Drug Addiction is a complex condition that occurs as drugs cause changes in your brain’s reward system. The drugs cause the brain to release different chemicals, but all of them increase the levels of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps our pleasure centers and controls the brain. You can also develop a psychological dependency on the drug as your tolerance builds.
What are the Effects of drug addiction?
Drug Addiction can lead to many negative situations and issues for your health and life in general. The health risks will depend on what type of drug you are addicted may including Heart rate irregularities, heart attack, Hallucinations, confusion, Kidney and liver damage. It is important to seek help as soon as possible, while you are struggling with drug addiction.
How to Treat Drug Addiction?
Addiction is a lifelong condition that is completely responsible for a person’s life. Treatment of Drug Addiction should be both medical and mental health services. Successful treatment has several steps:
1) Behavioral therapies: It helps patients to modify their attitudes and behaviors related drug to use. It increases healthy life skills and persists with other forms of treatment, such as medication. It is a form of psychotherapy that can be done by a psychologist or psychiatrist. Counseling and therapy may be done with an individual family or a group. The therapist or counselor can help you to develop ways to crave your drug.
2) Withdrawal therapy: This therapy enables you to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible. The goal of detoxification is called detox or withdrawal therapy. Detox may gradually reduce the dose of the drug or temporarily substitute like buprenorphine, or a combination of buprenorphine, methadone, and naloxone.
3) Diagnosis: Diagnosing drug addiction requires a thorough evaluation and often includes an assessment by a psychologist, a licensed alcoholic, a psychiatrist, and a drug counselor. Blood, urine, or other lab tests are used to assess the drug but they are not diagnostic tests for addiction.
How are addictions diagnosed?
You can ask questions about your patterns of substance use or problematic behaviors. You may require a physical exam of blood and urine tests. All these tests give you entire information about your overall health.
What are the signs of addiction?
Symptoms of addiction are based on the substance or activity that may vary from person to person.
1) Inability to Stop: If you want to stop then you may use a substance or engage in harmful addictive behavior. You can also lie to your loved ones about it or try to hide it.
2) Lack of Control: You may feel like you have lost complete control over your substance use or activity and often feel helpless. You may often feel overwhelmed, depressed, or guilty by your addiction and how much it has impacted your life.
3) Personal problems and Health Issues: All addictions impact of their lives including their physical health, mental health, personal relationships, and career. Despite knowing the detrimental effects their addictions are having on them, you cannot stop.
4) Withdrawal: Physical symptoms include shaking, sweating or vomiting. You may also become anxious or irritable. People with addiction may experience physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms when they stop using.
