Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes a person to compulsively seek and use drugs. While the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, the brain change that occurs over time challenges people’s self control and the ability to resist intense impulses to take drugs.

Drugs that are often abused include marijuana, cocaine, opiates and methamphetamines. When people are addicted to drugs, all they can think about is getting their next fix. There relationships begin to suffer and they lose hope for themselves for the future.

When a person abuses drugs, it affects their brain by disrupting the way that nerve cells send, receive and process information. Some drugs, like heroin or even marijuana, have a similar structure to neurotransmitters, which are ‘chemical messengers’ naturally produced by the brain. This allows the drugs to activate nerve cells to send abnormal messages, by fooling the brain’s receptors

Other drugs, like cocaine or meth, may cause nerve cells to release lots of natural neurotransmitters like dopamine, or can prevent the normal recycling of those chemicals, that are needed to shut off signaling between neurons. The result is a

dopamine-flooded brain, Dopamine controls movement, emotion, motivation and feeling of pleasure.

This over-stimulation produces a euphoric effect in response to the drug. Once people come down from this feeling, they want to achieve it again, which sets the stage for drug abuse.

Symptoms of drug abuse

People addicted to drugs will show a loss of interest in things they once loved and will be defensive about their drug use. They will also have a loss of appetite, bloodshot eyes, complain of being tired all the time and pale skin.

Treating drug abuse

People who are addicted to drugs need to seek hypnosis treatment in order to get better. Common approaches to rehabilitation include talk therapy and group therapy. In some instances, if the addiction is severe enough, the person may need to check into a rehabilitation center that specializes in substance abuse.

While addiction is an ongoing disease that can never truly be cured, treatment options are available that can help people learn to manage their addiction and live a successful life. In addition to convincing their loved one to seek treatment for addiction, it is also important for family members seek help by attending Nar-Anon and Al-Anon meetings. An experienced professional hypnotist can also provide help in conquering any addiction.