How Quickly Will Drugs Lead to an Addiction?

Drug addiction is a disease that no one can easily control. It’s a condition that must be managed over time, and even then, the addiction may never fully go away. It’s unfortunate that developing an addiction is a much quicker process than treating one, but that doesn’t mean that there is a set time frame for when an addiction develops. Instead, there must be the presence of specific characteristics in order for someone to be diagnosed with a drug addiction. Here’s what you should know about the process of becoming addicted to drugs.

How Easy Is It To Become Addicted?

Some drugs are more potent than others. For example, heroin provides such a compelling high that most people will become addicted after a single use. For those seeking meth addiction treatment, it’s unclear how long a person has been taking meth before they’re actually addicted because each individual is different. There are certain factors in a person’s life that make them more susceptible to becoming addicted, such as:

• How old they were when they first used the drug
• If there is a family history of substance abuse
• The presence of mental health disorders like anxiety and depression
• How the drug is administered
• If the person has experienced any traumatic events

How Does Someone Become Addicted?

When it comes to addiction, there is both a physical and a psychological component to the disease. In the physical aspect, there is tolerance. This is where a person needs to take more and more of a drug in order to achieve the same effects. This can continue in people who do not develop a full addiction.

In the psychological aspect, a person feels compelled to take the drug even knowing the negative effects it has on a person’s mind and body. This is what sets apart tolerance from addiction. An individual will put aside their own physical needs and responsibilities in order to obtain and use the drug.

Why Do People Become Addicted?

There are a wide variety of reasons as to why a person may become addicted to drugs. In a majority of cases, the first time a person uses a drug, it is voluntary. However, repeated drug use alters the way the brain works, manipulating the reward and motivation center of the brain. It makes the drug a person’s first priority, which turns their behavior into addiction. By using drugs, it provides them with the reward they’re looking for, which perpetuates the cycle of drug-seeking behavior. Drug use may start off as self-medication to deal with feelings of depression or anxiety, but it can soon turn into sparing them from the symptoms of withdrawal.

If you or someone you know is going through drug addiction, it’s essential that you contact a medical professional to get the necessary help. No one should endure the pain and burden of drug addiction alone. There are friends and professionals who care about your well-being and want to see you get out from under the crushing thumb of drug addiction.