Drug Use, Abuse And Addiction: Effect On Brain And Body

Drug(Substance) usage, abuse, and addiction are on an all-time high in recent times. In many countries, people like to try it out once, even though the governments do not permit it. The usage of drugs usually starts with curiosity. The problem starts when this becomes more. So today, we shall try to understand how much is more! Post that, we shall also look at a few symptoms commonly seen in people who use drugs regularly. This will help you understand when to seek help. Drugs produce a chemical that affects the brain. We shall be looking at this also in-depth in the article. Drug abuse and addiction statistics is another feature that we shall be discussing in this article.

Children below the age of 18 are in their very early stages of life. For such people, any amount of drugs is excessive and should not be used. For adults, various factors can help them decide their drug usage stage and seek help if required. Using the smallest amounts of drugs can cause very large problems. We can start by understanding the various stages.

Drug Use:

It all starts with the first time. Maybe at a party, or when you hang out with friends. Maybe you want to try it out for the very first time. Maybe you want to consume it once a week. This is the first stage where you have started using drugs. All drugs are bad when consumed for longer periods of time. You must know when to draw the line. There is no upside to using a drug. But there are multiple downsides and effects on the human brain. This we will discuss a little later in the article.

Drug Abuse:

Continuing to use the drugs, knowing that it causes problems, is when the abuse of drugs starts. Even though you are fully aware that it will go bad for you, you still go ahead and use it. For example, you know that the traffic cop will catch you for a drink and drive, but still, you do it. Drug abuse is the baby step towards addiction. As soon as you realize that you or your loved one is abusing drugs, try to get help and help them get away from the drugs. There are rehabilitation centers in every part of the world that can help you let go of drugs.

Drug Addiction:

You think you can not live without using it at this stage. You want to quit. Try to quit as well, but your body is showing adverse effects. Your ability to mingle with others would have decreased. You feel like drugs are the only way to stay happy. This is when you should certainly seek help without any further delay. Addiction ruins the lives of many people! It is one reason why most successful people go down the drain within a short period of time.

It is an issue that has to be handled with the utmost care, here is a list of symptoms, is seen one must seek immediate help:

• Using a larger amount of drugs than that was intended.
• Developing withdrawal symptoms while trying to stop usage.
• Making multiple efforts to stop the usage but not succeeding
• Having craving and urges to use the drugs again and again
• Needing more drugs to get the same effect

Classification Of Drugs:

It is essential to understand the various types of drugs out there to stay away from them. There are many ways in which drugs are classified. Today we shall be looking at a few drugs based on their chemical composition:

• Alcohol: Eg: Beer
• Opioids: Eg: Heroin
• Benzodiazepines or Benzos: Eg: Ativan
• Cannabinoids: Eg: Marijuana
• Barbiturates: Eg: Amytal

Effect On The Brain:

The brain is designed in a way where it loves to re-experience things that have made you feel good. Drugs target this reward system of the brain. Dopamine is the chemical that is responsible for making you happy. Drugs produce this in abundance and thereby messing with the actual working of your brain. But since the dopamine triggers a feeling of intense pleasure, you tend to use the drug more often. This is where abuse and addiction starts.

As time passes, your brain gets used to the extra dopamine. This makes you take more drugs to get the same amount of pleasure. The worst part is, as you have gotten used to the intense pleasure of drugs, you no more would want to hang out with friends or enjoy time with family.

Drug abuse and addiction impair the working of the brain, and it damages the following functionalities of your personalities:

• Judgment: You will no longer be able to say what is right and what is wrong. Your judgment will always be biased towards drugs and the pleasure from it.
• Decision making: Your ability to analyze situations and make decisions would no longer work. You will stay in a confused mode most of the time.
• Memory: It will become extremely difficult to remember! You become more forgetful.
• Ability to learn: You will not be able in a position where you can concentrate on learning anything new. Your focus would always be on drugs as it gives you pleasure.

Drug usage is, directly and indirectly, responsible for around 11.8 million deaths from around the globe. It is also seen the over 2% of the world’s population has developed an addiction to drugs and or alcohol. Over 350,000 people die from overdose each year. Drug abuse and addiction are more amongst men compared to women. More than half the people who die of drug abuse are less than 50 years of age. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around thirty-one million people have a drug disorder worldwide. Around eleven million people inject drugs. Out of this, there are

• 3 million people with HIV
• 5 million people with Hepatitis C
• 1 million people with both HIV and Hepatitis C

Keep Away From Drugs And Lead A Meaningful Life:

Every kind of drug usage is harmful. Even the smallest bit is very dangerous. If you have not tried it until now, there is nothing that you have not missed. It is only an illusion created by a few individuals. Life is perfect without it. Drugs are a way to escape from problems but not actually solve your problems. If any of you or your loved ones have fallen victim to drugs, please ensure that you seek help immediately to free yourself or your loved ones from it.

Final Words:

Many rehabilitation centers are fully equipped to help drug abusers and addicted people. Systematically, you will be able to let go of your urge to use drugs over time. Thus helping you lead a happy and meaningful life.