Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Edmonds
The inability for someone to stop using drugs is an indication of addiction. Absolutely not, if it is putting your life in danger. No, not if you are financially, emotionally, or otherwise in danger. Although many people would like to stop using drugs, some may find that the desire for them to be used and acquired every day is overwhelming.
The terms addiction and physical dependence do not refer to the same thing. You might feel withdrawal symptoms if your substance use is abruptly stopped after you have become physically dependent. One dose of medication can lose some effectiveness over time. This causes a condition called tolerance.
One example is if you are addicted to opioids and take them frequently to reduce pain, it could lead to a tolerance that leads to dependence. This does NOT mean you have an addiction issue. It is rare for someone to become addicted even if they are given opioids correctly under the care of a skilled physician.
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.