Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Mill Creek
Addiction differs from physical dependency and tolerance. Withdrawal symptoms occur when a drug is abruptly stopped in situations of physical dependency. Tolerance occurs when a substance's dosage becomes less effective over time.
If you take opioids for pain over an extended period of time, you may develop tolerance and even physical dependency. This does not imply that you are hooked. Addiction occurs in just a small percentage of patients who use drugs under adequate medical care.
The Impact on Your Brain: Your brain is structured to make you desire to repeat positive events. As a result, you're inspired to do things again and again.
Drugs that are potentially addictive target your brain's reward system. They flood your brain with a substance known as dopamine. This produces a strong sense of pleasure. You keep taking the substance in order to achieve that high.
Opioids are narcotic painkillers that can lead to addiction. This problem is epidemic in the United States. Opioids accounted for nearly two-thirds all deaths from drug overdoses in 2018.
A medication could be chosen initially because it is enjoyable for you to use. You might believe that you can choose how much or how often you use the medication. But medicines can alter the way your brain works over time. These bodily changes can last for a long time. These bodily alterations can lead to loss of control and possibly even dangerous actions.
Drug abuse refers not to tolerance but to the inadvertent use of drugs. You might exceed the recommended dosage, or use a prescription from someone else. You might misuse drugs to make yourself feel better, less stressed, or escape from the reality. It is possible to stop using completely and change bad habits.
If you are unable to stop, it is called addiction. You should not allow it to endanger your health. You or your loved ones will be affected financially, emotionally, or in any other way. You might not want to stop using drugs, but your desire to obtain and use them may increase every day.