Drug Abuse: Combating The Addiction

He had been boisterously pacing the same length of the large room back and forth while inaudibly talking to himself for the last eight minutes. I found it strange because it wasn't a personal space, it was the male common room, open to all and sundry. I wondered what was causing his agitation. An excess academic workload? A jilting partner? Or perhaps, a family spat? He didn't look familiar, and so I concluded he must be a first-year student.

As I contemplated going over to calm him with the unenviable attention he was pulling, he threw the bottle of drink he was holding violently and made an attempt to climb the lopsided tennis table, falling dangerously in the process.

"He's getting worse by the day. I wonder why no one has called his parents to come to take him home," a lanky man seated close to me said to no one in particular, and then from our subsequent interactions, I found out the young man was experiencing the aftereffects of drug abuse, an activity he entered into because he couldn't get admission to study Law. He is only 19.

Drug abuse continues to be one of the numerous ills pervading our society and affecting the lives of a large number of people, especially youths. Drug abuse is when you use legal or illegal substances in ways you shouldn’t. Notice the word legal? It means even health-approved and medically-recommended drugs could be abused. You might take more than the regular dose of pills or use someone else’s prescription. But drug abuse could be stopped if a user consciously decides to change their unhealthy habits. Addictions, on the other hand, aren't so easy to stop. 

Addiction is a disease that typically affects one's brain and behavior. When you’re addicted to drugs, you can’t resist the urge to use them, no matter how much harm the drugs may cause. It is like you're being pulled towards a particular direction by a great force that you're incapable of fighting.

Drug addiction isn’t about just heroin, cocaine, or other illegal drugs. You could even be addicted to alcohol, nicotine, regular painkillers, and other legal substances. At first, you may choose to take a drug because you like the way it makes you feel. You may think you can control how much and how often you use it. But in the long run, the drugs start affecting how your brain works, leading to the loss of self-control and accentuating particular damaging behaviors.

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Like the young man mentioned at the outset of this piece, people might indulge in the unhealthy activity of drug abuse for varying reasons. It could be to get away from difficult situations they are unable to handle; it could be momentary pressures taking their toll, perhaps an emotional trauma, loss of a loved one or even remorse over one's actions; it could be a result of peer pressure, a conscious effort to be accepted into a particular social group or to be perceived as strong and hardened; it could also stem from the grim prospects of navigating life's hurdles, an inability to handle stiff academic workloads, to pay regular bills or to fit into a new job or environment. 

People have different levels to which they handle pressures and while I'm not making any attempt to condone abuse of whichever kind, efforts should be made to understand the underlying reasons behind a current condition before scathing remarks are made. The human brain is wired to make a person want to repeat experiences that make them feel good.

Addictive drugs target a person's brain reward system. They flood the brain with a chemical called dopamine which triggers a feeling of intense pleasure so that one keeps taking the drug to chase that feeling. Over time, the brain gets used to the extra dopamine so one might need to take more of the drug to get the same good feeling. And other things they had initially enjoyed, like food and hanging out with family and friends, may give them less pleasure.

When you use drugs for a long time, it can cause changes in other brain chemical systems as well. They can hurt your judgment, decision making, memory and ability to learn. If you find yourself struggling with containing your hunger for particular drug substances, here are some tips to help you fight and break away from that addiction.

Decide To Make A Change
For many people struggling with addiction, the toughest step towards recovery is the very first one: recognizing that they have a problem and deciding to make a change. It’s normal to feel uncertain about whether you're ready to start recovery or if you have what it takes to quit, but for you to begin and complete the difficult, yet surmountable journey towards healthy living, you must first accept your flaws and seek change. 

Prepare For Change
Remind yourself of the reasons you want to change and think about your past attempts at recovery, if any. What worked? What didn’t? Also, set specific, measurable goals, such as a start date or limits on your drug use. It is not possible to end the activity totally at a go, but you can start by making concerted efforts to curtail your consumption. You should also remove reminders of your addiction from your home, workplace, and other places you frequent so they don't cause a relapse. Finally, tell friends and family that you’re committing to recovery, and ask for their support.

Explore Addiction Treatment Options
While addiction treatment can vary according to the specific drug, naturally you should engage in the following programs to be successful: Detoxification, which involves you trying to purge your body of drugs and managing withdrawal symptoms; behavioral counseling, Individual, group, or family therapy can help you identify the root causes of your drug use, repair your relationships, and learn healthier coping skills, and trust, identifying the root cause of your addiction is very important; medication, to manage withdrawal symptoms, prevent relapse, or treat any co-occurring mental health condition such as depression or anxiety, and finally; long-term follow-up which can help to prevent relapse and maintain sobriety. Follow up could involve attending regular support groups or online meetings to help keep your recovery on track.

Learn Other Healthy Ways To Cope With Stress
After addressing your immediate problems with addiction and starting treatment, you’ll still have to face the problems that led to your drug abuse. They don't just disappear, you fight them. Did you start using drugs to numb painful emotions, calm yourself after an argument, unwind after a bad day, or forget about your problems?

To ensure a successful treatment program, you must identify the root cause of your drug use. You will still continue to experience stress, loneliness, frustration, anger, shame, anxiety, and hopelessness. These emotions are all a normal part of life. Finding ways to address these feelings as they arise is an essential component of your treatment and recovery. You could indulge in soft exercise activities, engage in wholesome practices, play with your pet, close your eyes and try to picture a peaceful place or even pamper yourself. 

The journey to recovery from a drug addiction could be quite tortuous. At some stage, you might feel you're incapable of completing the process, but you must learn to rid yourself of every negativity. Addictions alter the pattern of one's life and cause an obnoxious air of regression, but with commitment, tenacity and real dedication you can break free from them.