Ailments and Situations - Drug Addiction

 
Description

Drug addiction is the physical or psychological dependence on drugs. This typically results in compulsive behaviour to fulfill the need to repeat the first experience. Tolerance to the drug often occurs with habitual use, therefore, a higher and higher dose is required to achieve the level of the initial "high". It is difficult to pinpoint when casual use becomes abuse. Pain medications, as well as other over-the-counter medications are often abused (although not focussed on in this section), not just illegal substances. When dependence is severe, it begins to hinder social interactions, family life, and work. Drug abuse occurs among all socioeconomic classes, genders, and races.

 

Symptoms and Signs:

Drugs that cause dependence do so by acting on the CNS. They reduce anxiety and tension, create euphoria and other feelings of pleasure, alter sensory perception, change behaviour, and can cause feelings of increased mental and physical ability.

 
Causes:

The direct cause for drug abuse is a physical and/or psychological dependence on the drug. The physical addiction is one which causes a withdrawal syndrome when the drug is no longer used. Psychological dependence is what drives the addict to use again, thus intensifies the craving. Some drugs are more physically addictive than others, and many of them are both physically and psychologically addictive.

Personality is thought to play a role in the development of addiction.

Peer pressure, emotional instability, feelings of inadequacy, and unhappiness are often evident in addicts.

 
What to Expect:

Drug overdose is common in many drugs and can result in death. Other drugs have withdrawal syndromes associated with discontinued use.

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