The process of addiction is often misunderstood. Some people may think addicts are simply weak because they can’t quit on their own.
But drug addiction is said to be a “disease of the mind and allergy of the body.” Addictions often come with a “co-morbid” mental diagnosis, also known as dual diagnosis, because mental illness can lead to addiction and vice versa. In this sense, addiction is a disease of the mind.
In another sense, addiction is like an allergy, because the body of an addict responds to drugs differently than that of a “normal” person. While anyone can potentially become an addict, some are more prone to addiction than others.
Addiction and Relapsing
Those whose bodies respond in such a way as to make them immediately crave more of an addictive substance are more likely to become long-term users. This explains why some people simply experiment with recreational drugs (often during adolescence or young adulthood) and others become hooked. Even after the addiction takes a serious toll on a user’s life, they may still continue using.
Addiction is known as a relapsing disorder because it’s very rare for an addict to quit cold turkey and never go back. Most of the time, the re-wiring of the brain’s reward system takes substantial time to fully revert back to “normal.”
During the process of recovery, it’s common for users to return to their drug of choice at least once, if not multiple times. This is referred to as relapsing. This is why addiction is referred to as a chronic disease and proper treatment requires constant care and consistent changing of plans.
Asana Recovery
If you need help conquering an addiction to drugs, call Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and specialists are highly-trained and educated to cure the disease of addiction.
Sources:
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-use-addiction
