Why abuse drugs

Others hate how it feels and never try it again. Mental health problems. 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?

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.

Can drug use and addiction be prevented? Start Here. Diagnosis and Tests. People often choose to use these types of drugs in order to compete or look a certain way. Drug use delivers instant gratification in terms of physical, psychological, and emotional sensations.

Prescription drugs are also fairly easy to obtain with a prescription from a doctor, provided there are no clear signs of a risk for abuse and dependence.

Different social groups from different backgrounds and demographics have different reasons and triggering factors for abusing drugs. While drug use can affect virtually anyone, there are particular groups in society who become more vulnerable to drug use and eventual addiction. Teens face a different set of substance abuse triggers and influences. Teenagers often face family or financial stresses as they grow old enough to understand the challenges of life.

Teenagers are also faced with the intense pressure of needing to fit in and look cool, which often means abusing drugs and alcohol. Additionally, teens typically go through a phase of rebellion against their parents or attachment figures. Substance abuse is a common way to express this rebellious stage. Because teens are at a vulnerable time in their lives, they may continue to abuse drugs and eventually become addicted.

This addiction helps them find control and escape from their external stress and pressure. This happens for a variety of reasons, which includes societal pressures, work-related burdens, or financial stress. Additionally, many working professionals have the means with which to support a drug dependence. They are often doctors, lawyers or other professional types with high incomes to pay for a drug habit. When people think of drug use, they typically think of homeless people or those living in poverty.

They may also associate drug use with mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychiatric conditions.

These are especially vulnerable societal groups who use drugs as part of a much larger issue. Homeless people and those struggling with mental health challenges face isolation, depression, and an overall lack of support that leads them to use drugs. Additionally, they often find themselves associating with others who face the same challenges and who also use drugs. This then becomes a cycle of drug use, which often leads to addiction.

As people begin to rely more and more on substances to accomplish their psychological, physical, or emotional needs, it increases the risk of developing an addiction. When substances begin to serve their purpose and adequately fill a need, a person can become susceptible to relying on the drug in order to function or feel in control. This turns into a dependence on the drug, which can eventually create a full-fledged addiction.

Not all people who use drugs will develop an addiction. A full drug addiction is characterized by a chronic disease state whereby symptoms of physical withdrawal begin.

With an addiction, the person physically cannot live without drugs and may eventually die as a result. Drug use, no matter what initially led to it, can eventually turn into an addiction for some people. No one is beyond treatment. No matter what the triggering factors or causes for drug use may be, there is always hope for treatment and long-term recovery. Whatever challenges an individual is facing, there are positive and healthy ways to seek help. If you are facing any life challenges that are causing you to turn to drug use, contact 12 Keys Emerald Coast for drug treatment and support.

All too often, addicts are recycled through drug rehab treatment facilities across the country, where they are given the basics of recovery, but little else. Sent back out into the world, they lack the foundation in sobriety necessary to sustain long For the vast majority of people who are addicted to alcohol, the first big decision they must make is to become willing to seek treatment for their addiction.

The second decision is of vital importance as well—choosing the right alcohol rehab to se Oftentimes, drug addicts are completely unaware of the devastation they are causing in the lives of those around them, especially within their own families. Family members themselves will yell, scream, withdraw, cajole, rant, criticize, understand, n Here are some of the most common causes of drug abuse and why substance use occurs in different people: Grieving a death End of a relationship Mental illness Environmental influences Relaxation Self-medication Financial burdens Career pressures School pressures Family demands Peer and Social Pressure Abuse and trauma Boredom To fit in Curiosity and experimentation Rebellion To be in control To enhance performance Isolation Misinformation or ignorance Instant Gratification Wide availability Grieving: The death of a loved one, such as a close friend or family member, or even a mentor who positively influenced a person, is emotionally devastating for people.

Different people handle grief in different ways. Drug Topics. More Drug Topics. Quick Links. About NIDA. Points to Remember Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.

This is why drug addiction is also a relapsing disease. Relapse is the return to drug use after an attempt to stop. Relapse indicates the need for more or different treatment. Most drugs affect the brain's reward circuit by flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. Surges of dopamine in the reward circuit cause the reinforcement of pleasurable but unhealthy activities, leading people to repeat the behavior again and again.

Over time, the brain adjusts to the excess dopamine, which reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance. They might take more of the drug, trying to achieve the same dopamine high. Unfortunately, drugs like heroin, ecstasy, and meth, which are so addictive that the person will begin a pattern of abuse, can eventually lead to an addiction. Self-Medicating is one of the top reasons that people abuse drugs and alcohol.

Self-medication can stem from stress, anxiety, undiagnosed mental illness, severe depression, loneliness, and trauma. These reasons and sometimes more than one of these reasons can easily lead a person to begin using drugs and alcohol to cope.

Scottsdale , AZ Medically Reviewed By: Dr. Article Overview Substance abuse comes in many different forms and can happen for many different reasons. Legality Equals Accessibility Nicotine and alcohol are examples of legal and loosely regulated legal drugs that have a risk for addiction.

Prescription Drugs Prescription drugs can lead to drug abuse. Fitting In Peer pressure causes people to do things they would normally not to impress friends or loved ones. Depression Depression is a common mental health diagnosis in the United States.

To Feel Good While other reasons behind doing drugs can be especially complex, this one is pretty straightforward. Availability If the urge to experiment or try drugs for the first time comes up, availability has a lot to do with why people abuse. Gateway In many cases, substances like alcohol, marijuana, and prescription painkillers act as a gateway to drugs with a more intense and mind-altering effect.

Experimenting Mind-altering substances, like cocaine and alcohol, promise a heightened euphoric experience, and to some, that experience is worth exploring despite the risks.