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Drug Addiction Warning Signs

Drug addiction is a pathological disorder relating to a progression of intense drug use, the susceptibility to relapse, and the reduced capacity to respond to natural biological rewards. Addicts are locked in a cycle of preoccupation, intoxication and withdrawal. They continually crave and are obsessed with acquiring the substance, despite knowing the possible dangers involved. Addicts tend to retreat and have little interest in normal life; in food, sex, or social interaction. A clear sign of addiction is the inability to overcome the urge to obtain more of the drug.

Both illegal and prescription/over the counter drugs can cause addiction. The most common drug addictions for example, are to legal substances such as alcohol or nicotine. The level of addiction depends on the substance as well as the individual. For instance, it is necessary to be exposed to codeine or alcohol for a longer period than drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Also, there are those who are genetically or psychologically predisposed towards addiction.

Drug addiction is a gradual process, yet once addicted the user becomes more tolerant to the drug and begins to take a larger dose in order to attain the same result. It becomes harder and harder for the addict to return to normality; life without the drug is dissatisfying.

In general, the effects of different drugs fall into two categories, that of depressants and stimulants. Alcohol and narcotics such as morphine are often known as ‘downers’ due to their relaxing and numbing effects. Stimulants or ‘uppers’ produce an initial feeling of being high. This sensation however does not last and the user enters a depressive stage. This then leads the user to seek out more of the drug.

There are various schools of thought on how best to treat drug addiction. One method is total abstinence although in practice this is often incredibly hard to achieve. Others favour a gradual reduction until the addict eventually regains some normality to their life. What is certain is that in order to achieve success, any drug program must be tailored to the needs of the person and type of addiction.