Drug Addiction: Changes In The Brain

Drug addiction is a form of a chronic disease, relapsing of the brain causes compulsive behaviors to seek drug use. Despite the harmful consequences that are a result of a drug addiction, millions of people still abuse drugs. The addiction is a disease of the brain because of the abuse of drugs, which causes a change in the structures, and functions of the brain. Drugs are chemicals that tap into the brain's communication system and change the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. Even though it is true that most people initially make the decision to take drugs is a voluntary action and is not forced upon you. Over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse change a person's self-control. This changes

Research has shown that prevention programs can involve family, schools, communities and the media. They are extremely effective in reducing drug abuse. When young adults are aware of how harmful drug abuse is, they become more aware and it reduces their chances of drug use. It is necessary to help young adults understand the risks of drug abuse and for teachers, parents, and health care professionals to keep sending messages that drug addiction can be prevented if a person never abuses drugs, illegally (“Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Brain”). Most times, people attempt to quit their nasty happen and end up quitting for a short period of time. Randomly though, they start using or abusing drugs again, no matter how hard they try. The return to their drugs again is called relapse. The people who are in recovering from a bad drug addiction often have at least one or more relapses along the way. Recovering from an addiction has to have a life-long effort. Withdrawal is never comfortable, but sometimes it can actually be dangerous (“What is a Relapse?”). Alcohol after long-term use, the withdrawal from alcohol can kill you. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can take on mild, moderate, or severe forms. This withdrawal can cause a person to develop a fever, nausea, diarrhea, or delirium tremens. Opiates usually opiates are not deadly, but in this case they are. Methadone, a long-acting opiate often prescribed as a replacement for heroin can cause death during withdrawal if it's consumed in high enough doses for a long enough period