Drug Addiction is The disease of addiction is a medical illness characterized by it’s chronic, progressive and fatal nature. It causes the victim to compulsively and repeatedly engage in drug seeking, use and that too in the face of repeated negative results and suffering not only for the suffering patient but also his family. As in most of the cases, the decision to take the drug for the first time is voluntary; Later, when it results into addiction, it severely challenges and hampers the addicts’ ability to resist cravings and urges for drugs.
Insidious in its nature and development, addiction is widely recognized by patients and doctors alike to be a cunning and baffling disease. Moreover, it has ways and means to sustain itself in the face of resistance. Despite all the negative changes it brings into a patient’s and his family members’ lives (changing a kind person into a hostile one, flipping a perfect gentleman ending up into a lousy and violent individual) the drugging continues and a vicious cycle ensues
Addiction is a biological metabolic disorder due to which the drug is taken quickly disintegrates into toxins (the first stage which should have been slow) and very slow clearance of these toxins. This lag in handling leads to accumulation, hence, the term intoxicated. The intoxication is more than a word that it is; it silently steers a person to a thinking and living pattern based on denial and delusion. The state of denial doesn’t let the drug user see the menace of addiction approach. It also leads to slow reflexes and week responses. Although in such a case, addicts are able to perform previously learned habits and routines to a minimally acceptable level, nonetheless; they cannot learn new things or manage instant decisions. This results in unexplainable road accidents and crash landings of airplanes (with damaged tires and landing gears). In short, it is dues to this faulty biological handling that addiction occurs. Addition starts in the biology leads to a chain reaction which deteriorates the psychological, social and spiritual areas of a person’s life.
When such a malady happens, it becomes mandatory to drink and use drugs to override the pain of toxins in the system. This internal punch hits very hard. In such an instance, the sufferer has to decide between two things; do drugs or face the music. Such is the mystery behind the compulsive and repetitive use of drugs i.e. addiction) that is regularly mistaken by others for a mere psychological problem. Damned if he uses drugs and damned if he does not.
Like other chronic illnesses; Addiction is a chronic illness. It shares a lot with illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc. Likewise, it can also be managed with very good excellent. As in these illnesses, it sometimes happens relapse emerges and the patient begins using drugs again. This also happens when addiction is not managed by a structured, result oriented and proven to work program. Such problems lead to deterioration in morale of the loved ones of the patient as well as reinforcing a popular belief that addicts and addiction cannot be treated. By all means, it does not indicate a failure on part of the treatment—it rather indicates that treatment is to be reinstated and adjusted so as to address the needs of the patient and the illness.
Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed successfully. And as with other chronic diseases, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begins abusing drugs again. Relapse, however, does not signal treatment failure—rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated or adjusted and help the individual get back in recovery.
People find it difficult to say and find out if someone they love or value is suffering from alcohol or drug addiction since that person is almost always ready to go to great lengths to hide the problem. But there are evident and telltale signs that show something in this regard is terribly wrong. Below is a brief list of typical warning signs
Drinking, drugging and getting high on a regular basis
Seeking and using more drugs than before to get the same effect
Planning and thinking about quitting but unable to do so
Lying about drinking and drugging
Social isolation in order to facilitate drinking and drugging
Withdrawal from family members, spending more time alone in room, secrecy
Gross changes in sleeping or eating habits
Memory problems, attention problems, difficulty concentrating on day to day responsibilities of life
Aggression, hostility, and defensiveness
Drop in grades and performance in school, education and in other areas of life
The smell of alcohol. Marijuana etc on your loved one’s breath or clothes and the use of mints, mouthwash, and air fresheners in order to cover up.
Slurred, incoherent speech, roadside accidents and other problems pertaining to alcohol and drugs use
Bloodshot eyes and bottles of eye drop to mask them, indicative of the use of marijuana, alcohol and other drugs
Medications, money or other valuables missing from your home