What is Substance Use Disorder?
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Many people mistakenly believe that addiction results from a lack of willpower or moral principles. In reality, addiction is a complex disease that alters the brain, making it hard to quit even for those who want to stop. However, research has uncovered effective treatments that can help people recover and lead fulfilling lives.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease where people compulsively seek and use drugs despite harmful consequences. Repeated drug use changes the brain, making it hard to resist intense cravings. These changes can persist, which is why addiction is considered a "relapsing" disease—people may return to drug use even after long periods of sobriety. Relapse is common, but doesn’t mean treatment failed. Like other chronic illnesses, addiction treatment must be ongoing and adapted to fit the person’s needs.
How Drugs Affect the Brain
Drugs target the brain's reward system, flooding it with dopamine and creating feelings of pleasure. Normally, this system motivates healthy behaviors like eating or spending time with loved ones, but drugs hijack this system, reinforcing unhealthy behaviors.
Over time, the brain adapts by reducing its response to dopamine, leading to tolerance—needing more of the drug to achieve the same high. This often diminishes the ability to enjoy other activities as well.
Drug use also disrupts areas of the brain involved in:
- Learning
- Judgment
- Decision-making
- Stress management
- Memory
- Behavior
Why Do Some People Become Addicted While Others Don’t?
Addiction risk varies based on three key factors:
- Biology: Genetics account for about half of a person’s risk. Other factors like gender, ethnicity, and mental health also play a role.
- Environment: Family, friends, economic conditions, and life experiences, such as peer pressure, abuse, or early exposure to drugs, can influence addiction risk.
- Development: Drug use during key stages of life, especially adolescence, increases the risk. Teen brains are still developing in areas that control decision-making and self-control, making them more likely to engage in risky behaviors like drug use.
Can Drug Addiction Be Treated or Prevented?
Addiction can be effectively managed. Combining medications with behavioral therapy is the most effective approach. Treatment must be tailored to the individual’s needs and updated as they change.
Drug use and addiction can often be prevented. Education and outreach programs that involve families, schools, and communities are effective. When young people understand the risks of drug use, they are less likely to start. Parents, teachers, and healthcare providers play a critical role in educating youth and preventing drug use.
Resources
- Understanding Drug Use and Addiction
- Find a support group for mental health, drugs or alcohol
- Faces of Change: Do I Have a Problem with Alcohol or Drugs?
- Resources for Families Coping with Mental and Substance Use Disorders
- Drugs, Health, and the Developing Brain
- Get Connected: Linking Older Adults with Resources on Medication, Alcohol, and Mental Health