| Many people do not understand why individuals | | | | a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to |
| become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the | | | | changes in the structure and function of the brain. |
| brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They | | | | Although it is true that for most people the initial |
| mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a | | | | decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the |
| social problem and may characterize those who take | | | | changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse |
| drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is | | | | can affect a person’s self control and ability to |
| that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking | | | | make sound decisions, and at the same time send |
| drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior. | | | | intense impulses to take drugs. |
| What people often underestimate is the complexity | | | | It is because of these changes in the brain that it is |
| of drug addiction—that it is a disease that impacts | | | | so challenging for a person who is addicted to stop |
| the brain and because of that, stopping drug abuse is | | | | abusing drugs. Fortunately, there are treatments that |
| not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific | | | | help people to counteract addiction’s powerful |
| advances we now know much more about how | | | | disruptive effects and regain control. |
| exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know | | | | Research shows that combining addiction treatment |
| that drug addiction can be successfully treated to | | | | medications, if available, with behavioral therapy is the |
| help people stop abusing drugs and resume their | | | | best way to ensure success for most patients. |
| productive lives. Learn more Drug abuse and addiction | | | | Treatment approaches that are tailored to each |
| are a major burden to society. Estimates of the total | | | | patient’s drug abuse patterns and any |
| overall costs of substance abuse in the United | | | | co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems |
| States—including health- and crime-related costs as | | | | can lead to sustained recovery and a life without |
| well as losses in productivity—exceed half a trillion | | | | drug abuse. |
| dollars annually. | | | | Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as |
| This includes approximately $181 billion for illicit drugs,1 | | | | diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can |
| $168 billion for tobacco,2 and $185 billion for alcohol.3 | | | | be managed successfully. And, as with other chronic |
| Staggering as these numbers are, however, they do | | | | diseases, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse |
| not fully describe the breadth of deleterious public | | | | and begin abusing drugs again. |
| health—and safety—implications, which include | | | | Relapse, however, does not signal failure—rather, |
| family disintegration, loss of employment, failure in | | | | it indicates that treatment should be reinstated, |
| school, domestic violence, child abuse, and other | | | | adjusted, or that alternate treatment is needed to |
| crimes. | | | | help the individual regain control and recover. |
| What is drug addiction? | | | | Addiction can be progressive and destructive in time |
| Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease | | | | which involves the compulsion and habitual signs of |
| that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite | | | | withdrawal upon ceasing or decreased consumption |
| harmful consequences to the individual who is | | | | or use.. |
| addicted and to those around them. Drug addiction is | | | | |