Drug addiction is a disease that develops as a result of the systematic misuse of psychoactive substances. It is important to distinguish people with drug addiction from those who use drugs without being dependent. The latter are called drug users. In the same way, not everyone who drinks alcohol suffers from alcohol dependence.

The cause of drug addiction is the continuous use of drugs.

What the list of prohibited substances includes:

  • Narcotic substances prohibited in medical practice. These are heroin, lysergic acid, cannabis and others.
  • Drugs whose use is prohibited in medical practice: poppy, hemp, marijuana, marijuana, hashish.
  • Drugs used in medical practice: codeine, cocaine, morphine, etc.

As a rule, drug addiction develops along the following lines:

  • A teenager starts using drugs under the influence of a certain drug-using circle;
  • Unjustified prescription of medication by a doctor;
  • Self-medication with psychotropic drugs.

General signs of drug addiction:

  • Sudden changes in behaviour. Drug use changes a person: they become more aggressive and often “panicky”, or, on the contrary, excessively calm, failing to react even to serious difficulties. Although teenagers can change their behaviour abruptly because of an adolescent crisis, sometimes this can be the first warning sign.
  • New friends the person does not want to talk about.
  • Use of words that were previously absent from their vocabulary.
  • Disturbed sleep and wakefulness. A person may suffer from insomnia due to the use of stimulants for many days after taking opiates.
  • Changes in appetite. For example, the person eats a lot of sweets or refuses food (a symptom of psychostimulant use).
  • A sharp increase in spending on unexplained needs. If your child has started asking for more money without saying what it is for, or if you notice valuables disappearing from the home, take note.
  • Changes in the eyes. Dilated or constricted pupils, a changed gaze, an unhealthy gleam or “haze” in the eyes are all symptoms of drug use and addiction.
  • Changes in body weight. People dependent on stimulants are usually very thin (they lose weight within a short time).

The main complications:

  • Social decline of the personality
  • Mental disorders, including the onset of schizophrenia
  • Failure of certain organs
  • Damage to all internal organs, leading to their failure

The following groups of people are at risk:

  • Young people from socially disadvantaged families
  • People under the influence of drug users
  • People with a heightened interest in drugs

Treating drug addiction at rehabilitation centres

First, all the necessary tests are carried out to understand how much the body has been harmed by the prohibited substances. Measures are then taken to return it to normal life: drug addiction rehabilitation programmes.

Next, social workers, psychologists, addiction specialists and psychotherapists work with the patients. Their main aim is to address the psychological cause of the disease. To do so, they need to engage fully with the patient’s personal life and state of mind.

Rehabilitation centres hold group sessions every day: discussions, art therapy and anti-stress sessions. Surrounded by people who are also fighting addiction, the patient gains additional motivation.

Bear in mind that treatment continues after rehabilitation. It is very important to continue it within the family, at home. The patient can always visit or call a psychologist. The patient’s family and friends should create a positive climate that prevents relapse.