Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins when they take prescribed medicines or receive them from others who have prescriptions.The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted varies by drug. Some drugs, such as opioid painkillers, have a higher risk and cause addiction more quickly than others.As time passes, you may need larger doses of the drug to get high. Soon you may need the drug just to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it’s increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Attempts to stop drug use may cause intense cravings and make you feel physically ill. When they first use a drug, people may perceive what seem to be positive effects. They also may believe they can control their use. But drugs can quickly take over a person’s life. Over time, if drug use continues, other pleasurable activities become less pleasurable, and the person has to take the drug just to feel “normal.” They have a hard time controlling their need to take drugs even though it causes many problems for themselves and their loved ones. Some people may start to feel the need to take more of a drug or take it more often, even in the early stages of their drug use. These are the signs of an addiction.Even relatively moderate drug use poses dangers.
“Undoubtedly, drug addiction is a great socio-economic and health problem. It is a kind of disease which is curable with the help of proper treatment. But for the total recovery of the addict, psychological treatment side by side medical treatment through individual counseling, group therapy, re-education and yoga is of immense help. The planning of treatment must focus on self- exposure and self-help. Remember that just because you hit bottom doesn’t mean you have to stay there.”
Consider how a social drinker can become intoxicated, get behind the wheel of a car, and quickly turn a pleasurable activity into a tragedy that affects many lives. Occasional drug use, such as misusing an opioid to get high, can have similarly disastrous effects, including impaired driving and overdose.When their capabilities and efficiencies are not well-rewarded and not well-recognised, they opt out and seek alternative gratifications in drugs. When the ordinary social fabric is disrupted by several socio-economic factors such as poverty, unemployment, migration, etc. the Problems Unless a person wishes to get rid of this evil, it is very difficult to give it up. Hence, an awareness campaign can serve the purpose. The media, the NGOs, self- help groups and other governmental and non-governmental agencies can play influential roles. Besides, our educational curriculum should be so designed that value-based moral education is made a part of it. Since in very early age, more values need to be inculcated in children, they should be taught to develop good hobbies to spend time happily and meaningfully in good company. They need to be taught to develop a useful and constructive work-oriented daily routine in which they do manage some time for social activities. They should be made aware of the vices of addiction. drug addiction gets a chance to flourish. Undoubtedly, drug addiction is a great socio-economic and health problem. It is a kind of disease which is curable with the help of proper treatment. But for the total recovery of the addict, psychological treatment side by side medical treatment through individual counseling, group therapy, re-education and yoga is of immense help. The planning of treatment must focus on self- exposure and self-help. Remember that just because you hit bottom doesn’t mean you have to stay there
(The author is Perusing B.SC Nursing At Deash Bhagat University Mandigobingarh Punjab. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the authors and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
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