Addiction is the habitual, physiological, psychological dependence on a substance

or practice which is beyond voluntary control. A person who is habituated to a

substance or a practice, especially a harmful one, is called an addict. Addiction is
a chronic, progressive and sometimes fatal disorder with both genetic and
environmental roots. It manifests as a compulsion that derives an individual to
continue to behave in a way that is harmful to self and loved ones, despite an intense
desire to halt that behaviour. It is a disease of “more”- an active addict needs an increasing
amount of substance to get high and is unable to cease usage without
painful withdrawal symptoms. This is true whether the addictive substance is a drug
or tobacco or alcohol or behaviour. Medically, addiction is of three types: Tobacco
Addiction, Alcohol Addiction, and Drug Addiction

Drug abuse

Drug use—either illegal or prescription—doesn’t automatically lead to abuse.

Some people are able to use recreational or prescription drugs without
experiencing negative effects, while others find that substance use takes a
serious toll on their health and well-being. Similarly, there is no specific point
at which drug use moves from casual to problematic.

Drug abuse and addiction is less about the type or amount of the substance
consumed or the frequency of your drug use, and more about
the consequences of that drug use. If your drug use is causing problems in
your life—at work, school, home, or in your relationships—you likely have a
drug abuse or addiction problem.

There's a fine line between regular drug use and drug abuse and addiction.
Very few drug abusers or addicts are able to recognize when they've crossed
that line. While frequency or the amount of drugs consumed do not
necessarily constitute drug abuse or addiction, they can often be indicators of
drug-related problems

Drug abuse may start as a way to socially connect. People often try drugs for
the first time in social situations with friends and acquaintances. A strong
desire to fit in to the group can make it feel like doing the drugs with them is
the only option.
Problems can sometimes sneak up on you, as your drug use gradually
increases over time. Smoking a joint with friends over the weekend, or taking
ecstasy at a rave, or painkillers when your back aches, for example, can
change from using drugs a couple of days a week to using them every day.
Gradually, getting and using the drug becomes more and more important to
you.

As drug abuse takes hold, you may miss or frequently be late for work or
school, your job performance may progressively deteriorate, and you may
start to neglect social or family responsibilities. Your ability to stop using is
eventually compromised. What began as a voluntary choice has turned into a
physical and psychological need.
Eventually drug abuse can consume your life, stopping social and intellectual
development. This only reinforces feelings of isolation.
Effects Of Drug Abuse:-
Drug abuse leads to:-
Loss of coordination
Poor judgment
Slowed reflexes
Distorted vision
Memory loss
Blackout

Physical Consequences
The physical consequences of addiction are perhaps the most obvious to the
individual. Scrapes, bruises, track marks, lip burns, skin abscesses, diseases (like
HIV or Hepatitis C), increased tolerance, physical dependence, and withdrawal
symptoms are all physical consequences. Physical and sexual abuse can also be
consequences of addiction.
Mental Consequences
Some of the common mental consequences are depression, anxiety, mood
swings, and psychosis. While psychosis is usually a direct result of drug use,
depression, anxiety and mood swings can be both a direct and indirect result and
can persist even after drug use has stopped. When a person suffers from addiction
and also has a mental health disorder, whether it began before or after substance
use, this is called a dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis treatment is most effective in
these cases.

Social Consequences
The social consequences of addiction are usually the most talked
about. Dropping out of school, job loss, hospitalizations, legal problems (DUI,
possession charges, etc.), jail time, troubled relationships, and being the perpetrator
or victim of any kind of abuse–all of these are social consequences of drug addiction.
Sometimes, a person who is addicted does not seem to face any of these problems.
They may hold down a job, get a degree, and maintain relationships. This makes it
harder to detect addiction and fosters denial. But addiction is a progressive disease,
and eventually, even someone in a functional addiction will experience social
problems if they do not get help for their addiction.
Spiritual Consequences
The spiritual consequences of addiction happen to anyone, whether they are
religious, agnostic, or atheist. These types of consequences include feeling
hopeless, lonely, scared, guilty, ashamed, dishonest, perpetually unhappy, and
restless for no apparent reason. As with the mental consequences, spiritual
disconnection can become more apparent after drug use has stopped.
The consequences of drug abuse may look different for everyone. What may
seem mild and insignificant to one person may feel like the end of the world to
another. Regardless of individual differences, everyone can recover from addiction
with treatment, on-going support, and a sense of purpose.

Prevention and control

Prevention is better than cure” is also true here. Tobacco, drug/alcohol abuse
is more during young age and adolescence. The remedial measure
should be taken in time. While there is no one way or guaranteed way to
prevent someone from abusing drugs and alcohol, there are things that everyone
can do to prevent substance abuse.:
The following measures would be particularly useful for prevention
and control of alcohol and addiction during adolescents.

1. Understand how substance abuse develops. Substance abuse starts by:

 Using addictive drugs (illicit or prescribed) for recreational purposes

 Seeking out intoxication every time you use
 Abusing prescription medication

2. Avoid Temptation and Peer Pressure. Develop healthy friendships and

relationships by avoiding friends or family members who pressure you to use
substances. It’s often said “we become most like those we surround ourselves by,”
meaning if you surround yourself with people who abuse drugs and alcohol you are
more likely to as well. Peer pressure is a major part of life for teens and adults. If you
are looking to stay drug free develop a good way to just say no, prepare a good
excuse or plan ahead of time to keep from giving into peer pressure.

3. Seek help for mental illness. Mental illness and substance abuse often go hand
in hand. If you are dealing with a mental illness such as anxiety, depression or post-
traumatic stress disorder you should seek professional help from a licensed therapist
or counselor. A professional will provide you with healthy coping skills to alleviate
your symptoms without turning to drugs and alcohol.

4. Examine the risk factors. Look at your family history of mental illness and
addiction, several studies have shown that this disease tends to run in the family, but
can be prevented. The more you are aware of your biological, environmental and
physical risk factors the more likely you are to overcome them.

5. Keep a well-balanced life. People often turn to drugs and alcohol when
something in their life is missing or not working. Practicing stress management skills
can help you overcome these life stressors and will help you live a balanced and
healthy life.

conclusion
*Drug use and addiction cause a lot of disease and disability in the
world.

*Recent advances in neuroscience may help improve policies to reduce the harm
that the use of tobacco , alcohol, and other psychoactive drugs act on society.

Drug abuse is a complex problem thought to result from a combination

of psychological and environmental factors. Infants of abusers may suffer from
neglect or the effects of parental drug use. As they grow into childhood, they
may demonstrate antisocial behaviour , and signs of malnutrition, poor self-
esteem, depression, or attention deficit disorder. Identification of drug abuse is
a difficult first step on the road to recovery because of the methods many
abuses use to hide their addiction, the inability of family members to recognize
or accept the problem, and the relatives enabling behaviour