1. Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug use despite harmful consequences. Drugs change the brain's reward system, leading people to need the drug just to feel normal. 2. There are substance addictions like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs as well as behavioral addictions like gambling. Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing disease. 3. Most drugs affect the brain's reward circuit by flooding it with dopamine, causing intense pleasure and motivation to repeat use. A combination of risk factors influences the likelihood someone will become addicted.

1. Psych399 / Dr. Seema Gul
Thanaa Sadik, Sara Mofti, Albatoul Alaskar

2. WHAT IS ADDICTION?
 When a people who use drugs can't stop taking a drug even if they want to,
it's called addiction. The urge is too strong to control, even if you know the
drug is causing harm.
 When people start taking drugs, they don't plan to get addicted. They like
how the drug makes them feel. They believe they can control how much and
how often they take the drug. However, drugs change the brain. Those who use
drugs start to need the drug just to feel normal. That is addiction, and it can
quickly take over a person's life.

3. TYPES OF ADDICTION
 Substance-related Addictions
 This includes compulsive misuse of any of the following:
 Tobacco
 Alcohol
 Street drugs
 Prescription drugs

4.  Behavioral or process Addictions:
 Gambling
 Food
 The internet
 Video games
 work

5. DEFINITION OF DRUG
ADDITION
 Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or
uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences
and changes in the brain, which can be long lasting. These changes in
the brain can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who use
drugs. Drug addiction is also a relapsing disease. Relapse is the return
to drug use after an attempt to stop.

6. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE
BRAIN?
Most drugs affect the brain's "reward circuit" by flooding it with the chemical
messenger dopamine. This reward system controls the body's ability to feel pleasure
and motivates a person to repeat behaviors needed to thrive, such as eating and
spending time with loved ones. This overstimulation of the reward circuit causes the
intensely pleasurable "high" that can lead people to take a drug again and again

7. WHY DO PEOPLE BECOME ADDICTED TO DRUGS
WHILE OTHER DON’T
No one factor can predict if a person will become addicted to
drugs. A combination of factors influences risk for addiction.
The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that
taking drugs can lead to addiction

8. TREATMENT OF DRUG
ABUSE
 Treatment offers the best alternative for interrupting the drug use/criminal
justice cycle for offenders with drug problems. Jail or prison should be a place
where people can get the help they need, and offenders should ask if treatment
is available. Untreated substance using offenders are more likely to relapse into
drug use and criminal behavior, jeopardizing public health and safety and taxing
criminal justice system resources. Additionally, treatment consistently has been
shown to reduce the costs associated with lost productivity, crime, and
incarceration caused by drug use.

9. SIGNS OF SUBSTANCE
ABUSE:
• Regularly using more of the substance than you intended
• Regularly trying to cut down or stop using, but never succeeding
• Spending too much time getting, using, or recovering from the substance
• Cravings or a strong desire to use the substance
• Often failing to meet responsibilities at work, home or school because of substance use
• Continuing to use a substance when it has caused relationship problems

10. Giving up social, work or leisure activities because of substance use
• Using substances again and again, even when you’re aware of the potential damage or danger
• Continuing to use, even when you know you have a physical or psychological problem that
could have been caused or made worse by the substance
• Tolerance: the substance does not have much effect on you, or you need more of the
substance to get the effect you want.

11. WHEN DOES A HABIT BECOME A
PROBLEM?
When someone loses control over their use of alcohol or drugs
• If use becomes harmful: for example, causing medical problems,
injuries, inability to work or damage to relationships
• When someone becomes dependent, meaning the user becomes
tolerant to the effects of the substance, and experiences cravings or
withdrawal symptoms when stopping