Stages of Chemical Dependencies

Drug abuse is a huge problem in the United States. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that substance abuse costs the United States "more than $484 billion per year." Drug abuse is linked to family problems, work-related problems and crime. NIDA reports that "as many as 60% of adults in federal prisons are there for drug-related crimes."

There are different forms of drug abuse. People can become dependent on illegal drugs, prescription drugs that are not prescribed to them or both. There is also chemical dependency related to chronic pain. Chronic pain chemical dependency usually does not present the same problems associated with illegal drug use. According to the National Pain Foundation, most chronic pain patients become physically dependent on prescription pain medications but do not become mentally dependent on them. The lack of mental dependence keeps these patients from exhibiting the undesired behavior of illegal drug users.

Experimental

• The experimental stage is the first step toward chemical dependency. This is the stage when a person first tries drugs. The feeling of getting high is new and may even be exciting to the person. During the experimental stage, a person may try one or more types of drugs. Not every person who experiments with drugs goes on to become dependent on them. Some people experiment with drugs and decide they do not like them. Persons who find they enjoy the way drugs make them feel are in danger of progressing to the next stages of chemical dependency.

Social

• Social drug users only use drugs when they are with other people. They may feel that using drugs makes social interaction easier or more enjoyable. Social users usually do not believe that their drug use is a problem. They generally have a party mind-set where they believe drugs are a tool to be used for social enjoyment at get-togethers with friends.

Abuse

• At the abuse stage of chemical dependency, drug users begin to feel some of the consequences from their drug use. Their drug use may cause relationship problems when friends or family members become upset over users' irrational behavior. At this stage users might begin demonstrating a pattern of being late to work or missing work altogether. Legal issues sometimes arise when users get caught driving while under the influence or when they get in fights due to irrational behavior caused by drug use. Money issues can also come into play at this stage. Users may spend more money on drugs than they can afford. Generally at this stage, drug users do not realize they have a problem. They disregard consequences they have experienced as due to stupid mistakes. They ultimately feel they have their drug use under control and can stop anytime they choose to.

Dependency

• Once drug users reach the dependency stage, they are full-blown addicts. They phsycially and mentally feel a strong need for drugs. They will spend all their money and do almost anything to get high. Job losses and relationship losses are common at this stage. Dependent drug addicts will do things they normally would never do if they were not an addict. Drugs rule their lives. Drug users in the dependency stage end up stuck in a vicious cycle. The longer they use drugs, the higher their tolerance becomes and the more drugs they need to use.

Medical-Related Dependency

• Another type of chemical dependency is one that develops when people take prescription drugs for medical conditions. Many pain relief narcotics have a high potential for addiction, which puts medical users in a catch-22 situation. If they do not take the medications, they do not get the pain relief they need to function fully in life. If they do take the medications, however, they run the risk of dependency. Careful use of the medications can reduce the risk of dependency. But people who need to take the medications long term eventually develop a tolerance to the medications, making higher dosages necessary to achieve the same effects.

  Medical-related dependencies often do not result in the destructive behaviors associated with nonmedical-related chemical dependencies. While chronic pain users may become physically dependent on the drugs, they usually do not become mentally dependent on them.

  Sometimes the decision must be made between quality of life and chemical dependency. It is a tricky situation for the medical community to manage patients with chronic pain. Doctors strive to find a balance to minimize prescription drug use while still treating the medical problem. Unfortunately, doctors' fears of dependencies in their patients have resulted in many chronic pain patients being undertreated or not treated at all for their pain. The National Pain Foundation conducted a survey on pain relief in chronic pain patients. The survey revealed that "more than 40% of respondents with moderate-to-severe pain could not find adequate relief" for pain from their doctors.