The Road to Drug Addiction According to drugabuse.gov, most people use drugs the first time when they are teenagers. In 2012, there were 2.8 million new users of illicit drugs and about 7,898 new users every day.Half of this number consisted of 18 year old people. The common illegal drug most teenagers abuse is marijuana. Others include pain relievers and inhalants, which is common among theyounger generation. Drug use, meanwhile, is higher among people in their twenties or late teens. It is also increasiamong people in their fifties.
Changes in Brain When people use drugs, they may experience an unnatural sense of pleasure. Apart from this feeling, the user may also cough or feel a little nauseated from the chemicals in the marijuana or other forms of drugs.These may also cause a change in the activity of the brain. The brain may sense more dopamine and the number of neurons may begin to drop. As some drugs are also toxic, some neurons are likely to die.
Recognizing the Good Feeling The brain remembers the good feeling caused by drugs and wants it again. The person may become dependent on drugs and may need them regularly. Without drugs, theuser may feel lifeless, flat, or even depressed. To bring their dopamine levels to normal, they may need to take larger amounts of drugs. Despite the negative consequences of drugs, the brain will still rationalize to seek out drugs. This is when the dependency or addiction starts.
Different Strokes Experts cannot predict or know the number of times a person needs to use a drug before becoming addicted. The addiction may depend on the person’s genetic makeup and the environment they belong to. The risk of addiction is also dependent on the person’s self-control and own judgment. The only thing that is clear is that the person who uses drugs is at risk of becoming addicted. People who develop an addiction rehabilitation for treatment. The support of their family and friends is also important to make their recovery from their substance abuse possible. Resources: http://www.alpinerecoverylodge.com/ourprograms/ldsrehab/ http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nati onwidetrends http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171, 986282,00.html