Drug Addiction Facts

Why do people take these drugs? Drugs cause the brain to be flooded with the neurotransmitter dopamine. This is a natural chemical that regulates the brainâs reward system. This would include feelings of pleasure, but also includes our emotions, motivations for survival (eating, relationships) and movement. The drugs over stimulate the communications system. When that happens, the brainâs response to the drug is to produce a euphoric feeling. The experience is powerful, as people will get a pleasurable âhighâ and that is where trouble begins. The user will want to repeat the experience and the brain becomes fooled into thinking that is what is normal.
How does the brain get fooled? When a person uses repeatedly, over time the brain will begin to think that the surge in dopamine, caused by the drug, needs to be regulated, so it will produce less dopamine. With less dopamine receptors in the circuit, the reward is lowered. The drug doesnât work as well, and so the user is compelled to keep abusing drugs to try to gain the same effect. They will use larger amounts of the drug. This tolerance to the drug is dangerous.
Use of alcohol and drugs is one of the leading causes of death and injury among teenagers and young adults. Violent behavior attributed to alcohol use accounts for roughly 49% of murders, 52% of rapes, 21% of suicides and 60% of child abuse. Around 90% of property related crimes, especially theft, and 90% of street muggings are made by drug addicts who need money to support their addiction.
Illicit drug users make over 527,000 costly emergency room visits each year for drug related problems. Intravenous drug abuse is reported in 136 countries, of which 93 report HIV infection among their population.
In 2003, there were nearly 1.7 million admissions to publicly funded drug rehabs. Most admissions (23.2 percent) were for alcohol treatment. Marijuana accounted for the largest percentage of illicit drug rehab admissions (15.4 percent), followed by heroin (14.4 percent).
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Georgia Drug Addiction and Drug Addiction Treatment

Drug addiction in Georgia is a pattern of repeated drug taking that usually results in tolerance (the need for greater amounts of the drug to achieve the same effect), withdrawal (physical and cognitive effects when drug use declines or stops), and compulsive drug taking behavior (drug taking that persists despite efforts to reduce intake and despite problems with family, friends, and work). Addiction encompasses a diverse range of drugs (such as alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines, and cocaine) and is caused by many different factors.

When it comes to the causes of addiction in Georgia, it is not likely that anyone begins using a drug with the intention of becoming addicted. Experimentation and curiosity are the first factors that draw many to even try drugs. They want to feel that "high", the sense of euphoria that comes with drug use. Additionally, drug addiction often results in painful withdrawal symptoms when drug use is stopped suddenly. This frequently provides drug users with another reason to continue their destructive drug behavior. The medical causes of addiction in Georgia are not fully understood. Researchers can only state with assurance that the repeated use of addictive drugs can bring about dramatic changes in both the structure and the function of the brain in destructive ways that can result in compulsive drug use.

Another one of the causes of drug addiction is the effect of drugs on the user. By stimulating the internal reward system in the user's brain, drugs and alcohol make the addict crave the drug to again stimulate this reward center. These cravings lead the addict to stop focusing on those things that used to be important, and begin focusing on another dose of their drug or alcohol.

Lastly, easy accessibility to drugs in Georgia and new, lower prices are other causes of addiction. Drugs can be found anywhere if a person simply asks. Street corners and alleyways are no longer the only place to find drugs. Schools, workplaces, and even the family next door might be new places to find drugs. With more drugs being produced, the price has also been driven down.

In Georgia, drug addiction is a problem which affects people of all income levels, ages, and stations in life. Quite often the last person to see that there is a problem is the addict. Families try to help their loved ones to no avail. Companies have a difficult choice when faced with an once valuable employee or executive who has, due to some turn in life, developed a drug abuse problem - to help them or to fire them.

When this is the case it is important to talk to the individual about their drug use and see if they are ready to quit using drugs. For those who are not, the family, friends, or colleagues can perform what is known as an intervention. This may help the addict to see how much their drug use has hurt their friends and family. There are a number of Drug Treatment and Alcohol Rehab Facilities for drug addiction in Georgia. Different experts advocate different Alcohol Rehab and Drug Rehabilitation Programs. Some advocate drug-assisted therapies, while others advocate drug-free therapies. Which Drug Rehabilitation and Alcohol Treatment Program is right for a particular person is a subjective determination. Before choosing a Drug Rehab and Alcohol Rehabilitation Facility in Georgia, you should always investigate the methods used by the Alcohol Treatment and Drug Rehab Center and the philosophies behind those methods.

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