When Does Drug Use Become an Addiction

When Does Drug Use Become an Addiction Addiction Drug Use Print When Does Drug Use Become an Addiction? By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on January 03, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on May 28, 2019 Stockbyte / Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Drug addiction is a complex and chronic brain disease. People who have a drug addiction experience compulsive, sometimes uncontrollable, craving for their drug of choice. Typically, they will continue to seek and use drugs in spite of experiencing extremely negative consequences as a result of using. Characteristics of Addiction According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), addiction is characterized by:?? Inability to consistently abstain from the substance or rewarding experience (as in gambling, sex, or overeating)Impairment in behavioral controlCraving for the substance or rewarding experienceDiminished recognition of significant problems with your behavior and interpersonal relationshipsA dysfunctional emotional response Although the above five characteristics are usually present in most cases of addiction, ASAM noted that these five features cannot be used to diagnose addiction. Diagnosing addiction requires an assessment by a trained and certified professional. Talk to a doctor or mental health professional if you feel that you may have an addiction or substance abuse problem. The Alarming Signs and Symptoms of Addiction to Watch For Behavioral Manifestations of Addiction When friends and family members are dealing with a loved one who is addicted, it is usually the outward behaviors of the person that are the obvious symptoms of addiction. Those behaviors are primarily centered around the addicts impaired control:?? The excessive frequency of drug use in spite of attempts to controlIncreased time using or recovering from drug effectsContinued use in spite of persistent problemsA narrowing of focus on rewards linked to addictionAn inability to take steps to address the problems The Inability to Abstain Research has shown that prolonged drug use causes a chemical change in the brain of the addict that alters the brains reward system that prompts compulsive drug seeking in the face of growing negative consequences.?? This state of addiction, when the activity continues in spite of negative consequences and despite the fact it is no longer rewarding, is termed by addiction experts the pathological pursuit of rewards.?? It is the result of chemical changes in the reward circuitry of the brain. How Addiction Gets Started The reason that people engage in activity that can become addictive in the first place is either to achieve a feeling of euphoria or to relieve an emotional state of dysphoriaâ€"discomfort, dissatisfaction, anxiety, or restlessness.?? When people drink, take drugs, or participate in other reward-seeking behavior (such as gambling, eating, or having sex) they experience a high that gives them the reward or relief they are seeking. A high is the result of increased dopamine and opioid peptide activity in the brains reward circuits.?? But after the high they experience, there is a neurochemical rebound which causes the reward function of the brain to drop below the original normal level. When the activity is repeated, the same level of euphoria or relief is not achieved. Simply put, the person never really gets as high as they did that first time. Is Stress a Factor of Your Addiction? Lower Highs and Lower Lows Added to the fact that the addicted person  develops a tolerance to the highâ€"requiring more to try to achieve the same level of euphoriaâ€"is the fact that the person does not develop a tolerance to the emotional low they feel afterward.?? Rather than return to normal, the person reverts to a deeper state of dysphoria. When becoming addicted, the person increases  the amount of drugs, alcohol, or the frequency of the addictive behaviors in an effort to get back to that initial euphoric state. But the person ends up experiencing a deeper and deeper low as the brains reward circuitry reacts to the cycle of intoxication and withdrawal. When Reward-Seeking Becomes Pathological According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), this is the point at which the pursuit of rewards becomes pathological:Reward-seeking becomes compulsive or impulsiveThe behavior ceases to be pleasurableThe behavior no longer provides relief No Longer a Function of Choice To put it another way, the addicted person finds himself compelledâ€"despite his own intentions to stopâ€"to repeat behaviors that are no longer rewarding to try to escape an overwhelming feeling of being ill at ease but find no relief. According to ASAM, at this point addiction is no longer solely a function of choice.?? Consequently, the state of addiction is a miserable place to be, for the addict and for those around him. Chronic Disease and Relapses For many addicts, addiction can become a chronic illness, meaning that they can have relapses similar to relapses that can happen with other chronic diseasesâ€"such as diabetes, asthma,  and hypertensionâ€"when patients fail to comply with their treatment.?? These relapses can occur even after long periods of abstinence. The addict can take action to enter remission again. But he remains at risk of another relapse. The ASAM notes Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.?? Why Addiction Is a Brain Disease and Not Just Bad Choices