What is Drug Addiction?
From marijuana to prescription painkillers, drug addiction is a condition that can strike anyone at any time. A dependence on illicit or prescription drugs can cause individuals to lose their families, their jobs or even their lives. And while millions of individuals who develop drug addictions get the help they need from rehab programs, many more live their lives without treatment – suffering alone in isolation as they fall deeper and deeper into a desperate cycle.
What is the Definition of Drug Addiction?
Experts define drug addiction as a strong, unceasing craving for a drug, even when the individual is aware of the risks and potential harm that the drug can bring about. Individuals with a drug addiction exhibit certain signs and symptoms of their condition, including:
- Distinct mood cycles during which the individual will engage in behavior swings that move quickly from euphoria to depression or rage
- Anxious or restless behavior
- Paranoia or delusional behavior
- Manic levels of energy
- Secretive behavior
- Theft or other unlawful behavior
In order to be technically classified as having a drug addiction, individuals must display any one or more of the symptoms above for a period no less than a year.
What are the Most Common Drug Addictions?
There are a variety of different drug addictions currently being treated in the rehab centers of America and around the world. The most common of these include:
- Heroin addiction
- Cocaine addiction
- Marijuana addiction
- Crystal meth addiction
- Addiction to prescription medications (such as OxyContin, Vicodin, Amphetamines or Adderall)
Facts and Statistics about Drug Addiction
The problem of drug addiction touches the lives of men and women of all ages and socio-economic groups. In order to better understand just how deep the problem goes, consider the following information:
- Marijuana is the most widely used drug in the United States. Over three-quarters of all drug addicts use, or have used marijuana.
- Every years, over 20,000 individuals die as a result of illicit drug use.
- In the past 20 years, the number of people with drug addictions in the United States has skyrocketed by over 500%
- Over 15 million Americans use illicit drugs each year. Of these individuals, many become addicts but few seek the treatment they need.
Why do People Develop Drug Addictions?
There are a number of environmental and hereditary reasons why individuals may develop a drug addiction, including:
- Genetics. A large proportion of those who receive treatment for a drug addiction report having a parent or other family member who had a similar condition.
- Co-dependence. Found predominantly in women, co-dependence occurs when an individual becomes addicted to drugs because their significant other has the same condition. Women tend to be co-dependant over fears that they will lose their relationship if they stop taking drugs.
- Self-esteem or self-image issues. Many women and young people develop a drug addiction after concerns about their appearance lead them to substance abuse. This commonly occurs with teens who have trouble fitting in at school and women who suffer from eating disorders due to a distorted view of their own self-image.
- Physical or sexual abuse. An inordinately high number of drug addicts have incidence of sexual or physical abuse in their personal history. The pain and shame they experience as a result of these incidents lead them to self-medicate their pain with drugs or alcohol.
- Mental health issues. It is believed that over half of those individuals with a drug addiction also have a mental illness of some kind. People with clinical depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder are all at a high risk for addiction.
Michael's House is a luxury residential drug rehabilitation facility that understands the importance of personal care as it pertains to treatment. Contact Michael's House of Palm Springs, California at for more information.
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