Understanding Drug Addiction

By Staff Writer

Drug addiction occurs when physical and psychological dependence to a particular prescription or over-the-counter medication or illegal street drug develops. About 95 percent  of people who have a dependency on drugs or alcohol started using when they were teenagers.

While drug abuse involves repeated and/or excessive use of a drug to get a certain feeling or effect, it does not necessarily evolve into an addiction. So, what makes some people simply abuse drugs and other people become addicted to them?

Risk Factors for Drug Addiction

There is no single cause for the development of a drug addiction. The reality is that it is a combination of multiple factors that may cause someone to become addicted to drugs.

The primary risk factors that may lead to drug addiction include the following:

• Peer pressure. This is especially true for teenagers who feel a strong need to fit in with their friends, but adults can also experience this type of pressure in certain social settings where they feel obligated to conform.
• Family history. Researchers have not conclusively identified the link between genetics and environmental factors, but they do know that people who have a family history of drug addiction are at a higher risk for developing an addiction.
• Physical pain that is untreated. Pain medications, whether they are prescription or illegal, can easily become addictive if they are taken without proper monitoring by a physician.
• History of mental illness. Using drugs can make mental illnesses worse, and in some cases they can create new symptoms in patients. Statistically, people with mental illness are more likely to start using drugs.

Signs and Symptoms of Drug Addiction

In addition to understanding the risk factors for developing a drug addiction, it is also important to recognize the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a loved one has an addiction. In learning about these symptoms, it is essential to realize that people who are addicted to drugs will go to great lengths to disguise the fact. Overall, obtaining the drug becomes the primary focus of addicted individuals, often to the point of impairing their judgment.

The following symptoms are physical signs that someone may be addicted to drugs:

• Unusually slow movements, reaction time or speech.
• Confusion or disorientation may be present with the use of certain drugs (such as barbiturates and opiates).
• Excessive sleeping, usually in abnormal cycles.
• Serious dental problems that are progressive in nature (especially with methamphetamine use).
• Sudden, unexplained weight gain or weight loss.
• Erratic cycles of increased energy, insomnia and restlessness.
• Persistent cough (or bronchitis, especially with drugs that are smoked).
• Changing clothes unexpectedly and for no apparent reason.
• Sinus problems or frequent nosebleeds (for drugs that are snorted).

Emotional signs of abuse can include the following:

• Depression
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Temporary psychosis
• Unresponsiveness or looking "spaced out"
• Increased irritability or anger

Effects of Drug Addiction

Denial is probably the largest effect of drug addiction. People who are addicted to drugs not only don't want to admit it to themselves, they also don't want to talk about it with other people, including close friends and family members. This can become very painful for those who are trying to help a loved one, as they find themselves in the unpleasant situation of dealing with an increasingly belligerent person who pushes them away and becomes more isolated.

The reality of drug addiction is that it affects not just the person who is addicted, but that person's family, friends and coworkers as well. Because of this, it is essential that people understand not only what the signs and symptoms of drug addiction are, but what is involved in the recovery process.

To help someone through recovery, you need to be willing and able to provide that person with the emotional support they will need in order to be successful. Withdrawal symptoms can be extremely difficult and are most always unpleasant, so the addicted individual will also need the support of substance abuse professionals as they go through the recovery process.

For certain addictions, some type of outpatient therapy works best, but for others a residential treatment program for drug addiction may be the necessary course of action. In either case, therapy and support are essential to helping a drug addict overcome their addiction.

One of the most important things to remember about the treatment and recovery process is that it is ongoing. There are no quick fixes for drug addiction. Treatment is, instead, a lifelong journey that requires commitment from addicted individuals because they want to get well and live happier, healthier lives.