Drug Addiction – Causes, Symptoms & Therapy

Drug addiction causes various types of intoxication, depending on the composition of the drugs consumed. Drugs have been used in all parts of the world, not just in modern times, but for thousands of years. The consequences of drug addiction are physical and psychological dependence and physical and mental deterioration.

Drug addiction can damage the organs and the brain, and the health and social decline of those affected is practically pre-programmed. Acute overdoses of certain drugs can lead to respiratory failure and heart failure. For example, long-term drug addiction damages the liver and kidneys. The so-called “soft” drugs include marijuana and hashish. Cocaine, morphine, heroin, LSD and so-called designer drugs such as ecstasy, for example, produce severe drug addictions.

causes

There are many causes of drug addiction and drug abuse permeates all walks of life. Young people in particular are at risk of becoming addicted simply by trying drugs. Problems in childhood such as abuse and violence, the wrong friends or psychological problems can lead to drug addiction.Difficulties in the partnership and at work can also lead to drug addiction. While illicit drugs must be obtained illegally, alcohol and cigarettes are readily available. Even children become addicted to nicotine and many young people practice the so-called “coma drinking”, which ends up in the hospital year after year. Here the cause of drug addiction is obvious, because it is a collective behavior.

When to the doctor?

Drug addiction is a chronic disease. Both the psychological and the physical symptoms of those affected require therapy. Depending on the severity and duration of the dependency, a drug addict should be examined regularly by a general practitioner and have classic symptoms of drug addiction – such as poorly healing wounds – treated.

If serious illnesses, such as hepatitis or an infection with the HI virus, are known, the drug addict should also see a doctor regularly in order to keep the consequences of the illness as low as possible by administering appropriate medication.

If the dependency has progressed so far that the addict can take part in a substitution program, regular visits to a doctor who dispenses the medication are mandatory.

Addicts who no longer live with the side effects of their addiction and want to free themselves from their addiction in the long term should seek therapy to treat the psychological effects of their addiction. A psychiatrist or the medical service at a counseling center will explain the possibilities and chances of recovery. During therapy, the addict is regularly examined.

If a drug addiction remains untreated, it is fatal – often after a long ordeal.

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms of drug addiction:

• disturbance of consciousness

• drowsiness

• euphoria

• nervousness

The symptoms of drug addiction are varied and range from withdrawal symptoms and drug-related crime to neglect and homelessness. While use of the drug initially creates high spirits, the body gradually becomes accustomed to it until withdrawal symptoms appear. Depending on the type of drug taken, impaired consciousness, euphoria and drowsiness can occur.

A heroin or morphine overdose can result in circulatory collapse , respiratory failure, coma, or death from asphyxiation or heart failure. Similar symptoms can also occur with an alcohol overdose. The so-called designer drugs can create short-term highs and long-term in this type of drug addiction they destroy the body along with many brain cells.

Diagnose

The doctor can determine drug addiction by the apparent diagnosis. But there are also various tests that can be used to detect drugs in the blood, urine and hair. Heroin and morphine addicts have puncture marks on their bodies and are usually emaciated. Withdrawal symptoms such as nervousness, pain, chills , chattering teeth and freezing with simultaneous sweating are typical of these addictions. Alcoholics have similar symptoms, but the use of soft drugs like hash and marijuana leads to psychological rather than physical drug addiction.

complications

A typical complication of substance addiction is drug overdose. The specific symptoms and effects depend on the respective drug, the dose and the individual tolerance. An overdose can be fatal. This also applies to legal substances such as alcohol. Many drugs also carry a risk of cardiovascular disease.

In addition, neurological complications such as seizures are possible with various addictive substances. Substance addiction often leads to poor eating habits. Deficiency symptoms can develop from this. Hair loss , skin problems and additional cognitive disorders are possible as a result. Damage to nerves and other tissues (for example, from a lack of vitamin B12) can be permanent.

Some substances reduce appetite and increase the urge to move. Meth and cocaine addicts, for example, often lose weight as a result. Dehydration can occur in LSD users, for example. Korsakoff’s syndrome is a disease that can occur, among other things, as a complication in heavy alcoholics. Also known as amnesiac psychosyndrome, the condition is due to vitamin B1 deficiency, which leads to brain damage. Korsakoff syndrome is therefore classified as dementia. The consequences are severe memory disorders with anterograde and retrograde amnesia.

In addition, polyneuropathy (peripheral nerve damage), depression, fatigue, lack of drive and/or euphoria are possible. Both physical and psychological addiction can lead to problems in many areas of life. Family and work often suffer from the drug addiction of the person concerned. Psychological complications include anxiety, panic attacks, depression and many more. Numerous other complications, dependent on the drug involved, are also possible.

treatment and therapy

If drug addiction is proven, inpatient therapy will very often be necessary. Because otherwise there is little hope that the addict will manage to stop using the drugs without help. First comes the physical withdrawal, which is the basic requirement for further treatment. This usually has to be done under medication and under the strictest medical supervision.

Depending on the type of drug addiction, the duration of therapy varies. In the case of multiple dependencies or years of drug addiction, such therapy can last longer than a whole year. Even after release, attempts are made to prevent a relapse in the case of multiply dependent addicts with outpatient follow-up care. But all this only works if the patient also participates. Since such therapy places are very rare in view of the high number of drug addicts, a detailed examination of the prospects of success is carried out before a cost commitment is made.Fighting the widespread nicotine addiction is supported by almost all health insurance companies. Various methods such as acupuncture , nicotine patches and other therapeutic measures are used for this purpose. There are many counseling centers for alcohol addicts and also outpatient talks with other affected people. Heroin addicts who have relapsed several times are also admitted to the methadone program after a strict diagnosis and they receive the less dangerous substitute drug on prescription. This also minimizes the risk of drug-related crime, which this drug addiction entails.

prevention

Preventing drug addiction is a challenge facing society as a whole. This challenge already begins with the upbringing by the parents and the teachers in the school. Awareness campaigns by the state and the responsible institutions contribute to this, but the environment of an endangered person is also called upon to act. Those affected must not be left to their fate, but they must be actively pulled out of their situation so that their drug addiction does not become their undoing.