Author: Charles Frank

Substance abuse Wikipedia

They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting usually takes more than good intentions or a strong will. Drugs change the brain in ways that make quitting hard, even for those who want to. Fortunately, researchers know more than ever about how drugs affect the brain and have found treatments that can help people recover from drug addiction and lead productive lives. Philip Jenkins suggests that there are two issues with the term “drug abuse”.

Is having a couple of drinks every day after work to unwind use or misuse? Is drinking two pots of coffee in the morning to get your day started use or misuse? It also is not uncommon for people to not recognize the impact that their substance use has on their life. So-called “designer drugs” and synthetic drugs, such as bath salts and synthetic marijuana, can be abused and can possibly be more dangerous than other drugs.

Why Do People Misuse Drugs?

Adolescents and adults are more likely to overdose on one or more drugs in order to harm themselves. Attempting to harm oneself may represent a suicide attempt. People who purposefully overdose on medications frequently have mental health conditions. These conditions may or may not have been diagnosed before. When you use opioids for pain for a long time, for example, you may develop tolerance and even physical dependence. In general, when narcotics are used under proper medical supervision, addiction happens in only a small percentage of people.

Missing a dose of a medication you have a prescription for, and taking it an hour later than intended (which isn’t always safe), is misuse. However, this action is unlikely to lead to addiction. Many people with substance abuse problems are able to quit or can change their unhealthy behavior.

Drug misuse is a broad term used to describe different types of substance use. Specifically, it describes someone who uses a legal or prescribed medication in a way that was not directed. If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, WebMD Connect to Care Advisors are standing by to help. The initial decision to take drugs is typically voluntary.

Why do some people become addicted to drugs, while others do not?

More than 70,200 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017.[63] Among these, the sharpest increase occurred among deaths related to fentanyl and synthetic opioids (28,466 deaths).[63] See charts below. If you use substances for recreational purposes, misuse prescription medications, or take substances for the purposes of becoming intoxicated, talk to your doctor about your treatment options. Whereas nicotine is the most abused drug, caffeine is the most commonly used mood-altering drug in the world. And yes, too much caffeine can be harmful to your health. Again, just because it is legal, doesn’t mean it can’t be abused. The fact that the negative health effects of nicotine take a long time to manifest probably plays a role in the widespread abuse of tobacco.

1. Treatment for substance use disorders may involve behavioral therapies, medications, or a combination of different approaches.
2. People who are recovering from an addiction will be at risk for relapse for years and possibly for their whole lives.
3. As with other diseases and disorders, the likelihood of developing an addiction differs from person to person, and no single factor determines whether a person will become addicted to drugs.
4. The major problem that arises from the consumption of psychotropic drugs is dependence, the compulsion to use the drug despite any deterioration in health, work, or social activities.
5. The reason why people become addicted to drugs varies from person to person.

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. If you think this may be true for you, you are certainly not alone. According to the latest statistics, 21.9% of Americans over the age of 12 have used illicit drugs in the past year, and 9.2 million people over the age of 12 have misused opioids. Drinking five or more drinks for men (four for women) in any one sitting is considered binge drinking, which can be harmful to your physical and mental health in many different ways. But recent research has shown that even marijuana may have more harmful physical, mental, and psychomotor effects than first believed. Research has found that marijuana can have serious short-term and long-term health risks.

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction

Nicotine is the single most abused substance in the world. Although smoking has declined in recent years, it is estimated that 28.3 million Americans still smoke cigarettes despite the well-publicized harmful effects. Genes, other mental health conditions, developmental factors, and environmental influences all play a role. Some doctors’ offices are equipped to handle overdoses; others are not. Some doctors’ offices advise their patients to go to a hospital’s emergency department. In life-threatening circumstances, an ambulance should usually be summoned by calling 911.

This problem is at epidemic levels in the United States. In 2018, opioids played a role in two-thirds of all drug overdose deaths. Most governments have designed legislation to criminalize certain types of drug use. These drugs are often called “illegal drugs” but generally what is illegal is their unlicensed production, distribution, and possession. Even for simple possession, legal punishment can be quite severe (including the death penalty in some countries).

Risk and protective factors may be either environmental or biological. As with most other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, treatment for drug addiction generally isn’t a cure. However, addiction is treatable and can be successfully managed.

How to Prevent Substance Use

When they first use a drug, people may perceive what seem to be positive effects. Some people may start to feel the need to take more of a drug or take it more often, even in the early stages of their drug use. Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs.

Many people who are directed to go to the emergency department may not have any physical signs of poisoning. Drug addiction disrupts the normal, healthy functioning of the body, just like any other disease. This illegal drug is the natural version of manmade prescription opioid narcotics. You’ll move and think more slowly, and you may have chills, nausea, and nervousness. You may feel a strong need to take more heroin to feel better.

Using cocaine for a long time will lead to strong cravings for the drug. When you use cocaine, you may talk, move, or think very fast. Drugs that either depress or stimulate the central nervous system have long been used for nonmedical reasons. Depressants include all sedatives and hypnotics such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines (minor tranquilizers).

Over time, your brain gets used to the extra dopamine. So you might need to take more of the drug to get the same good feeling. And other things you enjoyed, like food and hanging out with family, may give you less pleasure. The drugs that may be addictive target your brain’s reward system. They flood your brain with a chemical called dopamine.