s likelihood of developing addiction for various reasons. These risk factors include:
- Underlying mental health disorders
- Traumatic experiences, whether during childhood or as an adult
- Consistent exposure to high-stress environments, from crime in communities to a toxic work environment
- Exposure to drugs or alcohol at a young age, or being in an environment that celebrates or expects drug use
- Genetic predisposition to addiction, like having a parent who has been diagnosed with addiction before
These risk factors can add a complex layer to the development of the disease. However, just as nobody is immune to the disease, there is also nobody who is guaranteed to develop it with the right education, support, and early intervention at the first sign of drug use and abuse.
Treatment Options for Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a devastating disease, but there are always treatment options to explore to ensure that each person has new opportunities for healing. Talking to a trained professional about each person’s journey with drug addiction to explore personal needs, levels of care, and how to take this important step in overcoming drug addiction is the best way to understand the options available to each person and their unique journey.
When and Why to Seek Professional Help
Each person will have their own experiences with both prescription and illegal drugs, creating a unique relationship with these substances. Knowing when to reach out for help or to contact a professional regarding a loved one’s drug use can be crucial in beginning the healing journey while preventing further destructive effects. These signs to seek professional help include:
- Drug use begins to impede daily life or responsibilities
- Having experienced negative consequences of drug use, but used again anyway
- Attempts to decrease or stop the use of drugs have been unsuccessful
- Drugs are being used as a replacement for coping skills regarding personal stresses, such as anxiety, depression, stress, or other challenges
- Hiding drug use from others
- Feeling defensive when topics like drug use are brought up, even when not being directly accused
However, it is never “too early” to learn more about addiction and its signs. If anyone is considering contacting professionals to learn more about addiction for themselves or a loved one, there is never a bad time to pick up the phone for more information and resources to address the disease.
Levels of Care
Treatment for drug addiction is an ongoing process, and there is no simple “cure” for addiction. Rather, it is a journey, with multiple levels of care to address various needs and goals for those pursuing a drug-free life.
The first step is typically detox, with professional detox facilities providing many necessary support resources to navigate withdrawal and begin the treatment process. These programs typically last for around two weeks before transitioning to inpatient care. Inpatient or residential treatment is when a person will live on-site at a treatment facility alongside professionals and peers in recovery alike to explore new treatment modalities, engage in effective individual and group sessions, and more while continuing to manage personal symptoms, challenges, and learn new coping and life skills in recovery.
However, graduating from a residential treatment facility does not mark the end of a person’s recovery. Instead, ongoing outpatient support is often necessary to manage new stresses, challenges, and ongoing needs in sobriety. Harmony Grove Behavioral Health’s ongoing outpatient care programs are designed to provide personalized care to navigate the challenges of healing and prioritizing a drug-free lifestyle, community, and belonging, even when living at home, going to work, and tending to personal responsibilities. This level of care is crucial for relapse prevention, with meetings multiple times a week to refine these skills and engage in a community of healing.
Outpatient care is also when sober support groups can be incredibly impactful, helping those overcoming addiction find hope in new sober connections while building robust relapse-prevention strategies for navigating stress, urges, and cravings.
Supporting a Loved One With Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a disease that affects the entire family. However, family members can also be instrumental throughout the healing process, providing essential support and understanding during this time.
How to Help Without Enabling
There is a fine line between supporting and enabling family members. Many enabling behaviors can even be born from a genuine desire to help while being unaware of the enabling effects. For example, the financial impact of drug use can be severe. However, rather than financially covering for a loved one directly or buying these groceries or rent, freeing other funds to continue purchasing drugs, sitting down to work out a budgeting plan for them to cover these costs themselves can be more impactful, providing new life skills while highlighting exactly how much drug use has affected their financial stability and wellbeing.
Services like providing transportation to outpatient care and support groups can also be instrumental. However, providing these services while also maintaining strict and clear boundaries, enforcing established consequences, engaging in personal self-care, and more is part of establishing oneself as an effective support in healing. Educating oneself about addiction and its effects on the brain can also bring new levels of understanding and forgiveness in the healing process, which can help challenge feelings of guilt, resentment, and blame over time.
FAQs About Drug Addiction
What’s the Difference Between Drug Misuse and Addiction?
Drug misuse is when a person uses drugs against the direction or label of a medical professional, such as taking more medication than intended or in a shorter time frame for their non-medical effects. However, addiction includes a compulsive component, where a person will use these drugs against medical direction but also feel compelled to do so, or feel unable to stop.
Can Someone Recover From Drug Addiction Without Treatment?
While it is possible to overcome addiction without professional support, it can present unnecessary risks and challenges. Treatment programs provide a myriad of advantages, from trained emotional support to a community of peers in sobriety to explore new ideas, perspectives, and belonging for a sustainable, drug-free future. Without making lifestyle changes in addition to ceasing the use of drugs, it can be difficult to maintain sobriety, with an increased risk of relapsing back into previously destructive daily routines, and professional treatment is here to help each person establish these new routines and lifestyles.
How Long Does It Take for Brain Functions to Heal After Quitting Drugs?
Healing takes time. It can take the brain about a year to show significant healing and return to a healthy state in sobriety. Maintaining sobriety is hard work, but there is always support available, with Harmony Grove ready to help you reach this goal and beyond in a sober life.
How Can I Find Help for the First Time or a Loved One?
Just talking to a trained professional or treatment facility about addiction, the amenities and healing programs offered, and methods and goals in treatment can all be incredibly beneficial. Each treatment facility will be unique, presenting different options. Some may take religious approaches, while others will not. Finding help for oneself or a loved one starts with just one phone call for information. Nobody has to make a major commitment on the spot, and Harmony Grove can help you understand addiction and your options and opportunities before you start any program, whether at Harmony Grove or another treatment facility.
Drug addiction is a devastating disease, affecting not just your own daily life and health, but the health and well-being of entire families and communities. However, there is always help, and Harmony Grove Behavioral Health is here to provide you with the support, education, and information you need to start your journey to a drug-free future. Located in the heart of Houston, TX, we champion the importance of a dedicated and accepting sober community, personalizing your time in our outpatient program while introducing you to a community of peers for truly transformational change. Whether you are looking to begin your journey or looking for information on how to help a loved one, call us today at (888) 691-8295.