Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Des Moines
Addiction can be defined as a persistent condition that is marked by persistent or difficult to control substance seeking and use, despite the adverse effects. For most people, the first decision to use drugs is voluntary. However, repeated drug abuse can lead to brain alterations that affect self-control and ability to resist cravings for acute substances. This brain alteration can last for years, so drug addiction is often called a "relapsing disease". People who have recovered from substance abuse disorders are more likely to relapse even after years of abstinence.
Although relapse is quite common, it does not necessarily mean that treatment is ineffective. Like other chronic diseases such as diabetes, treatment should be ongoing and adapted to the patient's needs. The patient's changing needs should be considered and treatment plans modified to suit their evolving needs.
What are the effects of drug abuse on the brain?
Drugs can influence the brain's "reward circuit", causing pleasure and flood it with dopamine. A functioning reward system encourages people to do life-sustaining activities such as eating or spending time with their loved ones. The reward circuit's dopamine surges encourage people to engage in harmful but enjoyable behaviors like drug use, which can lead them to repeat these actions.
The brain changes caused by drug addiction over time can affect a person's ability to control their impulses and make it difficult to resist the urge to use drugs. Drug addiction can also be a relapsing condition.
Relapse refers to the return to drug abuse after a failed attempt to stop. Relapse is a sign that you need more or a different type of treatment.
Dopamine is a chemical messenger that floods the brain with drugs. Dopamine surges in the reward circuit can reinforce unhealthy, but pleasurable activities. This causes people to repeat the same behavior over and over again.
The brain adapts to excess dopamine over time. This reduces the feeling of high compared to when they first took the drug. This is known as tolerance. To get the same dopamine high, they might consume more drug.