Drug abuse and addiction

Many people do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug use. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterise those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behaviour. What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction - that it is a disease that impacts the brain and because of that, stopping drug use is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop using drugs and resume their productive lives.

What is drug addiction?

Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences to the individual that is addicted and to those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the use of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug use can affect a person's self control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time send intense impulses to take drugs.

It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is addicted to stop using drugs. Fortunately there are treatments that help people to counteract addiction's powerful disruptive effects and regain control. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medication, if available, with behavioural therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patient's drug use patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drug abuse.

Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed successfully. Plus, as with other chronic diseases, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin using drugs again. However relapse does not signal failure - instead it indicates that treatment should be reinstated, adjusted or that alternate treatment is needed to help the individual regain control and recover.

What happens to your brain when you take drugs?

Drugs are chemicals that tap into the brain's communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive and process information. There are at least two ways that drugs are able to do this: (1) by imitating the brain's natural chemical messengers, and/or (2) by over stimulating the "reward circuit" of the brain.