Psychopharmaceuticals are substances that, when ingested or administered into the system, affect mental processes, such as perception, consciousness, cognition or mood and emotions. Psychoactive drugs belong to a broader category of psychoactive substances that also include alcohol and nicotine. The use of psychotropic drugs without medical supervision is associated with significant health risks and can lead to the development of drug use disorders. Drug use disorders, especially when left untreated, increase morbidity and mortality risks for individuals, can cause significant suffering and cause deficiencies in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Drug use disorders are associated with significant costs to society due to lost productivity, premature mortality, increased health care spending, and costs related to criminal justice, social welfare, and other social consequences. Attributable to annual drug use They are estimated to suffer from drug-related disorders Drugs used the previous year High coverage of treatment for opioid dependence reported A study to prevent deaths from opioid overdose shows promising results Improving prevention and treatment of drug use disorders Third meeting of the WHO Forum on Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behavior (FADAB) of technical experts on public health responses to cannabis use. Revised edition that incorporates the results of field tests. Substance use disorder can be mild, moderate, or severe.
Addiction is the most serious form of SUD. It involves the continuous use of substances despite the negative consequences. Substance addiction occurs when the brain's reward system “takes over and amplifies the compulsive search for substances.” Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease. It causes a person to take drugs repeatedly, despite the harm they cause.
Repeated drug use can change the brain and cause addiction. Talk to your healthcare provider or see a mental health provider, such as a doctor who specializes in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, or a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. Brain changes caused by addiction can be long-lasting, which is why drug addiction is considered a recurring illness.
