People who are recovering from an addiction will be at risk for relapse for years and possibly for their whole lives. However, addiction is treatable and can be successfully managed. Because areas in their brains that control decision-making, judgment, and self-control are still developing, teens may be especially prone to risky behaviors, including trying drugs.Ĭan drug addiction be cured or prevented?Īs with most other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, treatment for drug addiction generally isn’t a cure. This is particularly problematic for teens. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to addiction. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction risk. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, early exposure to drugs, stress, and parental guidance can greatly affect a person’s likelihood of drug use and addiction. A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to economic status and general quality of life. Gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may also influence risk for drug use and addiction. The genes that people are born with account for about half of a person's risk for addiction. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. A combination of factors influences risk for addiction. No one factor can predict if a person will become addicted to drugs. Why do some people become addicted to drugs while others don't? Long-term use also causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well, affecting functions that include:ĭespite being aware of these harmful outcomes, many people who use drugs continue to take them, which is the nature of addiction. These brain adaptations often lead to the person becoming less and less able to derive pleasure from other things they once enjoyed, like food, sex, or social activities. They might take more of the drug to try and achieve the same high. This reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug-an effect known as tolerance. Surges of dopamine in the reward circuit cause the reinforcement of pleasurable but unhealthy behaviors like taking drugs, leading people to repeat the behavior again and again.Īs a person continues to use drugs, the brain adapts by reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it. A properly functioning reward system motivates a person to repeat behaviors needed to thrive, such as eating and spending time with loved ones. Most drugs affect the brain's "reward circuit," causing euphoria as well as flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. What happens to the brain when a person takes drugs? Treatment plans need to be reviewed often and modified to fit the patient’s changing needs. As with other chronic health conditions, treatment should be ongoing and should be adjusted based on how the patient responds. It's common for a person to relapse, but relapse doesn't mean that treatment doesn’t work. These brain changes can be persistent, which is why drug addiction is considered a "relapsing" disease-people in recovery from drug use disorders are at increased risk for returning to drug use even after years of not taking the drug. The initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes that challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs. Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.
0 kommentar(er)
