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From health to human rights, drug addiction is something that causes challenges in all developmental areas. The global drug problem has significantly affected humankind at its core. About 296 million people worldwide use drugs, as per the latest study reports.
Among the total drug users worldwide, more than 5% are people between 15 and 16 years old. This alarming increase in the number of young drug users calls for immediate actions and resolutions.
As drug addiction is considered a social stigma, many people fear to disclose their addiction. This prevents them from getting timely medical help. This can only increase the risk of addiction.
Although drug addiction is a chronic condition, it is possible to treat it and recover. It is possible to effectively reduce drug use by taking treatment for drug addiction.
Understandably, developing an addiction need not be a conscious choice for many. But considering the risk factors of addiction, seeking help and joining a treatment program should be a conscious choice.
Understanding drug use and addiction is crucial for effectively controlling substance abuse. It is one thing to become addicted, but a whole different scenario to not seek medical help to recover.
The Science of Drug Addiction: How to Recover from Drug Use and Addiction?
Drugs are highly potent chemical substances that can even change the functioning of the human brain. A person who takes the drug often feels the need to consume it again. This tendency to use a drug gradually turns into a fully blown drug addiction.
Even if a person with an addiction understands the harmful effects of the drug addiction, they may not be able to break the pattern due to the severe withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms can be challenging for every type of drug, including recreational drugs.
Thus, Addicts refrain from taking substance abuse treatment. However, residential treatment, addiction medicine, and other treatment of substance use can work miracles in resolving addictive drug usage.
Drug misuse and addiction can come to a controllable level with proper professional support. Addiction may take a while to be removed entirely from the human body, but it is possible.
Substance Use Disorder
Substance use disorder is an extremely late stage in the development of drug addiction. At this stage, the drug consumer is already beyond the risk of addiction. Instead, they are at a stage where the addiction has turned into a mental disorder.
Without external medical or professional support, substance use disorder patients will not be able to recover. They will be involuntarily seeking drugs as their brain tweaks their behavior in such a way.
Excessive cocaine use or alcohol or other drug use can all lead to substance use disorder. Without proper drug treatment, these patients develop major addictions to opioids and other drugs and gradually fall ill.
People who have suffered from substance use disorder stand a high chance of returning to drug use even after recovery.
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Risk Factors
Drug addiction risk factors are those factors that essentially lead to addiction. There can be physical risk factors and social risk factors. These risk factors can be different for different people. There are also a good number of people who were not influenced by any factors and have started consuming drugs on their own.
Still, the majority of alcohol or drug consumers are influenced by certain risk factors. Some of the most common ones among them are as follows.
- Mental health issues
- Unhappy family environment
- Troubles in professional or academic circles
- Peer pressure
- Experimentation
Although these factors pose significant risks of drug use, not everyone who has gone through these conditions falls into alcohol and drug addiction. A good number of people understand the science of addiction and steer clear of it.
Severe Substance Use Disorder: Signs and Symptoms
A good number of people consume drugs to feel relaxed. However, drug use and health are closely related. When the drug is taken in moderate amounts, it is harmless. However, unhealthy drug use patterns can lead to compulsive drug-taking habits and eventually to health issues.
The primary signs and symptoms of drug use disorder are as follows.
- Behavioral changes
- Social awkwardness
- Loss of interest in social activities
- Lack of communication
- Urge to use drugs
- Weakness
- Physical health deterioration
- Sudden mood swings
- Unhealthy eating and sleeping patterns
- Lack of hygiene and personal care
Drug Addiction and Mental Disorder
Substance use disorder and mental health issues are deeply connected. Experts have made it clear that pre-existing mental health issues can cause a greater risk of drug addiction. Likewise, repeated drug use can worsen any existing mental health issues.
It is estimated that nearly one in eight people worldwide struggle with diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health conditions. As mental health issues are so common, most drug addicts are likely vulnerable to the worsening of mental health.
As the number of people struggling with mental health is rising, it is crucial to have conversations on mental health and addiction. More awareness should be generated on how to prevent alcohol and illicit drug abuse from affecting the mental health of consumers.
It is essential for people struggling with addiction to limit themselves from harming their mental health. It is advisable to seek help if at all the initial drug use shows signs of development of addiction.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use, drug use and addiction are preventable. You can put an effective end to drug seeking and use through proper drug addiction treatment. Professional addiction recovery programs can end drug cravings for once and for all.
Addiction Treatment and Addiction Recovery
Currently, there are a good number of treatment options available for treatment for alcohol and other illicit substances. These treatments ensure that all the withdrawal symptoms associated with the use of drugs are appropriately managed. So, the person with an addiction, despite adverse consequences or symptoms of withdrawal, can recover from the addiction.
The most popular recovery treatment options are medicines, counseling, etc. Depending on the intensity of addiction in the patient, one or more treatment options may have to be used.
Counseling involves various forms of therapy that help the patient develop a deep understanding of how addiction affects their personal and public lives. Family therapy, group therapy, individual therapy, etc., are some of the therapy forms used to prevent people from continuing to use substances.
Medicines are much more helpful in the withdrawal symptoms associated with substance use problems. According to the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol, addiction usually causes a handful of significant withdrawal symptoms. These can even get to the point of violence, too. Medicines can help calm down the patient completely.
Final Word: Use Drugs Responsibly
Drugs are used in bulk across the globe for various medical requirements. The medical implications of many addictive drugs are, in fact, helpful in the preparation of numerous medicines. However, the use of drugs for recreation can often go overboard and spoil the health of the consumer. This is why timely intervention is needed. Along with government-funded awareness programs, the population should also act responsibly while having to use any form of drugs.
FAQs
People become addicted to drugs because they influence the functioning of the human brain. Drugs release the happy hormones in the body and create a sense of relaxation. But when repeatedly used, they tend to permanently alter the brain function in such a way as to be addicted to the drugs.
Mental disorders increase the risk of addiction. When a person with mental health challenges consumes drugs, the chances are high for the condition to worsen. This can lead them to consume even higher doses of drugs, eventually leading them to severe addiction.
Addiction is the condition in which a person feels the urge to do something repeatedly, even if it is harmful.
The best way to control drug cravings is to seek professional help. Trying to manage addiction on your own can only worsen the situation.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a healthcare handbook widely used in the United States. It is considered the authentic text for diagnosing and identifying various mental health conditions.
