Stigma surrounds addiction, the common perception being that it is a condition of weakness and moral corruption that individuals choose to take on. Unfortunately, addiction is a disease that anyone can develop. Prescription medications, cigarettes, alcohol, illicit drugs, and destructive behaviors like bingeing and purging all produce biological and chemical reactions that pose a threat to our health.

Although the initial experience is voluntary, repeated exposure to a drug affects the way in which the nervous system functions, eventually adapting to the drug experience. The onset of addiction occurs when neuroadaptations cause the user to compulsively seek out the drug experience. Changes in brain structure and function that are brought about with excessive use lead to dependence. Persistent use occurs when neuroadaptations are irreversible, resulting in a constant physical and mental discomfort when drug use is discontinued.

People dependent upon a drug or destructive behavioral pattern struggle with overcoming their addiction because their brain is damaged during the process of abuse. The frontal cortex — the part of the brain that controls decision-making and judgment — works inefficiently when exposed to substances over long periods. Thus, addicts have difficulty effectively completing treatment because their capacity to control behaviors is diminished.

Although there is a common perception that drug and alcohol addicts lack motivation and don’t care about their health and safety, research shows that the subsequent biological reactions are to blame for many of their misinterpreted behavioral reactions. Anyone who takes part in repeatedly and continuously using a substance is at risk for biological dependence.

High sensation seekers are defined as having an acute sensitivity to their environmental surroundings and personal interactions. This personality trait is characterized by the need for stimulation, and is related to a preference for novel, intense and complex experiences. They tend to be extroverted, accept change more openly and view others as an audience rather than a source of nurturing or affection.The proclivity for stimulation of high sensation seekers can lead to risk taking behaviors, which fulfill their need for stimuli. Common activities include adventure sports, listening to high intensity rock music, partaking in risky sexual behavior, or even extreme exotic travel.

Studies show that there is a strong association between sensation seekers and drug and alcohol use: The search for novel experiences sets off the same brain reward system as drug use, providing a biological explanation for substance abuse among people who constantly seek out new and exciting experiences. The inhibitory response of these personality types is also diminished, adding to their tendency to take risks.

Although it may seem obvious, it’s interesting to note how our chemical make-up can determine our need for physiological stimulus. Everyone’s primal reward system is largely predicted by genetics; drugs may satisfy the pleasure portion of one person’s brain, but do little to stimulate someone who is less inclined to pursue experiences outside of their comfort zone. 

Knowledge of the association between high sensitivity and drug use is considered valuable because specialists believe that they can take intervention measures in young adults’ lives who demonstrate high sensation seeking behaviors prior to their exposure to substances, preventing their urge to use. Many ad campaigns are targeted towards risk takers, and encourage adolescents to find healthier ways to get their thrills. Dramatic depictions of the damaging effects of drug use has shown to have greater impacts on high sensation seekers than less sensitive individuals. These media campaigns have proven to be effective tools in drug prevention.

You hear it all the time, that it just takes a few drinks – maybe even just one – to change your life, to have an addiction and become an alcoholic. It’s the same with drugs. One day you’re smoking weed and the next thing you know you’re taking your chances with speed. How does addiction happen? And why is it that some people get addicted so fast, while others don’t get addicted to drugs even though they abuse them all the time?

Addiction, like so many things in life, is complicated. It takes its toll on a person both physically and mentally. In a TIME magazine article, Dr. Nora Volkow (Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse) explained, “Some people have a genetic predisposition to addiction, but because it involves these basic brain functions, everyone will become an addict if sufficiently exposed to drugs or alcohol.” This explains why sometimes addiction seems to set in really quickly for some people. If a predisposition to addiction is a part of your genetic code, then you are naturally likely to become addicted. As the article further explains, for someone who is inclined to become addicted, that person isn’t just more likely to develop an addiction to illegal drugs or alcohol. An addiction can be defined as any behavior a person feels compelled to conduct and cannot discontinue without traumatic effects. It’s possible for someone to become addicted to their work, to cleaning, to gambling or eating – anything, really. Any addiction is unhealthy, and is truly a disease, but the danger level is significantly higher when someone is addicted to substance abuse, because it can kill them.

Of course, sometimes the drug is to blame for causing addiction to set in quickly. Different drugs affect people differently, but there are some drugs – like heroin – that are extremely addictive for just about everyone. Breaking the physical addiction that comes along with those drugs makes detox and rehab very challenging for both the doctors and the addict.

Genetics and drug strength aren’t the only reasons why people become addicted to drugs. Studies show that people with psychological disorders or some form of mental illness are more likely to suffer from drug addiction. New studies are showing that people who start abusing drugs at an early age or as a teenager are more likely to trigger an addiction that can last a lifetime.

Finally, perhaps one of the most prevalent reasons why people get addicted to drugs, and why they start abusing drugs in the first place, is due to social acceptance. It’s all about “the company you keep.” If you hang out with people who enjoy smoking pot, drinking beers, or shooting heroin, then you’re more likely to start using drugs or drinking alcohol because of that environment.

Knowing and understanding why addiction happens can help someone understand their own struggle with addiction. What is even better is that by learning about the triggers of addiction, it can increase a person’s awareness of what addiction is and help prevent it altogether.

When a young adult engages in substance abuse, his or her friends and family members tend to be significantly affected; but, it is often the parents who often feel the greatest impact. The lies and secret lives are hard to digest and deal with. Witnessing the changes in a person’s health and personality as they become more and more addicted is heart wrenching. It’s with good reason that parents often fear for their child’s life once they know they are abusing drugs or alcohol. Not only do thousands of teens die from drug abuse and overdoses each year, but young adults who abuse drugs and/or alcohol are also more likely to commit suicide.

Each parent deals with the reality of drug abuse in their family in different ways. Overall, many parents want to protect their child from further self-harm and seek out treatment for them. For teens, parents can force them into treatment. Teens forced into drug treatment may try to run away and quite often young adults who are 18 years of age or older  cannot be held against their will.

The psychological stress of these situations can cause negative reactions from parents. They may begin to blame themselves, or others, for their child’s poor choices. Some parents also start assuming responsibility for their child’s affairs – whether it be covering up their addiction from friends or employers, or paying their bills. Not only does this burden the parents, but it creates a false sense of reality for the young adult. It’s important for the person who is addicted to realize the consequences of their actions and to be held accountable for them. This is how they will grow and begin to want change for themselves.

Dealing with the stresses of teen substance abuse make it even harder to be a good role model. It’s hard not to be upset, saddened and completely distraught when it seems like every second your child’s life is unraveling. Even though it is a tremendous challenge to overcome, how you cope with the stress will serve as an example for your teen to learn from.

It’s important for parents to take care of themselves. By seeking counseling and creating a support group will show your child that it’s okay to get help from others when you need it. It may inspire them to get help. Community groups like the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America and Al-Anon are designed to empower adults who want to get help for someone they love.

Starting a conversation about drug and alcohol abuse is difficult for any parent. There is no one right way to approach a teenager, and parents are often unclear if their guidance even makes a difference. Although it can be an uncomfortable, rigid or seemingly unproductive discussion, talking to your children about the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol does impact their judgment and decision-making skills.

The wrong move many parents take is by addressing drug abuse in a traditional, teacher-student fashion. “The Talk” is played out like a lesson, and doesn’t incorporate the methods of communication that work best with young adults. Your words are likely to fall on deaf ears or be confronted with a defensive and closed off attitude if you fail to recognize the differences in the way your child connects with friends, teachers and the world.

You may not be big on technology, but more than likely your teenager is. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America recently found that nearly one in four teens would prefer to have a serious conversation about drugs or alcohol using e-mail or cell phones. Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership, says, “While nothing can take the place of an in-person conversation between parents and teens, for some parents, emails, cell phone conversations, and even texting can help start a conversation with a reluctant teen and reinforce talks you’ve already had—plus, parents can reach teens at times when use tends to be likelier—after school, on weekends and during unsupervised time.” Unfortunately, of the parents interviewed, only 3 percent would choose to communicate with their kids in this way.

The study reiterates the importance of texting in teen culture: Research shows that a large majority of teens rely upon messaging to stay connected with friends, and that a significant portion would not mind receiving texts from their parents. You might be hesitant or believe it’s impersonal to approach such a serious conversation using computers or cell phones, but it’s essential to consider how your teen is most likely to positively respond to your outreach.

Can you imagine driving around on the holidays and getting hit by a drunk driver? For Bob Kent, and many others, this story is all too familiar. Kent lost his own son and two of his friends on Christmas Day, 2004. This holiday season, Kent shared his story with others as a reminder of the lives that are lost every holiday to people who drink and drive.

The statistics for drunk driving are staggering. It’s scary to think that “every 30 minutes, nearly 50 times a day, someone in America dies in an alcohol-related crash. This means you, your friends, your family are regularly at risk” – as documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It’s disheartening that “Americans who drink and drive after holiday parties and festivities make the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s one of the year’s most deadly and dangerous seasons due to alcohol-related crashes.”

Adults and teens are both regularly found guilty of drinking under the influence. Of course for teens, underage drinking is illegal and they shouldn’t be intoxicated in the first place. But adults, both young and old, who are over the drinking age have a choice – to be responsible. The CDC and NHTSA have both come up with lists of ways to prevent impaired driving and DUI accidents.

Before going to a party, you pretty much know if there will be alcoholic beverages served or not. If you’re not sure, ask the party host – make a plan and be prepared. Designate a sober driver before the party starts or arrange for a taxi ahead of time. Leave your car at home. Doing so will take away the temptation – the entire option – to drive home intoxicated.

If you are hosting the party, ask your guests if they have a designated driver when they RSVP for the event. For guests who are not drinking at the party, ask if they would like to be a designated driver and be sure to thank them for their help. If you are hosting a party and know that some of your guests are alcoholics, or former alcoholics who are currently in rehab or recovery, it will be appreciated if you choose to serve non-alcoholic beverages. You can also request your bartender to monitor the alcohol intake of your guests.

We have the power to change how alcohol affects our society by changing ourselves and our attitudes toward alcohol consumption and driving. Once we have changed our own behaviors, then it’s possible to help our friends and family make better choices.

Forget street drugs, millions of kids today are stopping by their local pharmacy to pick up over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to achieve a long-lasting high because it’s far cheaper and just as potent as any illegal drug. The primary culprits are cough and cold medicines that contain dextromethorphan (DXM), a cough suppressant that produces a euphoric-like effect when consumed in large quantities. Medicines that contain the ingredient include NyQuil and Robitussin (or Robo for slang). 

According to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2006 about 3.1 million people aged 12 to 25 had ever used an OTC cough and cold medication to get high, and nearly one million had done so in the past year. Also, from 1999 to 2004, there was a seven-fold increase in cases related to the abuse of DXM reported to poison control centers nationwide. Most of these cases were among 15- and 16-year-olds.

DXM can be safely taken in 30-milligram doses or less, but those who abuse the cough medicine can consume up to 360 milligrams in order to achieve the optimal sensation. Ingesting quantities that are too large is extremely dangerous; side effects include hallucinations, loss of motor control and "out-of-body" dissociations, as well as the more serious consequences like extreme high fever, brain damage and even death. Regular abuse of DXM at high doses can lead to toxic psychosis, in which the person loses contact with reality and is in a perpetual confused state. Mixing DXM with alcohol and other drugs poses an increased threat to one’s health.

Although it may seem like good fun to take a few dozen extra doses of cold medicine and buzz the night away, the extreme potential health risks with over consumption far outweigh the short-term benefits — making OTC drug abuse even more stupid than it already looks.  

The holidays can be one of the most challenging times of the year for families who have someone suffering from substance abuse. The abundance of drinking at parties and social gatherings can be torturous for a recovering alcoholic. Teens with winter blues are looking for fun, and it’s unfortunate that many get their kicks through illegal drugs. For young adults who have been suffering from addiction over a long period of time, it might be hard to convince them to sober up or get clean for the holidays. For families who are trying to find runaways in the cold of winter, it’s a bleak scenario to be in.

Despite all the difficulties that come with both addiction and recovery during the holidays, the season also brings a tremendous opportunity of hope and a chance for change. If a friend or family member is newly out of rehab, they will be looking to you for support. Staying sober with your friend or relative can help with their recovery, and make them feel less inclined to drink at parties. If you have a feeling beforehand that drugs will be involved, you can be the one to suggest an alternative social activity and have fun without all the drama of drug addiction.

As family and friends come together, the holiday season can be a great time to plan an intervention. Taking the plunge to go into detox and commit to rehab isn’t easy. Sometimes being reunited with the friend who moved away or the wise Grandparent can make all the difference in a young person’s life. It’s a great opportunity to share love and concern for someone, without feeling too awkward, because it’s the season of sharing and giving. The greatest gift you can give to someone suffering from addiction this holiday season is to support them in getting help and treatment for their condition.

To help increase awareness about the drug and alcohol addiction crisis, A&E has opened up The Recovery Project Shop. This special store has books and DVDs, including copies of the hit series Intervention, all about how to deal with abuse, addiction, and recovery. A&E will donate a portion of the sales made in the online store to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, a non-profit organization with a goal to reduce drug abuse nationwide.

Today the media is buzzing about World AIDS Day. Across the globe, progress against HIV has been made, but the fight against the disease is far from over. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates there are about 33 million people across the globe living with AIDS today, including approximately 1.1 million people in the United States. The CDC also estimates that about 7,500 people are infected with HIV everyday.

Drug abuse is known to lead to HIV infections. It has become common knowledge that the virus is transmitted through bodily fluids. When drug users share needles or other injection equipment with someone infected with HIV, the virus can be transmitted. Needle sharing is a dangerous, unsanitary practice that can lead to other complications, as well.

“Although injection drug use is well known in this regard, the role that non-injection drug abuse plays more generally in the spread of HIV is less recognized,” says the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens. Being intoxicated by drugs or alcohol reduces a person’s inhibitions and ability to make sound judgments. This changed state of body and mind impels the risky behaviors that a person would otherwise not normally carry out, such as sharing needles or unsafe sex. Teens are not immune to developing AIDS. In 2004, the CDC found approximately 4,883 young adults between the ages of 13 to 24 were diagnosed with either AIDS or HIV.

The NIDA for Teens website further explains that because illegal drugs have a biological effect on the human body, they change how HIV affects a person.  Particularly, drug abusers with AIDS that are using Meth have shown increased brain and neurological problems. People living with HIV or AIDS are encouraged to seek rehab for their addiction to reduce these medical issues.

There’s a lot each of us can do to help stop the relentless spreading of AIDS. The World Aids Campaign, AIDS.gov, and joinred.com are all great places to get more information.

It’s well-known that alcohol stays in the body for some time after consumption, but how long does it stay in the body? And why is it that different people seem to sober up faster than others?

The simple answer to these questions is that alcohol affects each individual differently. Alcohol leaves the body as it is absorbed and completes the metabolic process. The effects of alcohol are felt the most when the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at its peak. As your BAC goes down, alcohol is leaving your system. Alcohol is absorbed into the body slower if taken with food. This helps keep the BAC at a lower level. Intoxication occurs when the BAC reaches unhealthy levels and can even be deadly. The blood alcohol content is also dependant upon how much water is in a person’s body. A person who has less fat and more water in their body will have more room for the alcohol to be distributed throughout their system.

It’s often cited that it takes about one hour for the alcohol in one standard drink to leave your system.  However, the actual amount of time it takes depends on a number of variables.  People who drink more have built up a tolerance for processing alcohol. A person who drinks heavily and often may have a liver that can process twice or three times as many drinks per hour. It’s also important to note that stressing the liver can lead to liver disease or cirrhosis.

For teens and young adults who engage in binge drinking, risking liver damage at a young age can cause complications for the rest of their lives. Not only is a young body at risk for liver disease, but brain damage is a primary concern for alcohol consumption, as well. Research is showing that the brain is still developing in the early twenties and alcohol causes long-term damage to young minds.