Drug Addiction Facts

Drug addiction is a problem that plagues countless individuals daily. It has also perpetuated the "war on drugs," leaving the government no choice but to try to find ways of eradicating the problem. Drug addiction is such a critical issue that scientists are always researching its complexities.

Drug Addiction Definition

• Drug addiction is a severe brain disorder that incites compulsive drug-seeking behavior in the victim. She is unmindful of the harm the drug causes her and others, and when she attempts to get clean, relapses often occur. The abuse of drugs alters the brain's structure and operation, causing drug addiction. Most people who decide to use drugs do so of their own accord, but constant drug abuse causes them to lose self-control, distorting their judgment. The drug addict has difficulty refraining from drug use, not because he is weak, but because of the changes the drug has made to his brain.

Societal Costs

• The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that the health and criminal costs resulting from drug abuse and addiction in America costs society a half-trillion dollars yearly. Specifically, $181 billion is related to illicit drug use, $185 billion relates to alcohol use and $168 billion stems from tobacco use. There are also other types of costly consequences, such as child abuse, failure in school, domestic violence, broken homes and lost employment.

Brain Effect

• When an individual consumes drugs, the chemicals enter the brain's communication system and alter how it typically transmits, receives and absorbs information. The brain is naturally made up of chemical messengers and a reward circuit (the pathway for communication). By mimicking the messengers and over-stimulating the reward circuit, drugs interfere with the brain's normal functioning.

Likelihood of Addiction

• There is no sure way of determining whether an individual will become addicted to drugs. Much of the likelihood depends on the individual's body, social surroundings, maturity or his development stage. The more susceptible an individual is to the risk factors, the more likely she is to be a victim of drug addiction. An individual's genes, gender, environmental influences and ethnicity can contribute to her risk of drug addiction. Other factors include peer pressure, stress, varying forms of abuse and the parents' involvement level. The younger an individual starts taking drugs, the more likely she is to gradually abuse drugs. An adolescent's brain is still in the developing stage, making her more vulnerable to taking risks.

Prevention

• NIDA has conducted a study that shows that programs promoting drug prevention while including schools, families, community and the media help to lower the rate of drug abuse. When adolescents view drugs as dangerous, they are more likely to lower their consumption rate. By teaching children and the public about the consequences of taking drugs, drug addiction prevention is possible.