This article deals in Drug Addiction, its Types and Symptoms:

Drug Addictionis a disease of the brain that changes the way a person thinks and acts. Even if you know that taking drugs (Drug Addiction) is bad, you can’t stop yourself from doing it. Heroin, cocaine, and other illegal drugs are not the only ones that can cause addiction. Alcohol, nicotine, sleep and anxiety pills, and other legal substances can all lead to addiction. Opioids, which are drugs that can be bought legally or illegally, can also make you dependent on them [1].

A person may become durg addicted to a recreational drug after just one use in a social setting, but for others, this one use can quickly turn into a daily habit. Opioid drug addiction, in particular, often starts when a person is exposed to prescription drugs or gets drugs from a friend or family member who has been prescribed them.

Each drug has a different chance of making you addicted and a different rate of making you addicted. Opioids, for example, are more likely to become addictive and are more likely to do so. As time goes on, you may find that you need more and more of the drug to feel its effects. At some point, you might need the drug just to feel normal. As your drug use gets worse, it may get harder and harder for you to try to cut down on it. When people try to stop using drugs, they may feel strong urges and get sick (withdrawal symptoms) [2].

You might need help from your doctor, your family, your friends, support groups, or a planned treatment programme to get over your drug addiction and stay clean.

Durg Addiction vs. Drug Abuse and Drug Tolerance

Abuse of drugs happens when people use legal or illegal drugs in ways that are not safe or healthy. You might take more pills than you usually do or use someone else’s prescription. You might use drugs to make yourself feel better, lower your stress, or avoid facing the real world. But most of the time, you’ll be able to change your bad habits or stop doing them all together. If you’re hooked on something, you can’t stop. Even if you want to stop using drugs, you can always be overcome by the desire to get and use them [3].

In many ways, addiction is different from physical dependence and tolerance. If you suddenly stop taking a drug that has made you physically dependent on it, you will have withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance happens when a dose of a drug stops working as well over time. If you use opioids for a long time, you may build up a tolerance and, in the worst cases, a physical need for them. This doesn’t always mean you have a problem. Most of the time, only a small number of people who use drugs under good medical care become addicted to drugs [4].

Symptoms of Drug Addiction

The following are some of the symptoms or behaviours connected with drug addiction:

• You think that you have to take the medicine regularly—at least once a day, if not more than once.
• Having such strong desires for a drug that it’s hard to think about anything else.
• Over time, you will need more and more medicine to get the same effect.
• It is possible to take too much of a drug if you take larger doses for longer than you planned.
• It is important to make sure you always have enough of the medicine.
• Even though you can’t pay for the drug, you make a financial commitment to it.
• People who use drugs don’t do their jobs or responsibilities at work, and they also spend less time with friends and doing fun things.
• Even if you know that the substance is making problems in your life or hurting you physically or mentally, you shouldn’t keep using it.
• Getting the drug by doing things you wouldn’t normally do, like stealing,
• When you’re high on drugs, you shouldn’t drive or do other things that could be dangerous.
• It takes time to get the medicine, to use the drug, and to recover from the effects of the drug.
• Your efforts to stop taking the drug haven’t worked.
• When you try to stop using the drug, you might feel sick.

Who’s Most Likely to Become Drug Addicted?

The brain and body of each person are different. Drugs have also been shown to affect different people in many different ways. Some people fall in love with the feeling the first time they experience it and want to do it again. Some people don’t like it and won’t try it again. Not every person who uses drugs gets hooked on them. But it can happen to anyone at any age for any reason. For example, stress can make it more likely that you will become addicted to something [5].

• family history. Your genetic make-up determines around half of your chances. You are more likely to develop an alcohol or drug addiction if your parents or siblings do. Both men and women are at danger of becoming addicted to narcotics.
• early drug use. The brains of children are still developing, and drug use has the potential to disrupt this process. To put it another way, using drugs at a young age increases your chances of being addicted as you become older.
• Mental disorders. If you are depressed, have difficulty paying attention, or worry excessively, you are more likely to become addicted to drugs or alcohol. To feel better about oneself, you may turn to medicines. If you have a history of traumatic occurrences in your life, you are more likely to develop an addiction.
• Troubled relationships. If you grew up in a troubled family and are estranged from your parents or siblings, you are more likely to acquire an addiction as an adult.

Different Types of Drug Abuse or Drug Addiction

Marijuana, hashish and other cannabis-containing substances

Cannabis can be used in many ways, such as by smoking, eating, or breathing in vaporised cannabis. Cannabis use usually comes before or at the same time as the use of other drugs like alcohol or illegal drugs, and it is often the first drug tried.

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• A sensation of pleasure or being “high.”
• Enhanced visual, auditory, and gustatory perception
• Blood pressure and heart rate increase.
• reddened eyes,
• dryness of the mouth.
• Reduced co-ordination
• Problems focusing or remembering
• A sluggish response time
• Anxiety or suspiciousness?
• The stench of cannabis on clothing or yellow fingers causes
• excessive appetites for specific meals at odd times [6].

Long-term (chronic) use is often associated with:

• Decreased mental acuity
• Poor academic or professional performance, fewer acquaintances and interests

K2, spice, and bath salts

Most states have laws against synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic or substituted cathinones. Because there is no way to control the quality of these medicines and some of their ingredients are unknown, they can have dangerous and unexpected effects. Synthetic cannabinoids, which are sometimes called K2 or Spice, can be sprayed on dried herbs and smoked, or they can be made into a herbal tea. Even though the maker says the things in question are “natural” and “harmless”, they are neither. These drugs, which give the same “high” as marijuana, have become a popular, but potentially dangerous, alternative to marijuana.

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• A sense of euphoria or feeling “high”
• Elevated mood
• This disorder has an impact on all aspects of perception, including the visual, the auditory, and the gustatory systems.
• Anxiety or restlessness to an extraordinary degree
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations
• rapid heartbeat and elevated blood pressure, or the possibility of a heart attack.
• Confusion and throwing up

Substituted cathinones, also called “bath salts,”

Like amphetamines, these are drugs that change the way a person thinks and feels. Two examples are Ecstasy (MDMA) and cocaine. To avoid being caught, packages are often labelled as something else.

Even though the name suggests otherwise, these are not bath products like Epsom salts. Substituted cathinones are very addictive and can be taken by swallowing, snorting, breathing in, or injecting. These chemicals can cause very strong intoxication, which can hurt your health or even kill you.

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• Euphoria
• Enhanced opportunities for interaction with others
• Enhanced activity and nervousness are present.
• Enhanced sexual desire Elevated pace and level of blood pressure and heart rate
• Having trouble thinking straight
• a loss of control over the muscles
• Paranoia
• Attacks of sheer panic
• Hallucinations
• Delirium
• Psychotic and violent behavior

Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and hypnotics

Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and hypnotics are all drugs that slow down the activity of the central nervous system. You can only get these drugs with a prescription from a doctor. They are often used, and often abused, to feel more relaxed or to “turn off” or forget about stressful thoughts or feelings.

• Examples are phenobarbital and secobarbital (Seconal).
• Benzodiazepines Examples include sedatives, such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Klonopin), and chlordiazepoxide (Librium).
• Medications that are prescribed for sleeping, such as zolpidem (Ambien, Intermezzo, and others), and zaleplon are two examples of hypnotic substances (Sonata).

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• Drowsiness
• slurred or jumbled speech
• a failure in coordinating efforts
• Easily agitated or subject to mood swings.
• difficulties concentrating and thinking clearly as a result.
• Memory problems
• Eye movements that aren’t under your control
• Inability to restrain oneself
• a slowing down of the respiration and a lowering of the blood pressure
• Falls or accidents
• Dizziness

Meth, cocaine and other stimulants

Stimulants include amphetamines, meth, cocaine, methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, and similar drugs), and amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR, others). People often use and abuse them to get “high” or to get more energy, do better at work or school, control their appetite, or lose weight.

Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:

• Emotions of elation and an overabundance of self-assurance
• A heightened state of awareness
• An increase in both energy and restlessness
• Alterations in behaviour or hostile behaviour
• speech that is either quick or rambling.
• Pupils that are dilated
• Confusion, hallucinations, and delusions are all present.
• Irritability, anxiety, or paranoia are symptoms of schizophrenia.
• Variations in blood pressure, pace of heartbeat, and temperature of the body
• Nauseousness and/or vomiting in conjunction with weight loss
• Impaired judgement
• Congestion of the nasal passages and injury to the mucous membrane of the nose (if snorting drugs)
• Because of their habit of smoking, drugs cause oral sores, gum disease, and tooth decay (meth mouth)
• Insomnia
• Depression as a result of the drug’s withdrawal symptoms

Club drugs

Club drugs are often used at nightclubs, concerts, and parties. Some of these chemicals are ketamine, ecstasy (also called molly or MDMA), gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), flunitrazepam (also called roofie), which is a brand name used outside of the United States, and roofie. Even though not all of these medicines belong to the same group, they all have side effects and risks, especially those that get worse over time.

Because GHB and flunitrazepam can cause sleepiness, muscle relaxation, confusion, and memory loss, people who use them are more likely to act in a sexually inappropriate way or be sexually assaulted.

Signs and symptoms of club drug use can include:

• Hallucinations
• Paranoia
• Pupils that are dilated
• Shivering and profuse perspiration
• uncontrollable trembling (tremors)
• Altering one’s behaviour
• My teeth are clenching together and my muscles are cramping.
• Relaxation of the muscles, poor coordination, or difficulties in movement
• lowered levels of inhibition
• senses of sight, hearing, and taste that are amplified or otherwise affected
• Poor judgement
• Memory difficulties or a complete loss of memory
• A diminished level of consciousness
• heart rate and blood pressure that are either increased or decreased.

Hallucinogens

The use of different hallucinogens can result in a wide range of signs and symptoms, which can vary greatly from drug to drug. Phencyclidine and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are the two most often utilised hallucinogens (PCP).

LSD use may cause:

• Hallucinations lead to a diminished perception of reality, such as mistaking the information received from one of your senses for information received from another sense, such as seeing colours.
• Acts of indecision and haste
• Suddenly shifting feelings and attitudes
• Alterations in thinking and perception that are permanent, along with a quick heart rate and elevated blood pressure.
• Tremors
• Even when a number of years have passed, flashbacks constitute a reliving of the hallucinations.

PCP use may cause:

• A sense of disconnection from one’s own body and the environment around them.
• Hallucinations
• Coordination and mobility issues can be expected.
• Behavior that is hostile and perhaps violent.
• Eye movements that aren’t under your control
• Absence of a sensation of pain
• An increase in blood pressure as well as the pace of the heart
• Issues with both thinking and remembering can be expected. speaking
• A lack of full mental capacity
• Lack of tolerance for extremely loud noises
• Sometimes, seizures or comas

Inhalants

Different inhalants have very different signs and symptoms of abuse. Compounds like glue, paint thinner, correction fluid, felt-tip marker fluid, gasoline, cleaning fluids, and aerosol sprays are often inhaled. Because of how dangerous these substances are, people who use them risk getting brain damage or dying suddenly.

Signs and symptoms of use can include:

• Without a valid excuse, possession of an inhalant substance is a criminal offence.
• momentary feelings of elation or drunkenness
• Reduced levels of inhibition
• A belligerent or combative attitude is one that
• Dizziness nausea or vomiting.
• Eye movements that aren’t under your control
• Having a slurred speech, languid motions, and poor coordination, this individual gave the impression of being intoxicated.
• Abnormal rhythms of the heart
• Tremors
• Rashes around the lips and nose caused by the lingering smell of the item that was inhaled.

Opioid painkillers

Opioids are a type of drug Adiction that makes you feel good and relieves pain. They can be made from opium or in a lab. Heroin, morphine, codeine, methadone, and oxycodone are all drugs that belong to this group.

In the United States, the number of people who are addicted to opioid prescription pain relievers has reached alarming levels. This is called the “opioid epidemic.” Some people who have been abusing opioids for a long time may need temporary or long-term replacement medication from a doctor while they are in treatment.

Signs and symptoms of narcotic use and dependence can include:

• A dulling of the perception of suffering
• Anxiety, sleepiness, or a state of sedation
• Problems with attention and memory Stuttering and articulation
• Pupils that are quite narrow
• a lack of awareness or attention to people and objects in the immediate environment
• Coordination issues are present here.
• Depression
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Runny nose or nose sores (if snorting drugs)

Needle markings (if injecting drugs) due to the drug addiction.