You have just landed on addictioninfo.net. This website has all of the resources you need to learn about or deal with drug or alcohol addiction. Whether you need some facts about how and why addiction occurs or if you need information on how to help someone get treatment for an addiction problem, this site will be your guide. Everything necessary to comprehend and manage substance abuse is right here.

Addiction, by definition, is a bodily state in which a specific substance is necessary in order for the body to function normally. The term addiction can also refer to when a person has a compulsion to repeatedly do a specific activity rather than have a specific substance all of the time. In the latter sense, some examples would be obsessive gambling and irrational overeating. But most of the time, when people refer to addiction, they are referring to drug and alcohol addiction.

Drug and alcohol addiction can happen to anyone. People of every age, race, and social class can—and do—become addicted to drugs and alcohol. For some people, all it takes is one single try of a drug and they become addicted. This is more often the case with heavy narcotics such as heroin and crystal meth. Other people may use a drug or drink on several occasions—but not become addicted. It is different for each person, and there is no way to tell ahead of time what each person will be like.

Addiction takes two forms. The first—and most well-known—is physical dependence. This is the actual bodily symptoms that tell a person that he needs the drug. When a person goes too long without a drug to which he is addicted, he will begin to experience physical withdrawal symptoms. A person can become shaky and begin to sweat. A headache may come on, and the person may lose his appetite. The person’s hands may become clammy. Nausea and vomiting can occur. Insomnia is common, as is a rapid heart rate. All of these physical symptoms become worse the longer the person goes without taking the drug to which he is addicted. They can become quite severe, making the addict miserable—this is often what drives the addict to do whatever it takes to get more of his drug.

The other form of addiction is psychological addiction. This is the dependency that is in the mind. When a person goes too long without taking the drug to which he is addicted, he begins to feel psychological withdrawal symptoms as well. These include anxiety, irritability, confusion, depression, and fatigue. These, too, get worse as time goes on.

Successful substance abuse programs treat both of these types of addictions. If both types are not treated in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program, chances are the addict will likely relapse. Addiction is very powerful, and it grabs people both physically and psychologically—and, it tends to grip people with an iron hand. Without comprehensive treatment programs, this grip has no chance of loosening.

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