Drug abuse leads to addiction, which affects the brain on several levels. Chemical compounds such as stimulants, nicotine, opioids, alcohol, and sedatives get into the bloodstream through drug use. When the chemicals get into the brain, they make a person unable to control their impulses. When individuals become addicted to drugs, their body crave for the chemical substance a lot because of how they stimulate the brain system. Continuous use of the drug leads to changes in euphoric feelings and behaviors. Notably, the effects of drugs can remain permanently on your brain even after you stop using it.
How Addiction Develops
There is no clear indication of how much drug intake you need to become addicted. Drugs affect three main areas of the brain:
- The brain stem, which is in control of all functions of the body to survive
- The limbic system which connects brain structures which control emotional responses
- The cerebral cortex –it is the brain’s outer part that performs specific functions such as hearing, tasting, and seeing.
The brain itself is in charge of temperature, emotions, breathing, coordination, and making decisions. Drugs connect to the limbic system found in the brain, which allows the brain to release strong emotions of feeling good, which affects both the body and mind. This creates a cycle of drug use, making drug intake a cycle, resulting in it being a basic requirement for you to feel good.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Drug addiction rewards the brain with intense emotions. They are several consequences of substance abuse, such as withdrawal. People who are alcoholics express extreme withdrawal symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and even shaking. The withdrawal symptoms make a person have a difficulty in controlling their emotions. At this point, an individual requires professional help to beat the addiction. Some withdrawal symptoms may even result in death.
Factors That Lead to an Increase in Addiction
Family members who use drugs such as alcohol can influence you to start using them. Also, family members who are involved in criminal acts can influence you to start taking drugs. Peer influence. Friends from school can introduce you to drug abuse. For example, students can sneak alcohol into a school compound and give their peers to drink. Starting to use drugs at an early age can lead to addiction. Research indicates that if a person begins to use drugs at an early age, they are likely to take more and more, which will eventually make them addicts. Once the drugs have affected the brain, there is no more turning back unless they seek treatment.
Method of using the drug- If you are smoking or injecting the drug, then you are more likely to become an addict. This is because drugs that are smoked or injected enter the brain within a few minutes, which results in a rush of pleasure. This intense feeling of happiness does not last long, which will prompt an individual to use the drug again. Signs of a drug problem are quite easy to spot. They include losing interest in your initial hobbies, skipping schools, getting lower grades in school, getting in trouble with the law, experiencing a change in your eating or sleeping habits, and craving for the drug.
Treatments for Addiction
A person fighting addiction has to receive medication, go into a facility, and get innovative treatments. Biofeedback therapy is a common treatment that helps to soothe the brain after addiction. A professional monitors your brain and how much the drug abuse has affected it. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and Dialectical behavioral therapy helps to improve involuntary actions that have been affected by addiction. These include blood pressure and muscle contraction. Neurofeedback is a kind of biofeedback therapy that focuses on returning the brain’s function. All these therapies aim at returning the brain to being in control of its functions. The length of treatment depends on the kind of addiction you have. People who are highly addicted require long term treatments. Relapsing on addiction is a common issue that can affect individuals. If you experience a relapse, then it is best to change the treatment.
The Way to go
Most people who decide to undergo treatment after an addiction are mostly forced by a court order or family members. However, seeking treatment during an addiction is the best way to go because of the effects the addiction brings to your financial, physical, and emotional status. There are several rehabilitation centers that a person can visit if they are experiencing addiction problems. If you are ready to get started on the road to being drug-free, you can visit us today we are always ready to help. Call us at 833-610-1174.