Drug addiction in some people begins after taking narcotic substances for the purpose of experimentation and entertainment, while addiction in others occurs as a result of the use of certain prescription drugs to treat a specific health problem, examples of drugs that may cause addiction are morphine, so what are the symptoms of drug addiction.
Symptoms of drug addiction
Symptoms of drug addiction include the craving to take the drug on a daily basis or more than once a day, the inability to stop taking it, and a variety of additional symptoms, the most prominent of which are:
The need to increase the used dose of anesthetic to give the same effect.
The addict made sure that there was a sufficient amount of the drug all the time.
Loss of emotionality, apathy, isolation from friends and family.
Constant feeling of fatigue and lack of energy.
Feeling of abnormal symptoms when the effect of the drug wears off, a person may feel trembling, depression, abdominal pain, sweating or headache, and in severe cases the addict may experience seizures, confusion or fever.
Sleeping too much or too little compared to the previous sleep rate.
Overeating or loss of appetite.
How do you know that someone is addicted to drugs?
The following are signs that someone may be addicted to drugs:
Having problems with school or work, such as frequent absences from school or work, loss of passion, lack of interest, and low grades or work performance.
Health problems such as weight loss or weight gain, eye redness, and the appearance of dark spots under the eyes.
Going out with a neglected appearance and not caring about the outward appearance or personal hygiene.
Changes in behavior and a tendency towards isolation and secrecy, such as making sure that no one enters or searches his room, in addition to drastic changes in the way he treats family and friends.
Money problems, such as constantly asking for money without a rational explanation.
How does drug abuse affect the brain
Taking medications for long periods of time may cause chemical changes in the brain, and may negatively affect certain brain functions, such as:
Preservation and memory.
The ability to make judgments.
The ability to make a decision.
Constant feeling of tension.
How drug use affects health
Drug abuse affects various aspects, including the general health and mental health of the patient, some drugs can lead to drowsiness, laziness, difficulty breathing, while others can lead to insomnia, depression, hallucinations, chronic drug addiction causes diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney and liver systems.
Drug abuse treatment
The treatments available for substance abuse include counseling, medication, or both, and research has shown that the following treatment that includes both achieves a greater chance of recovery, and the treatment is as follows:
Psychological counseling:
This step of treatment seeks to help the addict to know and understand ways to deal with the problems around him so that he does not return to addiction again, as well as ways to avoid places, people and situations that may encourage addiction.
Medicines:
Medications contribute to helping the addict reduce the symptoms that appear when the effect of the drug disappears, and also help to bring the functions of the mind back to normal and reduce the desire to take medications that led to addiction.