Addiction is a medical condition classified by the CDC as the inability to moderate the use of an intoxicating substance after repeated exposure, despite overwhelming physical, psychological, and social drawbacks. However, a lot of media continue to portray drug addiction as the fault of those affected, rather than treating it like a condition that functions similarly to mental health disorders and other health conditions.
Addiction is a condition that affects an affected individual’s brain chemistry. This is a complex problem for which a consensus has yet to be reached. However, the Addiction Cycle Theory is the leading theory in the field, according to the American Addiction Center. Visit here liangzhongmiye online best website
The Addiction Cycle.
The theory states that chronic drug use creates a cycle where users are trapped in 3 stages that lead into each other.
The first stage is Obsession & Intoxication and is characterized by constant consumption of and continuous obsession with the drug, associating it heavily with euphoria and pleasure.
Withdrawal and Negative Effect is where users crash and feel the negative effects of their drug use. However, due to changes in their brain chemistry, they find it hard to resist the positive feedback loop that has been established and they seek the drug again.
This establishes a cycle where they are euphoric with the drug, are increasingly miserable without it, and so, they are forced to seek it out.
Preoccupation and Anticipation is the stage where the feedback loop reinforces changes in your brain. These include a decreased ability to resist urges and stick to decisions. This is why it is so hard to stop an addictive substance and this state puts users into extreme emotional stress (Koob and Le Moal, 2008).
This eventually leads users to seek positive feedback from the drug, trapping them in a destructive cycle that eventually proves to be fatal.
What can you do?
The addiction cycle explains why the disease is so hard to overcome, especially by yourself. The rewiring of a person’s brain chemistry impedes their judgment and ability to resist the urge to use, especially when they are stuck in an environment that reinforces their habit. It is for this reason that individualized programs at a drug rehab austin can help improve a person’s chances of maintaining their sobriety.
Additionally, sober living austin provides a community that offers continuous support for people suffering from drug addiction.
Whatever route you choose to take to recovery, it is important that you seek help and build a solid support network around yourself as this is often one of the biggest factors in your chances at recovering from your addiction and living a fulfilling life.
References
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/the-addiction-cycle
