The Cycle of Drug Addiction

There are multiple versions of addiction cycles available for research and education, and there are also many similarities between these various models.

The life cycle of addiction usually begins with a problem, discomfort or some form of emotional or physical pain a person is experiencing. They find this very difficult to deal with.

We start off with an individual who is basically good. This person encounters a problem or discomfort that they do not know how to resolve or cannot confront. This could include problems such as difficulty “fitting in” as a child or teenager, anxiety due to peer pressure or work expectations, identity problems or a divorce between the parents. It can also include physical discomfort, such as an injury or chronic pain. The person experiencing the discomfort has a real problem. He/she feels the present situation is unendurable, yet sees no good solution to the problem.

Everyone has experienced this in life to some degree. The difference between an addict and the non-addict is that the addict chooses drugs or alcohol as a solution to the unwanted problem or discomfort.

Drugs and Problems

The person tries drugs or alcohol, because it appears to solve the problem. They feel better because they now seem better able to deal with life, --- and this is when the drugs become valuable to them. The painkilling effects of drugs or alcohol become a solution to their discomfort. Inadvertently, the drug or alcohol now becomes valuable because it helped them feel better. This release is the main reason a person uses drugs or drinks a second or third time. It is just a matter of time before they become fully addicted and lose their ability to control their drug use. Drug addiction, hence, results from excessive or continued use of physiologically habit-forming drugs in an attempt to resolve the underlying symptoms of discomfort or unhappiness.

The Addiction Progresses…

The use of drugs or alcohol becomes obsessive. The addicted person is trapped. Whatever problem he/she was initially trying to solve by using drugs or alcohol fades from memory. At this point, all they can think about is getting and using drugs. They lose the ability to control their usage and disregard the horrible consequences of their actions.

How Drugs Affect Behaviour

The addict will now attempt to withhold the fact of his/her drug use from friends and family members. They will begin to suffer the effects of their own dishonesty and guilt. They may become withdrawn and difficult to reason with. They may behave strangely.

The more they use drugs and alcohol, the guiltier they will feel, and the more depressed they will become. They will sacrifice their personal integrity, their relationships with friends and family, their job, their savings, and anything else they may have in an attempt to get more drugs. The drugs are now the most important thing in their life. Their relationships, job and scholastic performance will go drastically downhill.

Alcohol and Drug Tolerance

In addition to the mental stress created by his unethical behaviour, the addict’s body has also adapted to the presence of the drugs. They will experience an overwhelming obsession with getting and using their drugs, and will do anything to avoid the pain of withdrawing from them. This is when the newly-created addict begins to experience drug cravings.

They now seek drugs both for the reward of the “pleasure” they give them, and also to avoid the mental and physical horrors of withdrawal. Ironically, the addict’s ability to get “high” from the alcohol or drugs gradually decreases as their body adapts to the presence of foreign chemicals. They must take more and more, not just to get an effect but often just to function at all.

At this point, the addict is stuck in a vicious downward spiral. The drugs they abuse have changed them both physically and mentally. They have crossed an invisible and intangible line. He/she is now a drug addict or alcoholic. Depending on the type of drug they are using there is a real risk of overdose or death. The use of needles or other injection equipment while using drugs also poses special problems because of the transmission of HIV and other diseases.
 
Drugs And Personality Change

The drug personality includes such characteristics as:

» Mood swings, unreliable.
» Unable to finish projects.
» Unexpressed resentment and secret hatreds.
» Dishonesty. Lies to family, friends, employers.
» Withdraws from those who love him. Isolates self.
» May appear chronically depressed.
» May begin stealing from family and friends.

Sources:

http://www.heroinaddiction.co.za/heroinaddiction/cycle.html

http://studentlife.tamu.edu/adep/Addiction_Cycle.html