Many people don't understand why

or how other people become addicted to

What happens to the brain
drugs. They may mistakenly think that when a person takes drugs?
those who use drugs lack moral
principles or willpower and that they
could stop their drug use simply by
choosing to. In reality, drug Most drugs affect the brain's "reward
addiction is a complex disease, and circuit," causing euphoria as well as
quitting usually takes more than good flooding it with the chemical
intentions or a strong will. Drugs messenger dopamine. A properly
change the brain in ways that make functioning reward system motivates a
quitting hard, even for those who want person to repeat behaviors needed to
to. Fortunately, researchers know more thrive, such as eating and spending
than ever about how drugs affect the time with loved ones. Surges of
brain and have found treatments that dopamine in the reward circuit cause
can help people recover from drug the reinforcement of pleasurable but
addiction and lead productive lives. unhealthy behaviors like taking drugs,
leading people to repeat the behavior
again and again.

As a person continues to use drugs,

What is drug addiction? the brain adapts by reducing the
ability of cells in the reward circuit
to respond to it. This reduces the
high that the person feels compared to
Addiction is a chronic disease
the high they felt when first taking
characterized by drug seeking and use
the drug—an effect known as tolerance.
that is compulsive, or difficult to
They might take more of the drug to
control, despite harmful consequences.
try and achieve the same high.
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 These brain adaptations often lead to
with their ability to resist intense the person becoming less and less able
urges to take drugs. These brain to derive pleasure from other things
changes can be persistent, which is they once enjoyed, like food, sex, or
why drug addiction is considered a social activities.
"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 Long-term use also causes changes in
other brain chemical systems and
drug.
circuits as well, affecting functions
that include:

It's common for a person to relapse,  learning

but relapse doesn't mean that  judgment
treatment doesn’t work. As with other  decision-making
chronic health conditions, treatment  stress
should be ongoing and should be  memory
 behavior
adjusted based on how the patient
responds. Treatment plans need to be Despite being aware of these harmful
reviewed often and modified to fit the outcomes, many people who use drugs
patient’s changing needs. continue to take them, which is the
nature of addiction.
Why do some people become As with most other chronic diseases,
such as diabetes, asthma, or heart
addicted to drugs while others disease, treatment for drug addiction
don't? generally isn’t a cure. However,
addiction is treatable and can be
successfully managed. People who are
recovering from an addiction will be
at risk for relapse for years and
No one factor can predict if a person possibly for their whole lives.
will become addicted to drugs. A Research shows that combining
combination of factors influences risk addiction treatment medicines with
behavioral therapy ensures the best
for addiction. The more risk factors a
chance of success for most patients.
person has, the greater the chance Treatment approaches tailored to each
that taking drugs can lead to patient’s drug use patterns and any
addiction. co-occurring medical, mental, and
social problems can lead to continued
recovery.

Biology. The genes that people are More good news is that drug use and
born with account for about half of a addiction are preventable. Results
person's risk for addiction. Gender, from NIDA-funded research have shown
ethnicity, and the presence of other that prevention programs involving
mental disorders may also influence families, schools, communities, and
risk for drug use and addiction. the media are effective for preventing
or reducing drug use and addiction.
Environment. A person’s environment Although personal events and cultural
includes many different influences, factors affect drug use trends, when
from family and friends to economic young people view drug use as harmful,
status and general quality of life. they tend to decrease their drug
Factors such as peer pressure, taking. Therefore, education and
physical and sexual abuse, early outreach are key in helping people
exposure to drugs, stress, and understand the possible risks of drug
parental guidance can greatly affect a use. Teachers, parents, and health
person’s likelihood of drug use and care providers have crucial roles in
addiction. educating young people and preventing
drug use and addiction.
Development. Genetic and environmental
factors interact with
developmental stages in a person’s
critical
Addiction vs. Abuse and
life to affect addiction risk. Tolerance
Although taking drugs at any age can
lead to addiction, the earlier that Drug abuse is when you use legal or
drug use begins, the more likely it illegal substances in ways you
will progress to addiction. This is shouldn’t. You might take more than
particularly problematic for teens. the regular dose of pills or use
Because areas in their brains that someone else’s prescription. You may
control decision-making, judgment, and abuse drugs to feel good, ease stress,
self-control are still developing, or avoid reality. But usually, you’re
teens may be especially prone to risky able to change your unhealthy habits
behaviors, including trying drugs. or stop using altogether.

Can drug addiction be cured or Addiction is when you can’t stop. Not
when it puts your health in danger.
prevented? Not when it causes financial,
emotional, and other problems for you
or your loved ones. That urge to get
and use drugs can fill up every minute
of the day, even if you want to quit.

Addiction also is different from

physical dependence or tolerance. In
cases of physical dependence,
withdrawal symptoms happen when you
suddenly stop a substance. Tolerance
happens when a dose of a substance  Family history. Your genes are
becomes less effective over time. responsible for about half of
your odds. If your parents or
When you use opioids for pain for a siblings have problems with
long time, for example, you may alcohol or drugs, you’re more
develop tolerance and even physical likely as well. Women and men
dependence. This doesn’t mean you’re are equally likely to become
addicted. In general, when narcotics addicted.
are used under proper medical
supervision, addiction happens in only
a small percentage of people.
 Early drug use. Children’s
Effect on Your Brain brains are still growing, and
drug use can change that. So
taking drugs at an early age may
Your brain is wired to make you want
make you more likely to get
to repeat experiences that make you
addicted when you get older.
feel good. So you’re motivated to do
them again and again.

The drugs that may be addictive target

your brain’s reward system. They flood  Mental disorders. If you’re
your brain with a chemical called depressed, have trouble paying
dopamine. This triggers a feeling of attention, or worry constantly,
intense pleasure. You keep taking the you have a higher chance of
drug to chase that high. addiction. You may turn to drugs
as a way to try to feel better.
Over time, your brain gets used to the A history of trauma in your life
extra dopamine. So you might need to also makes you more likely to
take more of the drug to get the same have addiction.
good feeling. And other things you
enjoyed, like food and hanging out
with family, may give you less
pleasure.  Troubled relationships. If you
grew up with family troubles and
When you use drugs for a long time, it aren’t close to your parents or
can cause changes in other brain siblings, it may raise your
chemical systems and circuits as well. chances of addiction.
They can hurt your:

 Judgment
Signs of Addiction
 Decision-making You may have one or more of these
 Memory warning signs:
 Ability to learn
 An urge to use the drug every
Together, these brain changes can day, or many times a day
drive you to seek out and take drugs  Taking more drugs than you want
in ways that are beyond your control. to, and for longer than you
thought you would
Who’s Most Likely to  Always having the drug with you,
and buying it even if you can’t
Become Addicted? afford it
 Using drugs even if they cause
Each person’s body and brain are you trouble at work or make you
different. People also react lash out at family and friends
differently to drugs. Some love the  Spending more time alone.
feeling the first time they try it and  Not taking care of yourself or
want more. Others hate it and never caring how you look
try again.  Stealing, lying, or doing
dangerous things, like driving
Not everyone who uses drugs becomes while high or having unsafe sex
addicted. But it can happen to anyone  Spending most of your time
and at any age. Some things may raise getting, using, or recovering
your chances of addiction, including: from the effects of the drug
 Feeling sick when you try to Symptoms and signs of drug abuse vary
quit depending on the specific drug, but
typically seen across all drugs is the
Symptoms of drug use can often be exclusion of activities in order to
spotted if risk factors for drug use use the drug. When the person no
have been identified. Risk factors for longer participates in anything but
drug use include: drug use, it is a clear sign of drug
abuse. Further decreased performance
 Easy availability of drugs in work or school and a vast change in
 Drug users in the family mood and sleep are also signs of drug
 Friends who are drug users abuse.
 An unhappy home life
Additional signs and symptoms of drug
 A mental illness
abuse include:
If a person has these risk factors,
it's reasonable to look for symptoms  Unusual, bizarre behavior
of drug use.  Abnormal vital signs like
respiration, heart rate and
The first sign of drug use is often a blood pressure
change in behavior. The user may lose  Confusion
interest in activities and hobbies and  Chest or lung pain
spend more time with friends than at  Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
home. Another symptom of drug use is stomach pain
sleeping changes and decreased  Diseases such as hepatitis B or
performance at work or school. These C, or HIV from needle-sharing
symptoms of drug use may indicate  Frequent hangovers
another problem; however, so it's  Hiding drugs
important to talk to the individual
directly to confirm what you're really
seeing are symptoms of drug use. 1
(read about drug abuse effects)
How to Prevent Addiction to
Other signs and symptoms of Prescribed Painkillers
drug use include:
Most people who take their pain
 Smell of drugs on person and medicine as directed by their doctor
clothing do not become addicted, even if they
 Constant discussion of drugs take the medicine for a long time.
 Pressuring others to do drugs Fears about addiction should not
 Frequent washing of clothes, prevent you from using narcotics to
showering or spraying room relieve your pain.
deodorizer to remove drug smells
 Presence of drug paraphernalia But if you’ve abused drugs or alcohol
like a pipe, bong or rolling in the past or have family members who
papers have, you may be at a higher risk.
 Changes in mood such as anxiety
or depression To avoid pain medicine addiction:
 Skin that is cool and sweaty or
hot and dry  Take the drug exactly as your
doctor prescribes.
 Needing more money or
unexplained expenses  Tell your doctor about any
personal or family history of
drug abuse or addiction; this
Drug Abuse Symptoms will help them prescribe the
medicines that will work best
While the above are signs and symptoms for you.
of drug use, the signs and symptoms of
drug abuse tend to be more severe. Remember, it’s common for people to
Signs of drug abuse are more develop a tolerance to pain medication
pronounced as the user now has an and to need higher doses to get the
extreme urge (craving) to use the same level of pain relief. This is
drug. The user is no longer normal and is not a sign of addiction.
experimenting with the drug; they now With addiction, you may need to use
feel a need to use it. higher doses, but it’s not for pain
relief. Still, talk to your doctor if
this effect becomes troubling.

Don't Wait; Get Help Now

If your drug use is out of control or
causing problems, talk to your doctor.

Getting better from drug addiction can

take time. There’s no cure, but
treatment can help you stop using
drugs and stay drug-free. Your
treatment may include counseling,
medicine, or both. Talk to your doctor
to figure out the best plan for you.