Since drug addiction in our society has reached pandemic proportions, scientists have been working to eliminate this negative phenomenon that is taking millions of lives. But for this fight it is necessary to accurately determine the reasons that lead a person to the development of drug addiction.
All currently known causes of drug addiction are conventionally divided into psychological and physiological. But this does not mean that in each individual case of drug use only one group of factors is to blame. Typically, the formation of dependence on alcohol and drug addiction is a complex picture in which many aspects and individual characteristics of a person are intertwined.
What is drug addiction
The definition of “drug addiction” means a person’s painful, abnormal addiction to any substance that causes a state of euphoria, hallucinations, or otherwise changes the idea of reality .
- It is caused by regular use of any psychoactive substance, both artificial and natural.
- Drug addiction is manifested by the development of both physical and mental dependence on a drug, an irresistible craving for its use. Against the backdrop of addiction, physical health and moral decay begin to deteriorate.
- The diagnosis of the patient is made based on his interview, medical history, examination and test results. Drug addiction is treated in a hospital, with the help of psychological and drug therapy, and occupational therapy. Treatment is prescribed by a specialist narcologist.
- According to research results, young people and teenagers are most susceptible to drug addiction. Patients suffering from it are always concerned about finding money for a new dose.
- In the absence of a timely dose, they become very aggressive and exhibit criminal tendencies. Injecting forms of drug addiction are characterized by a high risk of spreading such dangerous diseases as AIDS, syphilis and hepatitis.
Consequences and prevention of the disease
In the process of developing drug addiction, a person begins to degrade at all levels. As a result, he may lose a good job and decent income, stop communicating with his best friends and close relatives (he withdraws into himself and goes headlong into depression). Conflicts and scandals also arise at home; drug addiction often causes the collapse of even strong unions. With prolonged use, dangerous diseases of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, liver and kidneys develop.
There are several rules for carrying out preventive measures:
- The information should be positive and motivate a person to quit using drugs.
- If the information is negative, then it should cover as much as possible all the possible consequences of drug use.
- Lectures should be given only by professional doctors who cover all aspects of this issue.
Lectures on the dangers of drug use and methods of combating drug addiction have also begun to be held in educational institutions.
Causes of drug addiction
Drug addiction can be caused by various factors, which can be divided into physiological and social (in other words, psychological). Moreover, in each individual case, the formation of dependence occurs for a combination of various reasons and primarily depends on the characteristics of the individual.
Physiological reasons . Such factors usually include the characteristics of neurotransmitter metabolism in the brain of a particular person. With an excess or deficiency of certain neurotransmitters, a person becomes mentally unbalanced and anxious.
He develops a feeling of internal dissatisfaction, depression, an excess of negative emotions and a lack of positive ones. This condition is often hereditary.
A person with impaired levels of neurotransmitters begins to seek salvation in narcotic substances. At first, drugs really help get rid of fear and anxiety, give a feeling of calm and bliss , as a result of which a person resorts to them more and more often until it becomes part of the system.
After some time, as the body gets used to the drug, the effect of it becomes less and less pronounced (or disappears altogether), but at this stage the person has already formed a persistent dependence , both psychological and physical.
Psychological reasons
Psychological (or social) causes of drug addiction often depend on the psycho-emotional state of the individual and go back to childhood. These reasons include:
- Family problems. This includes both a lack and an excess of parental love, which have an equally detrimental effect on the psyche of the individual. A spoiled child, accustomed to the absence of prohibitions and complete permissiveness, will not fail to try drugs if given the opportunity.
- Just like that, with nothing to do. If a child is overprotected, not given the opportunity to develop independently, most likely he will try drugs during adolescence, as a sign of protest.
- A child who is brought up in a dysfunctional family, where there is alcoholism or drug addiction of parents, their assault on each other and children, and the like, will most likely try to seek solace and reassurance in drugs.
- Curiosity. Perhaps the most common motivation for many actions, including the use of drugs. Every person is inclined to think that nothing bad will happen if they just try something forbidden once.
- It’s even worse if the thought is reinforced by outside suggestions from “friends” who persistently persuade you to do it. In some cases, “one time” really remains the first and last, but this happens very, very rarely.
- Rebellion against family foundations and the foundations of society. This reason stems from a number of others: unwillingness to be responsible for one’s own actions, immorality, internal psychological conflicts, banal boredom, imitation of a bad environment, emotional depression, anxiety, lack of healthy interests and hobbies.
- The desire for success. As a rule, this affects creative, gifted people who believe that drugs can expand their consciousness and help them achieve new heights.
Most often, this reason is caused by a person’s desire to imitate one of his idols , who achieved success as a drug addict, or by the influence of a certain kind of literature, which describes the “expansion of consciousness” with the help of forbidden substances.
And some of the creative personalities go even further, conducting experiments on their own body and mind in an attempt to track the effect of drugs on humans. In addition to the above, social causes of drug addiction can be called:
- the influence of Western culture on the psyche of young people;
- lack of censorship, complete immorality in the media and their hidden propaganda of an immoral lifestyle;
- lack of children's and youth organizations, interest clubs and similar institutions;
- crisis of values of modern society;
- ineffective promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
Social factors
As mentioned, people with family members who drink or abuse drugs are more likely to become addicted. Likewise, people who engage in frequent drug or alcohol use are also at increased risk of becoming addicted. Children in families where adults abuse such substances often grow up with the understanding that this behavior is normal. They may believe that they need to drink or take drugs in order to feel accepted as part of their family or circle of friends. Their psychological attitude towards drug addiction leads to the fact that they themselves become addicted.
Without understanding the complex interaction of these psychological, social, and biological factors and their combined treatment, drug addiction treatment is doomed to almost certain failure.
Psychology of drug addiction
Experts whose competence includes the study of addictions agree that the problems of drug addiction and alcoholism as such do not exist separately - they are one of the consequences of behavioral and mental abnormalities in human development.
As you know, the brain produces so-called joy hormones - endorphins , which are responsible for states of pleasure, relaxation and pain relief. Normally, endorphins are produced in sufficient quantities due to certain human conditions. And drugs are stimulants for their increased production.
The danger of narcotic substances is that immediately after taking them, the amount of endorphins increases, and the person falls into a state of euphoria , but after some time after using the drug, the level of “joy hormones” decreases significantly, since the drug disrupts their normal production.
Accordingly, to increase the amount of endorphins, a person needs a new dose - and with each use it becomes larger. This is what is called physical addiction - when the human body loses the habit of functioning fully without drugs.
It is well known that drug addiction is a terrible hobby that ends very badly . This begs a completely logical question: why do people, well aware of the dangers of drugs, choose such unhealthy satisfaction of their needs?
The main reason for all addictions is dissatisfaction with one’s own life and the desire to change it. But the methods chosen are infantile and unhealthy. An adult with an unformed, childish mindset tries to solve his internal problems in an easy way, avoiding serious changes in his own activities and avoiding responsibility.
Alas, today's society is practically unable to form mature and self-sufficient individuals. And it is very difficult for an infantile person to understand himself and solve his problems in a normal way, especially if drug addiction has been added to them.
Psychological factors
Each drug in a sufficient dose creates a specific state of intoxication, regardless of individual psychopathology. However, it determines a person's response to these pharmacogenic effects. For this reason, detoxification alone does not cure addiction—it often has very minimal effects.
To summarize: even in cases of long-term physical dependence on a particular drug, this dependence is not sufficient to create addictive behavior in a person who is not psychologically predisposed to it. People engage in harmful behavior because of an abnormality or “psychopathology” that manifests itself as a mental illness. This may include cognitive impairment, mood disorders and other mental illnesses. In fact, drug addiction and other mental health disorders often occur together in the same people—about half of people seeking drug addiction treatment have another significant mental disorder.
Certain personality traits may be underlying factors in all addictive disorders. These may include denial of obvious problems, problems with emotional adjustment and impulsivity, suspiciousness, and inconsistent self-esteem. Data shows that patients diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders are twice as likely to develop a substance disorder. People with drug addiction typically do not view anxiety as a signal of an important process in their inner world that is worth understanding, but rather seek to block it with the help of psychoactive substances.
People who have traumatized or observed a loved one are more likely to start using drugs or alcohol. Trauma can have such a devastating impact on the psyche that the only working mechanism to relieve mental pain is to use it. However, this leads to increased tolerance and associated medical problems and an increased risk of premature death.
Prevention of drug use
It is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it. Drug addiction is no exception. Today, this problem is actively covered in schools, colleges and universities - the consequences of use are clearly demonstrated, psychologists work to identify problems, and lectures are held. So far, testing for prohibited substances is carried out on a voluntary basis. But the parents of teenage drug addicts themselves say that it should be mandatory in order to take timely measures in case of a positive result. It is also important for parents themselves to pay closer attention to their children. Sometimes mom or dad don’t even know who their child is friends with or what their child’s hobbies are.
As for the healthcare system, its main task is to identify drug addicts and provide them with assistance. Today, many helplines have been created where anyone can anonymously receive advice. Drug treatment clinics and centers not only help to get rid of addiction, but also to find new hobbies, find a job or get an education.
If you are faced with a drug addiction problem, call the hotline number (the call is free). Our doctors and psychologists will help motivate the addict for treatment and select an individual treatment plan for the addict.
