Drug abuse and drug addiction can have a profound impact on your brain, and there are some things that you should know and understand about this activity. Drug addiction is classified as a disease of the brain, and it is caused by drug abuse. Every individual is different and unique, and some may abuse a variety of drugs and yet never become addicted while others may engage in drug abuse a couple of times and develop a full blown drug addiction very rapidly. When you engage in drug abuse there are certain chemical changes that occur in your body and brain, and when you have a drug addiction these changes can cause cravings and withdrawal symptoms that may range from mildly unpleasant to downright dangerous.
Drug abuse causes dopamine to be released in amounts that are larger than normal in the brain. This leads to drug addiction for many people, because when the substance starts to wear off the brain produces psychological cravings, and the drug abuse may be viewed by the brain as a matter of survival. Using the substance can become just as important as eating, drinking, and sleeping. Over time there are changes to the structure and function of the brain and the substance may become all the user can think about. As the urge to engage in drug abuse gets stronger because of drug addiction the user will start to rationalize or make excuses in order to avoid stopping the drug abuse. Unlike many medical conditions and diseases drug addiction can be treated and overcome with the right substance abuse treatment methods.
