Disease of Addiction

Addiction is a disease caused by a combination of genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Addiction is the continued use of a mind-altering substance despite the consequences. It was classified as an official disease in 1987. With the increasing knowledge about addiction, treatment for this disease has also increased. Thankfully, addiction is curable and recovery is achievable!

Addiction: What Triggers This Disease?

A person does not wake up one day and say, “I am going to start using drugs and alcohol.” Something happens in your life. In some cases, the people you have in your life trigger a person to start using substances. Two primary triggers can lead to substance use:

• Pain triggers
• Social triggers

Pain Triggers

Pain does not just mean physical pain. Pain can also be caused by mental illness. A doctor prescribes pain medication after a car accident or during an illness. The pain medication triggers chemicals in your brain, and your body starts to become addicted to the feeling.

Pain caused by mental illness is not always physical. Mental pain can include depression and other emotional disturbances. This pain can be caused by genetics or the environment around you. Unfortunately, medications that treat mental illness are as addictive as medications used to treat physical pain.

Social Triggers

Peer pressure is one of the leading causes of first-time substance use. It’s presumed that everyone will have a drink on their 21st birthday or “take just one hit” at a party. The social pressure to fit in and to be the fun friend causes many people to start down the road to addiction.

Addiction does not happen after one drink or one time using a drug. There are 6 phases to the disease of addiction:

• Initial Use
• Abuse
• Tolerance
• Reliance
• Addiction
• Recovery

Phase 1 – Initial Use

The first time you use a substance, it triggers a reaction in your brain. This starts a path to psychological dependency. Many factors play a part in psychological dependence, including the following:

• Family: A family history of substance abuse increases the chances of addiction. A person who grew up in a family of addicts is more likely to start using drugs and alcohol. They may feel more accepted by their family if they also use these substances.
• Instability: An unstable life may also cause a person to use alcohol or drugs.
• Loneliness/Isolation: A lonely person has a high risk of turning to drugs and alcohol.
• Peer pressure: Friends can pressure a person into trying a substance for the first time.
• Mental Illness: Mental health issues such as depression can lead a person to using for the first time.

Phase 2 – Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is the act of using a substance in a harmful way. This can include drinking alcohol at home alone and not just in social situations. Taking medications more than prescribed is also a form of substance abuse. It may start with one drink or one pill after a long day, but one time quickly turns to three times, and that leads to abuse.

Phase 3 – Substance Tolerance

Tolerance builds after repeated use. Using drugs and alcohol tend to elicit certain feelings and responses within your body, such as euphoria or calmness. Your mind and body accept these feelings as normal. To achieve the same responses, a person must take higher doses.

Phase 4 – Substance Reliance

Reliance is when you need the drug to get through the day; this does not mean you are addicted. Some people require medications for their bodies to function correctly. But if your body becomes reliant on illicit drugs or alcohol or you take prescriptions more than directed, it can lead to addiction.

Phase 5 – Addiction

Addiction is a mental health disorder with very distinct features. Some of the characteristics include:

• Feeling like you can’t stop taking the substance
• Inability to stop taking the substance once you start
• The substance is more important than anything else
• Continuing to use the substance despite the health effects
• A strong desire for the substance
• Fear of not having the substance
• Inability to handle daily responsibilities
• Putting yourself in risky situations
• Refusal to stop taking the substance

Treatment for addiction is dependent on the substance that you are addicted to, the length of addiction, and the underlying issues that lead to addiction. Some addictions require a medical detox to minimize the withdrawal effects. Addiction to alcohol, for example, should be medically detoxed to prevent the depletion of essential nutrients in the body.

Phase 6 – Addiction Recovery

Recovery is a lifelong process. It’s important to continue working to overcome addiction, choosing never to give up. Research treatment centers and ask questions. Each facility is different, but there is certainly a rehab center that can help you break the cycle of addiction.

Anyone can suffer from the disease of addiction. Though certain factors influence the risk of addiction:

Biology. Genetics can increase your chance of addiction. If you come from a family of substance abusers, your chances of addiction increases by 50%. Mental health issues, also genetic, influences your chances of a co-occurring disorder.

Environment. A person’s environment, especially during the teen years, dramatically influences the chances of addiction. Environmental risks to addiction include:

• substance abuse in the home
• lack of parental guidance
• stress
• physical abuse
• mental abuse
• sexual abuse

Development. Addiction can happen at any age. Younger children exposed to drugs and alcohol are at an increased danger. Children are at a high risk of developing an addiction because their brain is still growing. Growing up around drug and alcohol abuse affects a child’s decision-making and self-control.