The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines addiction as a chronic brain disease that is characterized by relapses, compulsive drug seeking, and continued use despite negative life consequences. Addiction is just like any other illness: it is preventable, it is treatable, it changes a person’s biology, and when left untreated, it can last a lifetime.
When broken down a little further, NIDA’s definition is comprised of various pieces of information that combine to form the science of drug addiction.
Brain Disease
NIDA has determined that addiction to drugs, alcohol, and harmful behaviors is a brain disease. Substances change the brain, meaning the desired functionality of the brain is altered when chemicals are repeatedly used. Neurotransmitters, the brain’s naturally occurring chemicals that are responsible for all forms of functioning, from when to eat, when to sleep, what to do and not to do (based on pain or pleasure), to how you feel at any given moment, are thrown out of balance when drugs and alcohol are used.
Since the use of substances alters the chemicals in your brain, natural operations are impaired. Drugs and alcohol mimic neurotransmitters, so the use of cocaine, for example, makes your brain believe there is more energy available. Signals of this information are sent throughout the body the same way signals would naturally be sent either when more energy really was available, or when the brain senses the need for more energy.
When the brain has become reliant on certain substances, signals are not sent until the substance’s chemicals tell the brain to send one. What this really means is that drug addiction interferes with our internal communication system.
Relapse, Compulsive Drug Seeking, and Continued Use Despite Negative Life Consequences
The brain’s reliance on chemicals that mimic neurotransmitters makes it really hard for the addicted person to stop using or drinking. Relapse is always a possibility with addiction, cancer, and diabetes when the brain still wants the drug, or drugs, of choice. Compulsivity is a major component of addiction; an urge arises and is hard not to act on the strong craving for a drug. All too often, a person feels powerless over the internal desire to use again, and a relapse occurs.
When compulsive drug use continues, it is inevitable that something bad will happen in that person’s life. Whether it is losing a job, realizing that a relationship has been strained and even broken beyond repair, a medical issue emerges, mental health is compromised, finances are completely destroyed, family and friends have distanced themselves, or another negative life consequence, adverse repercussions are just a matter of time.
Science says that when a person continues to use the substances that caused the problems, use has progressed to addiction.
Treatment to Stop Lifelong Addiction
Like cancer and diabetes, there are forms of treatment that also send addiction into a remission-like state. The best approach is an individualized treatment plan to address exactly what each addict needs. The combination of medication management and therapeutic methods of healing show great effectiveness in treating most addictions, including alcoholism.
Recovery from addiction is possible. The science of drug addiction proves it!
Kate Green works in addiction recovery helping women addicted to drugs at Balboa Horizons Treatment Services.
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