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Describe the general situation at the present with the addicted person.
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What is Drug Addiction?
Drug addiction such as alcohol, heroin, meth, marijuana, prescription drugs or any other substance or addictive item means that the individual is physically, mentally, or both physically and mentally dependent on the item. They will get withdrawal and/or tolerance symptoms when they don't use the substance. Tolerance means that one needs higher quantities of a substance over time to reach the desired effects.
Another part of addiction is withdrawal symptoms. They are unpleasant physical reactions that occur when the use of the substances is decreased or discontinued. These symptoms range from nausea, muscle aches and fever to concentration problems, insomnia, anxiety and unpleasant dreams.
However, people who do not experience tolerance and/or withdrawal symptoms can be dependent on the substance. They repeatedly and with no success try to reduce or control the use of the substance, or they use it longer or more than they had intended. Obtaining the substance, using it and recovering from the effects of the substance takes a lot of time. They neglect important activities like work, school or social contacts, or completely stop these activities.
A key point of drug addiction is not being able to control the use of the substance or to stop using it. There is a certain pressure, an almost irresistible need to use the substance. To be able to determine if somebody is addicted, the person must meet certain conditions that have been determined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), amongst others.
The following are conditions for drug addiction; you only have to comply with a few to be considered dependent:
- Continue to use even if you know it is damaging for you.
- Damaging effects due to the use on the addicts themselves and people in their environment (problems at work or school, arguments with people around the person, illnesses, dedicate less time to hobbies).
- Failed attempts to control the use or the behaviour.
- Psychological dependence (desire, varying from very little to very severe).
- Spend a great deal of time on the use or the behavior or on recovery of the use or the behaviour.
- Tolerance (need more to still feel the effects).
- Use more frequently and in higher doses than planned.
- Use the substance or carry out certain behavior to reduce the withdrawal symptoms.
- Withdrawal symptoms (get all kinds of physical reactions after you stop).
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