Drug addiction is one of the most devastating of all
psychological and physical disorders that can affect a family.
Unlike diseases without a stigma, drug addiction can bring up
issues of blame that often lead to the addict falling deeper
into the cycle of abuse. In order to successfully counteract the
psychological implications of drug addiction, it is important to
understand what drug addiction is and how it affects the human
brain. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse,
addiction is a “chronic, relapsing brain disease that is
characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite
harmful consequences.” By this definition, the abuse of drugs,
while generally voluntary in the beginning, falls out of the
user’s control once addiction takes hold. Regardless of the
effect on family members, himself or the community, the drug
addict will continue to seek and use drugs as often as he can.
Many People Addicted to Drugs Suffer From a Dual Diagnosis The
question of why people would choose to begin usi