by Jennifer Holmes
Drug addiction is pervasive in our society due to many contributing factors. For instance, people can be psychologically or genetically predisposed to addiction, which means they are more likely to suffer from it. These people could easily become addicted to a prescription pain killer more so than someone who is not predisposed as such. Advanced technology, greater availability, and the development of newer stronger drugs, both illegal and illegal has also contributed to increased addictions within the population. The addictive nature of various drugs are different from substance to substance; alcohol requires many more exposures for addiction to occur than do drugs like heroin or cocaine. The effects of these substances also vary from individual to individual.
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True drug addiction is defined by the presence of two components, which are physical and psychological dependency. According to an abundance of online sources, physical dependency occurs when the person uses the drug habitually, and when it is not used, unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal will be triggered. Psychological dependency occurs when a substance has been used habitually, and the user becomes emotionally reliant on it to elicit pleasure or relieve pain. The user feels he or she cannot function without it, and intense cravings occur without continued use. This person uses the drug every day, despite the harm the substance is causing. Drug addiction differs from dependency in that dependency occurs when people take drugs, either legal or illegal, to treat a disease or disorder to alleviate symptoms or otherwise improve their condition. Dependence occurs when the drug must be taken regularly, otherwise unpleasant symptoms result, which makes it more difficult to stop taking the drug. Dependency can exist without addiction, but not vice versa.
Drug addiction is a compulsive need for which there is only one solution; the urge is beyond the person’s control, and there is simply no choice. The recovery process varies widely and is based on the types of drugs involved, how much was used, the duration of drug addiction, medical complications, and the social needs of the individual. There are many rehabilitation programs that are based on the twelve step recovery, including Alcoholics Anonymous, and residential treatment programs that are more clinically intense for serious drug addictions. Individual and group counseling as well as pharmaceutical management of withdrawal symptoms by a physician or psychiatrist are important interventions in the recovery process. For more comprehensive information on drug addiction, visit the National Institute of Drug Abuse at www.nida.nih.gov, or the Mayo Clinic at www.mayoclinic.com.
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