Drug Addiction

Addiction is a disease that impacts your brain and behavior. If you’re addicted to drugs, it’s hard to stop using them, even when they cause harm. Getting treatment early gives you a better chance to avoid serious problems. Addiction can occur from all types of drugs and substances. People can also become addicted to alcohol, nicotine, or legal medications like sleep aids and anti-anxiety drugs. Many people also develop addictions to prescription or illegal painkillers, known as opioids. At first, one might use drugs because they like how they make you feel. It may seem that one is in control of their drug use. But over time, drugs change how your brain works, making one dependent on drugs to avoid withdrawal symptoms. These changes can last a long time, making it harder to control your use and leading to harmful behaviors.