Substance Abuse and
Addiction and the Brain
By Dr. Fourkan Ali
Many people do not
understand why people become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster
compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a
social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One
very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking
drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior.
What people often
underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction -- that it is a disease that impacts
the brain, and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a
matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how
exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know
that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing
drugs and resume productive lives.
Drug addiction is a
chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite
harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction
is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure
and function of the brain. Although it is true
that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time
the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's
self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time create
an intense impulse to take drugs.
It is because of these
changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is addicted to
stop abusing drugs. Fortunately, there are treatments that help people to
counteract addiction's powerful disruptive effects and regain control. Research
shows that combining addiction treatment medications,
if available, with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for
most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patient's drug
abuse patterns and any concurrent medical, psychiatric, and social problems can
lead to sustained recovery and a life without drugs.
As
with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed effectively.Yet, it is not
uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse does
not signal failure; rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated or
adjusted, or that alternate treatment is needed to help the person regain
control and recover.
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