Generally, addiction begins in a youth's adolescence or early adulthood, meaning it is imperative for communities to exercise early preventative measures, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Preventing drug abuse can thwart the onset of drug addiction. Drug addiction is a complex issue with many facets that science is still discovering. There is no one reason a person may or may not develop into a drug addict.

A Disease of the Brain

Drug addiction is a disease of the brain with characteristics such as compulsiveness, and destructive continued drug abuse knowing the negative outcome. NIDA research has uncovered addiction as a disease, causing deterioration and alterations in the brain's functionality. Although a person decides to begin using drugs, with continued use it evolves into a disease, compelling the obsession with drugs.

Brain Circuits

Drug use negatively disrupts the brain circuits governing memory, reward, restraint and motivation. This affects a person's ability to choose to stop using drugs, which is the fundamental nature of addiction. The frontal cortex is also affected, which is significant in making decisions and judgment.

Dopamine

A recent experiment conducted by. Dr. Anna Childress and Dr. Charles O'Brien revealed that dopamine, which occurs naturally in the brain, increased significantly at subliminal drug related images. Dopamine is the chemical that surges (reward or emotion) the happy feelings that increase a desire for something whether it is eating chocolate, making love or a drug. This means the person's addiction is triggered by the brain even when they are unaware.

Brain Damage

In other related studies, drug abuse will decrease the dopamine transporter's activities, which significantly affects mental function. This means the brain performance will slow significantly affecting motor function and memory damage, decreasing normal responses.

Treated Like All Diseases

Just like any disease, drug addiction alters a persons biology, it is treatable, it can be avoided through prevention and if not treated, it can become chronic, or a lifetime issue.

Source:

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): What is Addiction?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Drug Use Changes the Brain

Institute of Neurological Sciences