Drugs why addictive

Signs of Addiction The most obvious sign of an addiction is the need to have a particular drug or substance. Signs that you or someone you know may have a drug or alcohol addiction include: Psychological signals: use of drugs or alcohol as a way to forget problems or to relax withdrawal or keeping secrets from family and friends loss of interest in activities that used to be important problems with schoolwork, such as slipping grades or absences changes in friendships, such as hanging out only with friends who use drugs spending a lot of time figuring out how to get drugs stealing or selling belongings to be able to afford drugs failed attempts to stop taking drugs or drinking anxiety, anger, or depression mood swings Physical signals: changes in sleeping habits feeling shaky or sick when trying to stop needing to take more of the substance to get the same effect changes in eating habits, including weight loss or gain page 2 Getting Help If you think that you or someone you care about is addicted to drugs or alcohol, recognizing the problem is the first step in getting help.

Tips for Recovery After you start a treatment program, try these tips to make the road to recovery less bumpy: Tell your friends about your decision to stop using drugs. True friends will respect your decision. Unless everyone decides to kick their drug habit at once, you probably won't be able to hang out with the friends you did drugs with. Ask your friends or family to be available when you need them. You might need to call someone in the middle of the night just to talk.

If you're going through a tough time, don't try to handle things on your own — accept the help your family and friends offer. Accept invitations only to events that you know won't involve drugs or alcohol. Going to the movies is probably safe, but you may want to skip a Friday night party until you're feeling more secure. Plan activities that don't involve drugs. Go to the movies, try bowling, or take an art class with a friend.

Have a plan about what you'll do if you find yourself in a place with drugs or alcohol. The temptation will be there sometimes.

If you know how you're going to handle it, you'll be OK. Establish a plan with your parents, siblings, or other supportive friends and adults so that if you call home using a code, they'll know that your call is a signal you need a ride out of there.

Remind yourself that having an addiction doesn't make a person bad or weak. If you fall back into old patterns backslide a bit, talk to an adult as soon as possible. There's nothing to be ashamed about, but it's important to get help soon so that all of the hard work you put into your recovery is not lost. Helping a Friend With Addiction If you're worried about a friend who has an addiction, you can use these tips to help him or her.

For more information, contact a treatment provider today. After graduation, he decided to pursue his passion of writing and editing.

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional. David embarked on his journey into sobriety in June of , which led him to his current career path as a Certified Professional Addiction Recovery Coach in private practice in Greater Nashville.

David is also a public speaker and the author of two books. David is cohost of the weekly Positive Sobriety Podcast, as well as being a frequent contributor to various articles and recovery based materials.

As a member of the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors NAADAC , David works closely with Nashville area treatment centers, nonprofit recovery organizations, and consulting with faith-based groups trying to bridge the gap between the recovery communities and faith-based organizations who wish to understand addiction.

Call A treatment facility paid to have their center promoted here. Learn more about how to be featured in a paid listing. Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Chats will be received and answered by one of treatment providers listed below, each of which is a paid advertiser:.

These are the 10 most common substance dependencies across the United States. Start the road to recovery. Get a Call. Questions about treatment?

Call now for: Access to top treatment centers Caring, supportive guidance Financial assistance options People struggling with addiction usually deny that their drug use is problematic and are reluctant to seek treatment. An intervention presents a loved one with a structured opportunity to make changes before things get even worse and can motivate someone to seek or accept help.

An intervention should be carefully planned and may be done by family and friends in consultation with a doctor or professional such as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, or directed by an intervention professional.

It involves family and friends and sometimes co-workers, clergy or others who care about the person struggling with addiction. During the intervention, these people gather together to have a direct, heart-to-heart conversation with the person about the consequences of addiction and ask him or her to accept treatment.

Like many mental health disorders, several factors may contribute to development of drug addiction. The main factors are:. Physical addiction appears to occur when repeated use of a drug changes the way your brain feels pleasure.

The addicting drug causes physical changes to some nerve cells neurons in your brain. Neurons use chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate.

These changes can remain long after you stop using the drug. People of any age, sex or economic status can become addicted to a drug. Certain factors can affect the likelihood and speed of developing an addiction:. Drug use can have significant and damaging short-term and long-term effects.

Taking some drugs can be particularly risky, especially if you take high doses or combine them with other drugs or alcohol. Here are some examples. The best way to prevent an addiction to a drug is not to take the drug at all. If your doctor prescribes a drug with the potential for addiction, use care when taking the drug and follow the instructions provided by your doctor. Doctors should prescribe these medications at safe doses and amounts and monitor their use so that you're not given too great a dose or for too long a time.

If you feel you need to take more than the prescribed dose of a medication, talk to your doctor. Once you've been addicted to a drug, you're at high risk of falling back into a pattern of addiction. If you do start using the drug, it's likely you'll lose control over its use again — even if you've had treatment and you haven't used the drug for some time.

Drug addiction substance use disorder care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Drunk Driving Choosing to drive while intoxicated is often a telltale sign of alcohol abuse. Sadly, getting behind the wheel after drinking can prove to be a deadly mistake.

While there is no cure for alcoholism, people can overcome an alcohol addiction by attending a treatment program. Treatment for alcohol abuse can help a person maintain their sobriety and manage alcohol cravings. Those who struggle with excessive alcohol consumption will need treatment in order to avoid major health complications later in life.

Genetics Of Alcoholism Individuals with a family history of alcoholism have a higher risk of incurring alcohol abuse patterns at some point in their life. Benzodiazepines , or Benzos, include pharmaceutical drugs used to treat a wide array of mental disorders including severe anxiety and panic attacks. People can build a tolerance to Benzos if they are consumed for an extended period of time, which can lead to dependency. Some people choose to take Benzos with alcohol, which strengthens their effects and can lead to overdose.

Comprehensive treatment for a Benzodiazepine addiction typically includes cognitive behavioral therapy, support groups, and medications to help reduce cravings. Learn more about Benzodiazepines. Ativan, the brand name for the drug Lorazepam, is an intermediate-acting Benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety disorders, depression, and panic attacks.

Ativan is extremely potent when compared to other Benzos. Because of this, people who consume Ativan have a high risk of developing an abuse disorder. Halcion Halcion is prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia. As a short-acting medication, Halcion is processed through the body faster than other Benzos. As a result, people may be inclined to increase their dose in order to keep experiencing a high; this can lead to an addiction. Klonopin Klonopin has a high potential for abuse and addiction — even when prescribed to treat a medical condition.

Klonopin is a long-acting Benzo, meaning that it takes longer to feel its full effects. Once Klonopin leaves the body, a person can experience severe and potentially life-threatening symptoms of withdrawal. Librium Librium is typically used to treat a wide array of anxiety disorders. It is often abused due to the calming effects this drug produces. Because Librium has a low potency when compared to other Benzos, many people consume it in combination with other substances to achieve a greater high.

Xanax With over 44 million scripts written every year, Xanax is the most prescribed medication in the country. It is highly addictive when taken in high doses or over an extended period of time. A person struggling with Xanax addiction will typically exhibit symptoms of fatigue and loss of motivation. Valium Valium is the brand name for Diazepam, which is used to treat muscle spasms and seizures.

However, people who start taking more Valium than recommended are at risk of addiction. Make a Call Illicit drugs include powerfully addictive and illegal substances such as Heroin and Meth. The nature of these substances can vary greatly. In contrast, Cocaine puts brain functioning into hyper speed and results in increased alertness and anxiety.

Even just a single use of some of these substances can spawn devastating patterns of abuse. People looking to quit a dangerous habit of consuming illicit substances should seek professional guidance to aid in their recovery. A licensed inpatient treatment center can provide everything a person needs to achieve and maintain sobriety, from medical detox services to therapy and step programs.

Learn more about illicit drug addiction. A stimulant with effects similar to excessive amounts of Caffeine, Cocaine is most often snorted in powder form. This illicit drug is highly addictive, and continued abuse can cause severe weight loss and damage to the nasal passages. Crack Cocaine The more potent form of Cocaine, Crack Cocaine is usually smoked through a short pipe that often causes blisters and burns on the mouth and hands.

An addiction to Crack Cocaine can develop in as little as 1 use. Ecstasy Ecstasy is often consumed by young adults attending parties or raves. It is a stimulant with potentially hallucinogenic effects. Many forms of ecstasy on the black market are cut with much more dangerous substances, such as Heroin and LSD. Hallucinogens Hallucinogens are mind-altering, psychoactive substances with a high potential for abuse. These substances are often taken by people looking to distort their perception of reality.

Hallucinogens are also sometimes used to self-medicate a mental disorder, such as depression. However, taking Hallucinogens for self-medication purposes can make an underlying condition even worse. Heroin One of the most addictive substances on earth, Heroin is a synthetic derivative of Morphine. Heroin comes as either as a powder or as a sticky gel known as Black Tar Heroin. Long-term abuse of Heroin can cause abscesses and scabs on the skin, in addition to psychological and internal damage.