Drug Abuse

Drug abuse, medically referred to as substance abuse disorder, is a condition characterized by an individual's harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. This repeated misuse can lead to the development of a dependence syndrome – a cluster of physiological, behavioral, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of substance takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviors that once had greater value. The chronic nature of the disorder means that relapsing to drug abuse is not only possible but also likely, and it can lead to long-term changes in the brain which may interfere with an individual's ability to exercise self-control and interfere with their ability to resist the urge to take drugs.

From a medical standpoint, drug abuse has a significant impact on the brain's reward system. Initial voluntary use of drugs leads to altered brain function that reduces an individual's ability to experience pleasure from other life activities and strengthens drug-related cues, making abstinence increasingly difficult. This can manifest in the form of withdrawal symptoms upon cessation and tolerance, where higher doses of the substance are needed to achieve the initial effect. Medically, the treatment for drug abuse often necessitates a combination of pharmacological and therapeutic strategies, aimed at restoring normal brain function and behavior while promoting abstinence and recovery.