Drug and alcohol addiction is a chronic disorder of the brain. Addiction is chiefly characterised by relapse and compulsive/impulsive drug use.
Those who experience substance misuse and addiction will continue to use drugs despite knowing their drug use will lead to significantly harmful consequences. This also includes addiction to alcohol.
Substance misuse is known as a chronic disease of the mind. Why? Because drug addiction significantly alters the chemical makeup of the brain.
The mind-altering effects of drug addiction are long-lasting and potentially harmful for people with this disease. Drug addiction is a disease due to the physical changes that are triggered in the brain when drugs are consumed.
If you live in Stroud and suffer from drug or alcohol addiction, it’s likely you will require treatment at a local drug and alcohol rehab. To access treatment today, contact Rehab 4 Addiction on 0800 140 4690.
For drug addiction to arise, the physical act of taking drugs must take place. People begin to consume drugs for a variety of reasons. One common reason for taking drugs is to enhance social gatherings or to improve the user’s mood.
When certain drugs are consumed, the user will feel a sense of euphoria. Other drugs such as cocaine allow the user to feel self-confident and powerful. Another class of drugs known as opiates allow users to experience a powerful sense of calm when these drugs are consumed.
Another common factor that encourages drug use includes the desire to self-medicate the symptoms of common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Taking drugs allows people who suffer from these mental health conditions to temporarily remove the symptoms associated with these conditions.
Another reason why many people begin taking drugs is to satisfy their curiosity or to ‘give in’ to peer pressure. This particular reason is particularly responsible for teen drug addiction.
Teens are vulnerable to peer pressure, and schools and parents are morally responsible when it comes to educating young people about the dangers of giving in to peer pressure and the corresponding dangers of drug addiction that may tragically arise as a result.
Many people taking drugs for the first time may look back on the experience with rose-tinted goggles. The ‘first-time’ drugs are consumed is usually the user’s fondest memory relating to their drug use.
Problems arise when drugs are consumed over and over again. When drugs are consumed on a regular basis, addiction is known to arise. When drug addiction arises, a vast range of negative consequences also arises.
When drug addiction arises, the body defends itself by building up a tolerance for the drugs that are consumed. However, people affected by drug addiction are then known to take larger quantities of drugs to ‘breakthrough’ this tolerance.
When drugs are not consumed or when not enough drugs are consumed, those suffering from substance use disorder will not be able to feel ‘normal’. This will cause those addicted to drugs to impulsively seek out more drugs to satisfy this desire, even when it is inappropriate to do so.
One theory that competes with the idea that addiction is a disease is that addiction is merely a choice. Many media outlets proliferate this the theory that addiction is a choice when criticising those who they purport for being ‘soft’ on drugs and drug users.
Whilst we do not deny that the initial decision to take drugs is purely a voluntary choice, we do not agree that drug use is a choice when an addiction has arisen. Let’s not forget that drug addiction causes tangible changes within the brain.
Scientists agree it’s these changes within the brain that give rise to drug addiction. It thus follows from this evidence that addiction is due to these brain changes, and not due to the voluntary choices made on behalf of individual drug users.
There is no denying the fact that certain individuals are more likely to suffer from drug addiction than others. One’s vulnerability to drug addiction is unarguably due to many contributory factors. Unfortunately, there exists no single factor that’s to blame for the development of drug addiction.
Instead, there exists a multitude of factors. When these factors combine, the risks of developing an addiction to drugs is compounded. The causes of drug addiction are both biological and environmental in nature.
Environment factors include your home and family environment, where you live, where you go to school and who you chose to call your friends. Biological factors include your genetic background. Drug addiction usually arises when this environment and biological are combined with one another.
We are able to assist you in accessing a range of treatment options around Gloucestershire. This includes treatment facilities located in Gloucester, Monmouthshire, Stroud and Cheltenham.
If you or your loved one suffer from drug addiction, you may be well advised to seek out treatment at a residential drug and rehab clinic in Stroud.
We offer full residential rehab facilities across the United Kingdom. Get in touch now to book your free assessment and addiction treatment evaluation.
