Drug Addiction: What Really Happens Inside Your Body?

A sense of euphoria is achieved in people who continuously abuse drugs. When over stimulation of neurotransmitters is heightened, the person craves to experience the same effect over and over again. This resulting repetitive behavior is what eventually develops into drug addiction.

Substance abuse affects the brain functions through interrupting its communication system, primarily because of the dangerous components that get into the system. What makes it more unsafe is the fact that there are certain substances that imitate chemical messengers to be able to stimulate the brain’s reward center.

Neurotransmitters or the chemical messengers in every human being’s system are important in the brain to function well. Dopamine, specifically, is a neurotransmitter that serves in the pleasant and reward center of the brain. Please read our article, “Consequences of Prescription Drug Abuse” to see how prescription drugs can affect you as well.

Drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, for instance, produce high levels of dopamine. Therefore, substance abusers who use these substance will continue to abuse is to feel limitless energy and joy. Opiates and marijuana, on the other hand, have different effects on the brain. These substances confuse the brain by sending abnormal messages. This often results to improper judgment and may eventually progress to psychosis.

What Is Drug Addiction?

Abusing drugs, especially those well-known to cause addiction, is a personal choice. However, taking habit-forming substances have continuously become prevalent made more emphasized by the judgment of actions of the people taking it.

• The 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health shows increasing number of people involved in drugs and alcohol.
• In the U.S., more than 27 million citizens have been reported to use illegal drugs.
• Abuse of prescription medications have also been increasing since 2015.

Addiction continues to grow in number as thousands and even millions of people choose to become victim of illegal drugs. Previously, people who have developed addiction on these substances almost instantly considered failures.

Today, awareness that substance abuse should be considered a severe brain disorder is being promoted. Studies have shown that addiction has predisposed biological causes and is being reinforced by its effects on the pleasure center of the human brain.

What Causes The Habit-Forming Substance Abuse?

All drugs affect the brain and its reward center. Drugs, when use excessively, can cause dopamine flooding which means that all drugs have the ability to influence the brain into asking for more. Since drugs target the reward and pleasure center, the brain continuously responds by constantly increasing the required dopamine level to achieve euphoria.

The individual who is into substance abuse will constantly look for the euphoric sensation; hence,  will crave for higher doses each time.

What Is The Solution?

Breaking from addiction is a hard work. However, if you want to get out of your messy life, seek help from reliable professionals. Just remember that drug addiction is not something that you can treat overnight. Therefore, the treatment programs that you will subject yourself into will require full commitment and cooperation to make full recovery and healing possible.

Do not be afraid to ask for help. Medical professionals are more than willing to provide you the quality service that you deserve. In no time, you will get your life back on track.

Dr. Vikram Tarugu MD

Dr. Vikram Tarugu, M.D, is the CEO of Detox of South Florida, Inc and medical professional focused on addiction. A veteran in the medical field with over 25 years of professional experience. He is a consultant for many South Florida Rehab centers. Patients travel from allover the US to seek his help with addiction and Hepatitis C treatment.