ABCs of Substance Use Disorder

 

ADDICTION – drug addiction or substance use disorder is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior. It may result in the inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine are considered drugs. When addicted, users may continue to use the drug despite knowing the harm it causes, even as it creates problems in everyday life or as it progresses into physical or psychological harm.

BRAIN & BEHAVIOR CHANGES – addiction can begin with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations. Then for some people, drug use becomes more frequent. Drug use can cause absenteeism and loss of motivation leading to declining performance at school or in the workplace. Physical addiction occurs when repeated use of a drug changes the way your brain feels pleasure. Addicting drugs can cause physical changes to nerve cells called neurons in your brain. Neurons use chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate. These changes can remain long after users stop using the drug.

CAUSES – several factors may contribute to development of drug addiction including environment (family beliefs and attitudes or exposure to a peer group encouraging drug use) and genetics (inherited traits may lead to drug use and delay or speed up disease progression). Risk of addiction and how fast addiction occurs can vary by the type of drug. Opioid painkillers have a higher risk and tend to cause addiction more quickly than others. Soon, larger doses are needed to get high or just to feel good. As drug use increases, users find it to be increasingly difficult to live without the drug. Attempts to stop drug use may cause intense cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and even physical illness.

PREVENTION - the best way to prevent an addiction to a drug is not to take drugs at all. If your medical provider prescribes a drug with potential for addiction, be sure to follow instructions and use extreme care when taking it. Medications should only be prescribed at safe doses and amounts. Use should be carefully monitored to ensure users are not given too great a dose or taken for too long a time.

To prevent drug misuse in children/teens:

Educate & Communicate. Talk to your children early and often about the risks of drug use and misuse. Don't lecture but be sure to share facts. When kids know the truth, they are more likely to think about and make more informed choices. 

Listen. Be a good listener when your children talk about peer pressure and be supportive of their efforts to resist it. Role play exercises can be effective to show children how to refuse and remove themselves safely from potentially risky behavior or harmful situations. 

Set a good example. Don't misuse alcohol or addictive drugs. Children of parents who misuse drugs are at greater risk of drug addiction.

Strengthen the bond. Work on your relationship with your children. A strong, stable bond between you and your child will reduce your child's risk of using or misusing drugs.