Drug Addiction: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment

Introduction to Addiction

Addiction can be considered a physical and psychological inability to avoid the consumption of drugs, chemicals, or substances — or to stop participating in certain activities — even when doing so causes both physical and psychological harm (Nutt, 2018). The term "addiction" is not limited to cocaine or heroin use. Any person who cannot function normally without taking a specific chemical or drug is considered to be substance dependent (Nutt, 2018). Obsessive engagement in activities such as working, eating, and gambling is also considered an addiction (Clark & Limbrick-Oldfield, 2013). This type of addiction is commonly referred to as behavioral addiction. As noted by Robbins and Clark (2015), behavioral addictions have gradually become recognized as a psychiatric disorder. Recently, pathological gambling has been allocated to the DSM-5 category (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Several other disorders have been suggested as belonging to the behavioral addiction category, although they have yet to receive formal DSM-5 recognition (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Addiction is essentially a chronic disease that may originate from the intake of medication. Overuse of medication such as opioid painkillers can trigger addiction in the user. In the U.S., there are 115 deaths annually directly associated with the misuse of opioids (Nutt, 2018). Whenever a person experiences addiction, they lose their ability to control substance use or participation in a given activity — as in the case of behavioral addiction (Robbins & Clark, 2015). Addiction makes the individual dependent on the substance or activity in order to manage their daily life.

The American government spends over $740 billion as a result of illicit drugs, tobacco, prescription opioids, and alcohol abuse. The amount spent goes toward treatment of addictions, lost productivity, and the consequences of crime. Initially, drug use or participation in activities like gambling begins voluntarily. Addiction eventually takes over, forcing the addict to lose self-control (Levy, 2013). It is clear that addiction undermines the neurological ability of the addict to govern their cravings for a drug or activity. In the words of Goldstein and Volkow (2011), drug addiction can be considered a neurological disorder because it involves functional changes in brain circuits — specifically those governing self-control, stress, and reward. These changes can persist for long periods after the addict has ceased drug consumption.

Addiction is not fundamentally different from other diseases such as heart disease or diabetes. In all these conditions, normal body function is disturbed, organs lose their optimal capacity, and harmful effects are induced on the body. Most diseases are treatable and preventable, just as drug addiction is. If drug addiction and other diseases are left untreated, they can inflict lasting effects and possibly result in death (Koob, Arends, & Le, 2014). Koob, Arends, and Le (2014) explored the neurological, cellular, and molecular systems of the brain in an attempt to identify the mechanisms responsible for drug addiction. The brain is the mediator that controls the rewarding effects of drug use and the changes that occur when transitioning from initial drug use to compulsive addiction. Persistent drug use interferes with the neurological reward system, which ultimately produces compulsive drug-seeking behavior.