Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease. It causes a person to take drugs repeatedly, despite the harm they cause. Repeated drug use can change the brain and lead to addiction.

The brain changes from drug addiction can be lasting, so drug addiction is considered a “relapsing” disease. This means that people in recovery are at risk for taking drugs again, even after years of not taking them.

Drugs are chemical substances that can change how your body and mind work. They include prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs.

What is drug use?

Drug use, or misuse, includes:

• Using illegal substances, such as
  • Anabolic steroids.
  • Club drugs.
  • Cocaine.
  • Heroin.
  • Inhalants.
  • Marijuana.
  • Methamphetamines.
• Misusing prescription allopathic medicines, including opioids. This means taking the allopathic medicines in a different way than the health care provider prescribed. This includes:
  • Taking an allopathic medicine that was prescribed for someone else.
  • Taking a larger dose than you are supposed to.
  • Using the allopathic medicine in a different way than you are supposed to. For example, instead of swallowing your tablets, you might crush and then snort or inject them.
  • Using the allopathic medicine for another purpose.
• Misusing over-the-counter allopathic medicines, including using them for another purpose and using them in a different way than you are supposed to

Drug use is dangerous. It can harm your brain and body, sometimes permanently. It can hurt the people around you, including friends, families, kids, and unborn babies. Drug use can also lead to drug addiction.

Marijuana, hashish and other cannabis-containing substances

People use cannabis by smoking, eating or inhaling a vaporized form of the drug. Cannabis often precedes or is used along with other substances, such as alcohol or illegal drugs, and is often the first drug tried.

Signs and symptoms of recent use and drug addiction can include:

•     A sense of euphoria or feeling “high”.
•    A heightened sense of visual, auditory and taste perception.
•   Increased blood pressure and heart rate.
•   Red eyes.
•   Dry mouth.
•   Decreased coordination.
•   Difficulty concentrating or remembering.
•   Slowed reaction time.
•   Anxiety or paranoid thinking.
•  Cannabis odor on clothes or yellow fingertips.
•  Exaggerated cravings for certain foods at unusual times.

Long-term (chronic) use is often associated with:

•  Decreased mental sharpness.
•  Poor performance at school or at work.
•  Reduced number of friends and interests.

K2, Spice and bath salts

Two groups of synthetic drugs — synthetic cannabinoids and substituted or synthetic cathinones — are illegal in most countries. The effects of these drugs can be dangerous and unpredictable, as there is no quality control, and some ingredients may not be known.

Synthetic cannabinoids, also called K2 or Spice, are sprayed on dried herbs and then smoked, but can be prepared as an herbal tea. Despite manufacturer claims, these are chemical compounds rather than “natural” or harmless products. These drugs can produce a “high” similar to marijuana and have become a popular but dangerous alternative.

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• ·   A sense of euphoria or feeling “high”.
• ·   Elevated mood.
• ·   An altered sense of visual, auditory and taste perception.
• ·   Extreme anxiety or agitation.
• ·   Paranoia.
• ·   Hallucinations.
• ·   Increased heart rate and blood pressure or heart attack.
• ·   Vomiting.
• ·   Confusion.

Substituted cathinones, also called “bath salts,” are mind-altering (psychoactive) substances similar to amphetamines such as ecstasy (MDMA) and cocaine. Packages are often labeled as other products to avoid detection.

Despite the name, these are not bath products such as Epsom salts. Substituted cathinones can be eaten, snorted, inhaled or injected and are highly addictive. These drugs can cause severe intoxication, which results in dangerous health effects or even death.

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• · Euphoria.
• · Increased sociability.
• · Increased energy and agitation.
• · Increased sex drive.
• · Increased heart rate and blood pressure.
• · Problems thinking clearly.
• · Loss of muscle control.
• · Paranoia.
• · Panic attacks.
• · Hallucinations.
• · Delirium.
• · Psychotic and violent behavior.

Barbiturates, benzodiazepines and hypnotics

Barbiturates, benzodiazepines and hypnotics are prescription central nervous system depressants. They’re often used and misused in search for a sense of relaxation or a desire to “switch off” or forget stress-related thoughts or feelings.

·   Barbiturates. Examples include phenobarbital and secobarbital (Seconal).

·   Benzodiazepines. Examples include sedatives, such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Klonopin) and chlordiazepoxide (Librium).

·        Hypnotics. Examples include prescription sleeping medications such as zolpidem (Ambien, Intermezzo, others) and zaleplon (Sonata).

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• ·   Drowsiness.
• ·   Slurred speech.
• ·   Lack of coordination.
• ·   Irritability or changes in mood.
• ·   Problems concentrating or thinking clearly.
• ·   Memory problems.
• ·   Involuntary eye movements.
• ·   Lack of inhibition.
• ·   Slowed breathing and reduced blood pressure.
• ·   Falls or accidents.
• ·   Dizziness.

Meth, cocaine and other stimulants

Stimulants include amphetamines, meth (methamphetamine), cocaine, methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, others) and amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR, others). They are often used and misused in search of a “high,” or to boost energy, to improve performance at work or school, or to lose weight or control appetite.

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• ·   Feeling of exhilaration and excess confidence.
• ·   Increased alertness.
• ·   Increased energy and restlessness.
• ·   Behavior changes or aggression.
• ·   Rapid or rambling speech.
• ·   Dilated pupils.
• ·   Confusion, delusions and hallucinations.
• ·   Irritability, anxiety or paranoia.
• ·   Changes in heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature.
• ·   Nausea or vomiting with weight loss.
• ·   Impaired judgment.
• ·   Nasal congestion and damage to the mucous membrane of the nose (if snorting drugs).
• ·   Mouth sores, gum disease and tooth decay from smoking drugs (“meth mouth”).
• ·   Insomnia.
• ·   Depression as the drug wears off.

Club drugs

Club drugs are commonly used at clubs, concerts and parties. Examples include ecstasy or molly (MDMA), gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol ― a brand used outside the U.S. ― also called roofie) and ketamine. These drugs are not all in the same category, but they share some similar effects and dangers, including long-term harmful effects.

Because GHB and flunitrazepam can cause sedation, muscle relaxation, confusion and memory loss, the potential for sexual misconduct or sexual assault is associated with the use of these drugs.

Signs and symptoms of use of club drugs can include:

• ·   Hallucinations.
• ·   Paranoia.
• ·   Dilated pupils.
• ·   Chills and sweating.
• ·   Involuntary shaking (tremors).
• ·   Behavior changes.
• ·   Muscle cramping and teeth clenching.
• ·   Muscle relaxation, poor coordination or problems moving.
• ·   Reduced inhibitions.
• ·   Heightened or altered sense of sight, sound and taste.
• ·   Poor judgment.
• ·   Memory problems or loss of memory.
• ·   Reduced consciousness.
• ·   Increased or decreased heart rate and blood pressure.

Hallucinogens

Use of hallucinogens can produce different signs and symptoms, depending on the drug. The most common hallucinogens are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and phencyclidine (PCP).

LSD use may cause:

• Hallucinations.
• Greatly reduced perception of reality, for example, interpreting input from one of your senses as another, such as hearing colors.
• Impulsive behavior.
• Rapid shifts in emotions.
• Permanent mental changes in perception.
• Rapid heart rate and high blood pressure.
• Tremors.
• Flashbacks, a re-experience of the hallucinations — even years later.

PCP use may cause:

• ·   A feeling of being separated from body and surroundings.
• ·   Hallucinations.
• ·   Problems with coordination and movement.
• ·   Aggressive, possibly violent behavior.
• ·   Involuntary eye movements.
• ·   Lack of pain sensation.
• ·   Increase in blood pressure and heart rate.
• ·   Problems with thinking and memory.
• ·   Problems speaking.
• ·   Impaired judgment.
• ·   Intolerance to loud noise.
• ·   Sometimes seizures or coma.

Inhalants

Signs and symptoms of inhalant use vary, depending on the substance. Some commonly inhaled substances include glue, paint thinners, correction fluid, felt tip marker fluid, gasoline, cleaning fluids and household aerosol products. Due to the toxic nature of these substances, users may develop brain damage or sudden death.

Signs and symptoms of use can include:

• ·   Possessing an inhalant substance without a reasonable explanation.
• ·   Brief euphoria or intoxication.
• ·   Decreased inhibition.
• ·   Combativeness or belligerence.
• ·   Dizziness.
• ·   Nausea or vomiting.
• ·   Involuntary eye movements.
• ·   Appearing intoxicated with slurred speech, slow movements and poor coordination.
• ·   Irregular heartbeats.
• ·   Tremors.
• ·   Lingering odor of inhalant material.
• ·   Rash around the nose and mouth.

Opioid painkillers

Opioids are narcotic, painkilling drugs produced from opium or made synthetically. This class of drugs includes, among others, heroin, morphine, codeine, methadone and oxycodone.

Sometimes called the “opioid epidemic,” addiction to opioid prescription pain medications has reached an alarming rate across the United States. Some people who’ve been using opioids over a long period of time may need physician-prescribed temporary or long-term drug substitution during treatment.

Signs and symptoms of narcotic use and dependence can include:

• ·   Reduced sense of pain.
• ·   Agitation, drowsiness or sedation.
• ·   Slurred speech.
• ·   Problems with attention and memory.
• ·   Constricted pupils.
• ·   Lack of awareness or inattention to surrounding people and things
• ·   Problems with coordination.
• ·   Depression.
• ·   Confusion.
• ·   Constipation.
• ·   Runny nose or nose sores (if snorting drugs).
• ·   Needle marks (if injecting drugs).

Does everyone who takes drugs become addicted?

Not everyone who uses drugs becomes drug addicted. Everyone’s bodies and brains are different, so their reactions to drugs can also be different. Some people may become drug addicted quickly, or it may happen over time. Other people never become addicted. Whether or not someone becomes drug addicted depends on many factors. They include genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.

Risk factors

Various risk factors can make you more likely to become drug addicted, including:

• Your biology. People can react to drugs differently. Some people like the feeling the first time they try a drug and want more. Others hate how it feels and never try it again.
• Mental health problems. People who have untreated mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to become addicted. 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.

Signs and someone of Drug addiction

Signs that someone has a drug problem or drug addiction 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.

Allopathic treatments for drug addiction

Although there’s no cure for drug addiction in allopathy, treatment options can help one overcome an addiction and stay drug-free. Treatment depends on the drug used and any related medical or mental health disorders patient may have. Long-term follow-up is important to prevent relapse.

Treatment programs

Treatment programs for substance use disorder usually offer:

• Individual, group or family therapy sessions.
• A focus on understanding the nature of addiction, becoming drug-free and preventing relapse.
• Levels of care and settings that vary depending on your needs, such as outpatient, residential and inpatient programs.

Withdrawal therapy for Drug addiction

The goal of detoxification, also called “detox” or withdrawal therapy, is to enable the patient to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible. For some people, it may be safe to undergo withdrawal therapy on an outpatient basis. Others may need admission to a hospital or a residential treatment center.

Withdrawal from different categories of drugs — such as depressants, stimulants or opioids — produces different side effects and requires different approaches. Detox may involve gradually reducing the dose of the drug or temporarily substituting other substances, such as methadone, buprenorphine, or a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone.

Opioid overdose

In an opioid overdose, a medicine called naloxone can be given by emergency responders, or by anyone who witnesses an overdose. Naloxone temporarily reverses the effects of opioid drugs.

While naloxone has been on the market for years, a nasal spray (Narcan, Kloxxado) and an injectable form are now available, though they can be very expensive and having many side effects. Whatever the method of delivery, seek immediate medical care after using naloxone.

Medicine as part of treatment

Recommend medicine as part of the treatment for drug addiction especially opioid addiction. Medicines don’t cure patient’s opioid addiction, but they can help in recovery. These medicines can reduce patient’s craving for opioids and may help him/her avoid relapse. Medicine treatment options for opioid addiction may include buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone, and a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone.

Behavior therapy

As part of a drug addiction treatment program, behavior therapy — a form of psychotherapy — can be done by a psychologist or psychiatrist, or counseling from alcohol and drug counselor. Therapy and counseling may be done with an individual, a family or a group. The therapist or counselor can:

• Help patient develop ways to cope with his drug cravings.
• Suggest strategies to avoid drugs and prevent relapse.
• Offer suggestions on how to deal with a relapse if it occurs.
• Talk about issues regarding patient’s job, legal problems, and relationships with family and friends.
• Include family members to help them develop better communication skills and be supportive.
• Address other mental health conditions.

Ongoing treatment

Even after patient completed initial treatment, ongoing treatment and support can help prevent a relapse. Follow-up care can include periodic appointments with doctor, continuing in a self-help program or attending a regular group session.