Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to the inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or drug. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine are also considered drugs. Addiction is the inability to stop using a substance or to engage in behavior even though it is causing psychological and physical harm. As a charge nurse, I have seen firsthand the devastating effects of drug addiction, which 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 cause addiction. All content on this website, including the dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography and other reference data, is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, current and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation or advice from a legal, medical or other professional. The brain becomes insensitive to the drug, so more of the drug must be used to produce the same effect.
However, if you have abused drugs or alcohol in the past or have family members who have abused drugs or alcohol, you may be at greater risk. Drug addiction (also known as substance use disorder) can be defined as a progressive disease that causes people to lose control over the use of a substance despite the worsening consequences of that use. Numerous research-based therapies and treatment interventions have been shown to be effective in treating people living with drug addiction. This addiction begins to develop gradually when the individual continues to use the drug despite the deterioration it causes.
Prevention programs that involve families, schools, communities and the media can prevent or reduce drug use and addiction. Some people may begin to feel the need to take more or take a medication more often, even in the early stages of its use. While these drugs are very different from each other, they all strongly activate the brain's addiction center. When you're addicted to drugs, you can't resist the urge to use them, no matter how much harm they may cause.
However, this is not considered addiction until the person experiences a “chronic, recurring disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continuous use despite harmful consequences, and lasting changes in the brain. Headquartered in New Jersey, Pinnacle Treatment Centers is a recognized leader in the comprehensive treatment of drug and alcohol addiction serving more than 28,000 patients daily in California, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In other cases, mental health symptoms aren't evident until after the addiction has taken hold, sometimes these conditions are exacerbated or worsened by drug use. Addiction is defined as a chronic recurrent disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences.
When drug addiction is discovered in its early stages, the chances of a successful recovery increase significantly. Over time, if drug use continues, other pleasurable activities become less pleasant and a person has to take the drug just to feel “normal.”.
