What is Drug Addiction?
In this day and age, it’s said that almost 100% of people will come into contact with drugs in one form or another throughout their lives. From seemingly minimal Class C drugs like cannabis, all the way to Class A narcotics like cocaine and heroin – exposure to these substances can be common as they spread throughout the world.
Even Florida has its drug issues and it’s believed that these narcotics will kill thousands of people every year – many of which are addicts and will have been diagnosed by medical experts.
But what is drug addiction and how does it differ from casual drug consumption, every so often? The first thing to note is that all addictions begin as a habit; one that may be deemed as harmless by the user, at first. Some drugs (but not all) actually possess addictive components and it is these substances that have the highest chance of causing a user to develop a dependency.
What is drug dependency?
There are typically two types of drug users: there are those that consume the substances for a temporary ‘high’ whilst being able to control the frequency in which they partake in these activities, and then those that do so frequently, developing a habit in the process. In the former instance all activities can lead to dependency and studies have shown that those who expose themselves to particular narcotics (especially heroin) will have a far greater chance of becoming addicted in the future.
Then there’s the latter process of developing a habit and allowing the chemicals within the substances to overwhelm the immune system, before forcing the user’s body to feel cravings. It’s this type of addict that can be at the most risk, both to themselves and to those around them. The emotional effects of being under the influence of narcotics can often result in damage to the circuitry within the human brain and over time, this can result in irreparable damage.
What can be done to help addicts?
Unfortunately, the only way for an individual to become free of their addiction is via undergoing extensive medical treatment. Rehabilitation centres are at the forefront of these treatments and they will often employ specialists to aid patients with both emotional and physical recovery. Depending on the severity of the addiction some people may find themselves vomiting and experiencing extreme nausea, while others may be able to be weaned off over the course of a few weeks.
In any event, failure to undergo treatment will typically result in one of the following two scenarios. The first will be that the person’s body develops a resilience to the drugs and as a result, it will crave an increasing level of consumption (which can end up being fatal). The second, and just as severe consequence, is that the person’s organs may struggle to function, resulting in failure – which as with the above scenario, will lead to eventual death.