If I am an addict, is my brain different?

How does drug addiction change the human brain?

Drug addiction causes changes in the human brain.  It is the disease of addiction that makes someone say and do things they would not normally ever do.  Living with drug dependence is extremely difficult and your choices, actions and decisions will all be dictated by your addiction.  

When someone is addicted to drugs, it causes physical and functional changes in the brain.  The particular areas of the brain which are impacted by drug dependence are the chemical rewards and motivation areas.  The changes caused by drug addiction will lead a person to seek out the substance over and over again, because it brings them feelings of pleasure or provides an escape from reality. 

What are the consequences?

The human brain is changed because of substance abuse but most people do not realize the consequences of these changes. Because of the way drug addiction changes the brain, a person will experience cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes which will impact the way someone thinks, feels and behaves. Losing control over your ability to stop using drugs is just one of the many unfortunate things that happen with drug addiction.  The more you abuse drugs and the longer it goes on, the worse your life will become and the longer you live in denial, the worse everything will be.   

Why do some get addicted when others don't?

Addiction is a disease which is complicated and has many facets and complexities. Some of the risk factors for addiction include genetics, suffering from mental illness, low self-esteem, experiencing trauma or abuse, and growing up in a household with an addicted parent or caregiver.  Some people become addicted to drugs and others do not, but the exact reasons why are not clearly understood at the present time.  What is clearly understood is that drug addiction is something that can happen to anybody and it does not discriminate.