Why addictions are dangerous

Alcohol and drug use is one of the leading causes of preventable illnesses and premature death nationwide. Many people experience substance use disorder along with another psychiatric disorder.

Oftentimes another psychiatric disorder precedes substance use disorder, or the use of a substance may trigger or worsen another psychiatric disorder.

The first step is recognition of the problem. The recovery process can be delayed when a person lacks awareness of problematic substance use. Although interventions by concerned friends and family often prompt treatment, self-referrals are always welcome and encouraged. A medical professional should conduct a formal assessment of symptoms to identify if a substance use disorder is present.

All patients can benefit from treatment, regardless of whether the disorder is mild, moderate, or severe. For most, a combination of medication and individual or group therapy is most effective.

Medications are used to control drug cravings, relieve symptoms of withdrawal, and to prevent relapses. Psychotherapy can help individuals with SUD better understand their behavior and motivations, develop higher self-esteem, cope with stress, and address other psychiatric problems. These may include:. These 13 principles of effective drug addiction treatment were developed based on three decades of scientific research.

Research shows that treatment can help drug-addicted individuals stop drug use, avoid relapse and successfully recover their lives.

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse. Some suggestions to get started:. Opioid Use Disorder. Opioids produce high levels of positive reinforcement, increasing the odds that people will continue using them despite negative resulting consequences. Opioid use disorder is a chronic lifelong disorder, with serious potential consequences including disability, relapses, and death. Drug use may trigger the onset of mental health symptoms or worsen mental health disorders. Also, drug use can directly impact your mental health by altering your mood and your grasp of reality.

Your ability to learn, make decisions, judge situations, and remember experiences can also change. Some health consequences are related to the type of drug or method of use. For example, these drug-specific health risks can include:. The health effects experienced can also vary by other factors, such as the amount of the drug you use and how long you have been taking it.

Your body type, whether you are using other drugs, and your overall health also play a role in how an addiction will impact your health. Plus, you could face indirect health risks from using drugs, such as:.

This is not an exhaustive list of the many ways addiction could harm your mental and physical health. The more you increase your use and the longer you use substances, the more you increase the risks to your health.

Without intervention, addiction is a progressive health problem , and stopping the addiction is essential to reducing the health risks. Alta Mira offers comprehensive residential treatment for drug addiction as well as co-occurring mental health disorders and process addictions.

Contact us to learn more about our renowned Bay Area programs and how we can help you or your loved one start the journey toward recovery. To speak to someone anonymously about any type of addiction, you can call the Samaritans free on Page last reviewed: 9 June Next review due: 9 June Addiction: what is it? Foot problems and the podiatrist Looking after your feet with diabetes How to stop smelly feet. Lower your cholesterol Keeping your kidneys healthy Top 10 healthy heart tips.

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Look after your eyes Eye health tips for older people Laser eye surgery Contact lens safety. Take care of your teeth and gums Children's teeth Sweets, fizzy drinks and bottles Lifestyle tips for healthy teeth How to keep your teeth clean Dental check-ups Fear of the dentist Dental treatments Braces and orthodontics Teeth facts and figures The health risks of gum disease Teeth whitening. To add to that, repeated use of drugs can damage the essential decision-making center at the front of the brain.

This area, known as the prefrontal cortex, is the very region that should help you recognize the harms of using addictive substances. Nonetheless, they take it. Addiction tends to run in families, and certain types of genes Stretches of DNA, a substance you inherit from your parents, that define characteristics such as your risk for certain disorders, such as addiction. But not all members of an affected family are necessarily prone to addiction.

Other factors can also raise your chances of addiction. Teens are especially vulnerable to possible addiction because their brains are not yet fully developed—particularly the frontal regions that help with impulse control and assessing risk. Pleasure circuits in adolescent brains also operate in overdrive, making drug and alcohol use even more rewarding and enticing. NIH is launching a new nationwide study to learn more about how teen brains are altered by alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs.

Researchers will use brain scans and other tools to assess more than 10, youth over a year span.