How Does Drug Addiction Work?

By Matt Brindisi

It is no secret that the word "addiction" has lost some of its meaning. It seems like these days, anybody who expresses a strong interest in something is said to have "be addicted" to that something. The truth is that addiction is far more than a strong interest. For many people addictions are serious and, in the case of drug abuse, a drug addiction can be a dangerous compulsion. So how do people get addicted to drugs? How does addiction "work?"

A true addiction refers to the state in which a person thinks that he needs a substance in order to function properly. This addiction can manifest itself in the drug addict's brain telling the addict that the drug will help him "feel better." Drug addiction can also manifest itself physically-when the addict stops using his drug of choice, he will go through physical withdrawal symptoms that (it seems) can only be stopped by taking more of the abused drug.

Many people assume that it takes quite a long time to become a drug addict. The truth is that there are many drugs out there, like meth and heroin that are highly addictive and can create an addiction after just a single use. How does this happen?

First, let's look at how the brain normally functions. As a person goes through his day his brain will release a variety of hormones and chemicals that dictate how the person feels. When the brain increases its dopamine production the person will feel happier. When the brain triggers the release of endorphins, the person is better able to cope with stress. The brain might release a chemical telling you that you are hungry (after the emptiness of your stomach prompts your brain to do so).

When a person takes drugs, his drug of choice eventually takes over the production of certain chemicals for the brain. For example, when a person uses heroin, the heroin triggers the release of dopamine in the brain. As a person continues to use heroin, the brain loses its ability to produce dopamine by itself. To use a simple analogy-the brain gets "out of practice" and physically needs the heroin to tell it how to produce dopamine. Different drugs trigger different chemicals. Amphetamines, for example, tell the brain to release the chemicals that give the body energy. Eventually, the brain loses its ability to produce those chemicals by itself and the body will feel sluggish and tired until the drug addict takes more amphetamines to perk up.

The truth is that a drug addict really does "need" the drug he or she has been abusing to feel normal.

It is vital that, if you are trying to stare down a drug addiction, you understand this. Understanding that your body and brain cannot overpower the drug addiction by sheer force of will is a major step on the road to getting sober. Finding a suitable drug addiction treatment center is the next step that you need to take. The road to sobriety will not be easy, but with the right drug addiction treatment center to help you understand your addiction, sobriety is possible!

And now I invite you to get [http://www.transformationstreatment.com/]Drug Addiction Treatment. Please call me, Matthew Brindisi, right now at 866-211-5538 and speak to me or one of my staff.
Get [http://www.transformationstreatment.com/]Drug Addiction Treatment Today. You are important. You can change your life. You deserve it.

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