Drug addiction is a physical and mental dependence on any drug, including legal ones like alcohol. With repeated use, the body craves more, leading to severe physical illness and mental distress. Symptoms include needing more of the drug, illegal practices to obtain it, and dangerous behaviors. Observers may notice absences, disinterest, behavioral changes, and theft. Helping addicts seek help can be challenging.
Drug addiction is a physical and often mental dependence on any form of drug. This is not limited to illegal drugs, as there are many legally prescribed drugs that are addictive and easily obtainable substances such as alcohol. With repeated use of addictive drugs, the body begins to crave and demand them, such that their withdrawal can cause severe physical illness, unusual behavior, and extreme mental distress. Symptoms of drug addiction can be noticed by addicts or by those who observe addicts such as friends, family members and employers.
When people become addicted to a drug, they need to use it regularly to feel a sense of balance. Whether a person is taking a drug for pain relief, anxiety relief, relaxation, or stimulation, the small amounts initially needed increase over time. This means that people have to use more drugs as they become more deeply addicted and as the body builds tolerance to lower doses.
A reliable symptom of drug addiction or the onset of addiction is the need for more of the drug than was used for the first time. To obtain larger or more potent amounts, people may resort to illegal practices such as doctor shopping to get more medicine than they should be taking. At this point, overdose becomes a risk, because people may take more drugs than the body can tolerate.
Most addicts have regular, observable symptoms. As the drug flushes out the system, the person becomes anxious and agitated. Some addicts become physically ill, may vomit or show physical signs such as tremors. the latter is especially common in severe alcoholism. The whole goal may be to get the next dose, and addicted individuals have impaired judgment and may be willing to do anything to obtain a drug, including engaging in a variety of dangerous and/or illegal behaviors. In particular, if drugs are not readily available, people may buy illegal drugs, share contaminated needles, steal from others to get drug money, or engage in things like drug prostitution. They can also increase addiction, switching to harder drugs to achieve a more difficult-to-achieve level of satisfaction. The likelihood of things like blackouts or periods of time where the behavior goes unremembered becomes more common.
When lucid, people often feel extremely guilty about their behavior and may quit frequently, but are unable to follow through. The need is so strong, the resolution often fails. Intense guilt over drug addiction can fuel addictive behaviors, instead of helping people recover from addiction.
Those looking for signs of drug addiction may observe other symptoms. These include frequent absences from work/family commitments, disinterest in hobo social gatherings, sudden money problems, evidence of being on drugs, behavioral changes and theft of money and/or personal prescriptions. If these symptoms are present, people are strongly advised to see if they can help or offer any intervention. At the same time, getting addicts to seek help can be very difficult.
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