Drug Addiction

FAQ about Drug Addiction

Unless you have been addicted to drugs yourself, or know someone close to you who has suffered from a drug abuse problem, you may have many different questions in regards to what drug addiction is, how people become addicted, and whether or not there is a way to recover.

To help you understand a little more about the worldwide epidemic, here are a few frequently asked questions in regards to drug addiction:

Is Drug Addiction a Disease?

Yes, drug addiction is a disease of the brain. A person can become both physically and mentally dependent upon drugs. The dependency causes compulsive and irrational behavior, severe and sometimes painful drug cravings, and chronic behavioral issues.

What Kind of Drugs can You Become Addicted to?

Almost all drugs have the potential to become addictive. You can become addicted to alcohol, prescription drugs, natural drugs (marijuana and herbs), inhalants, and synthetic street drugs (heroin, meth, and crack cocaine).

If You Try a Drug Once, are You Automatically Addicted?

No. However, this doesn't mean that you won't suffer ill effects from the drug that include sickness, and possibly even death. There is no way to tell how a person will react to a drug or how quickly one can become addicted. Drugs can affect different people in different ways.

How do I Know if Someone is Addicted to Drugs?

There are many different physical and behavioral symptoms of drug abuse. However, it can sometimes be very hard to tell if someone is suffering from a drug addiction simply by looking at them. Different drugs cause different symptoms, and again, everyone reacts differently. For example, cocaine use may cause nasal problems in some people but not in others. Similarly, marijuana use may cause a chronic cough and memory loss in some users, where other users will suffer no ill effect.

Drug Addiction Treatment Options

If you or somebody you know is suffering with an addiction to drugs, there are many different treatment options available including:

• Addiction counseling
• Alcohol and drug treatment centers
• Drug detox and rehab treatment
• Alcohol detox
• Support groups
• Behavioral therapy
• Homeopathic therapy

It should be noted that drug addiction can be a chronic problem. Relapses can occur and [[Addiction to Methadone|multiple treatments}} may be necessary to achieve full recovery. If you find that one treatment isn't working well, you can always try another or combine treatments for optimal results.

Additional Information

If you are interested in learning more about the causes and effects of drug addiction, there are many great resources around the web that you can utilize. Some of these sources are dedicated to the abuse of particular drugs, while others cover addiction in general.

There are also many articles right here on the LTK Recovery site. Reading through these articles can provide you with a wealth of information and teach you more about the signs and symptoms of drug abuse, planning interventions, and drug support services.

The following list provides a selection of links worth investigating:

• Narcotics Anonymous
• Drug Addiction: NA World Services Interview
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Signs of Alcoholism
• Intervention
• Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment
• Addiction Treatment Search