What is drug addiction.

 Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease. It

causes a person to take drugs repeatedly,

despite the harm they cause. Repeated drug

use can change the brain and lead to

addiction.

                                      

The brain changes from addiction can be

lasting, so drug addiction is considered a

"relapsing" disease. This means that people

in recovery are at risk for taking drugs again,

even after years of not taking them.

Does everyone who takes drugs become

addicted?

Not everyone who uses drugs becomes

addicted. Everyone's bodies and brains are

different, so their reactions to drugs can also

be different. Some people may

become addicted quickly, or it may happen

over time. Other people never become

addicted. Whether or not someone becomes

addicted depends on many factors. They

include genetic, environmental, and

developmental factors.

Who is at risk for drug addiction?

Various risk factors can make you more

likely to become addicted to drugs, including

Your biology. People can react to drugs

differently. Some people like the feeling the

first time they try a drug and want more.

Others hate how it feels and never try it

again.

Mental health problems. People who have

untreated mental health problems, such as

depression, anxiety, or attention

deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are

more likely to become addicted. This can

happen because drug use and mental health

problems affect the same parts of the brain.

Also, people with these problems may use

drugs to try to feel better.

Trouble at home. If your home is an unhappy

place or was when you were growing up, you

might be more likely to have a drug problem.

Trouble in school, at work, or with making

friends. You might use drugs to get your

mind off these problems.

Hanging around other people who use drugs.

They might encourage you to try drugs.

Starting drug use when you're young. When

kids use drugs, it affects how their bodies

and brains finish growing. This increases

your chances of becoming

addicted when you're an adult.

What are the signs that someone has

a drug problem?

Signs that someone has a drug problem

include

Changing friends a lot

Spending a lot of time alone

Losing interest in favorite things

Not taking care of themselves - for example,

not taking showers, changing clothes, or

brushing their teeth

Being really tired and sad

Eating more or eating less than usual

Being very energetic, talking fast, or saying

things that don't make sense

Being in a bad mood

Quickly changing between feeling bad and

feeling good

Sleeping at strange hours

Missing important appointments

Having problems at work or at school

Having problems in personal or family

relationships.

                                                                           

What are the treatments for drug

addiction?

Treatments for drug addiction include

counseling, medicines, or both. Research

shows that combining medicines with

counseling gives most people the best chance

of success.

The counseling may be individual, family,

and/or group therapy. It can help you

Understand why you got addicted

See how drugs changed your behavior

Learn how to deal with your problems so you

won't go back to using drugs

Learn to avoid places, people, and situations

where you might be tempted to use drugs.

Medicines can help with the symptoms of

withdrawal. For addiction to certain drugs,

there are also medicines that can help you re-

establish normal brain function and decrease

your cravings.