What is Addiction?

Understanding Chemical Dependency and Substance Abuse

Despite numerous rehab and detox programs, there are still many people who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. 

Substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction are complex diseases that often require professional assistance to prevent the cycle from continuing. Over time, addicts not only destroy their own lives, but also the lives of the people closest to them. The negative effects that drug and alcohol addiction have on individuals and their loved ones, often go unnoticed. 

So what is addiction? Addiction is a brain disease that occurs overtime from using substances that have the power to alter brain chemistry. 

Alcohol, prescription drugs, street drugs, and some designer drugs are made up up chemicals that change the way individuals feel. For example a prescription medication for pain is created to block the nerves that tell the brain the body is in pain. When individuals abuse those drugs the brain becomes used to having them there and begins to crave them.


What is addiction to alcohol and drugs?

When someone is dependent on drugs or alcohol, it is not because they lack moral values or discipline, but that they have a compulsive brain disease characterized by substance seeking behavior, even though it may be negatively affecting many parts of their lives.

The reason it is classified as a brain disease or disorder is due to the changes that occur in the brain’s chemistry. The substance-abusing behavior, or self-destructive patterns, is therefore a symptom of the disorder and not the cause.

A person is considered an addict when they experience three or more of the following symptoms of addiction:

• A tolerance has developed – The repeated use of drugs and alcohol causes the user to build a tolerance to the substance leading to higher amounts required to achieve the same results.
• Withdrawal symptoms occur – With physically dependent substances such as alcohol or heroin, withdrawal symptoms from not having the substance can cause both mental and physical health issues. The body becomes accustomed to the presence of the chemical and counter balances it by doing things such as shutting down receptors. Without the drug, the body becomes unbalanced until the normal function can be restored.
• Cravings happen with substance avoidance – Cravings can be both physical and psychological. Physical cravings occur when the brain’s chemistry changes as a result of continued drug or alcohol abuse. Psychological cravings occur when there is a lack of effective coping skills, resulting in the use of substances in order to self-medicate; creating a reliance.
• Negative consequences are ignored and don’t stop use – Oftentimes, even when a person is aware of the negative consequences, such as relationship problems and physical health issues, the use of drugs or alcohol still continues.
• Neglect to other areas of the addict’s life – An addict will stop engaging in activities that they had once enjoyed in favor of drug or alcohol use. Their responsibilities in areas such as work or the home, can become neglected as their addiction progresses.

Attempts to give up the addiction have failed – Addiction can be difficult to break by oneself and addicts who attempt to stop, often fail due to the fear of withdrawal symptoms, physical or mental addictive behavior and brain disorders that cause drug or alcohol seeking behavior, among other things.

Behavioral changes – People who become addicted to substances often undergo behavioral changes and do things they would not normally do, such as commit a crime.

How does addiction form?

Understanding how addiction forms is an ongoing task, and while there is one reason that causes addiction, there are several factors that increase the likelihood of it to occur. Factors that can cause addiction include the following:

• Biological factors – It is believed that the genes you inherit from your parents play an important part in the probability of addiction.
• Environment – If a person is constantly in a drug or alcohol abusing environment then the risk of addiction increases.
• Development – Critical developmental stages in an adolescent’s life can influence the risk of an addiction.

What is Addiction Treatment

Medication and behavior therapy are the two major approaches to addiction treatment and the best results are usually achieved through a combination of both methods. 

Medications are often used during the detox period to aid in the process and help with further recovery by blocking the effects of substances and balance brain chemistry. 

Behavioral therapy engages patients to help them modify their behavior and attitude related to substance abuse.

Commonly used behavioral therapy methods include the following:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – This method aims to help a patient recognize high-risk situations where drug or alcohol abuse is probable and provides them with the skills needed to cope with those situations.
• Motivational incentives – With this system, positive reinforcement and rewards are used to encourage change in a person’s behavior and avoidance of drugs or alcohol.
• Multidimensional family therapy – Aims to help adolescents and their families with substance abuse and addiction. Multidimensional family therapy is designed to address the family structure as a whole, including the several influences that occur.
• Motivational interviewing – This method increases internal motivation for behavioral change in the patient, helping them to cope and avoid drug or alcohol abuse.