Substance Addiction
Substance addiction is an illness characterized by a person's continuous or periodic desire to take a substance, either to sustain the pleasurable effect of that substance or to avoid the distressing symptoms caused by its absence, because the substance affects the structure of the brain. Knowing that substance addiction is an illness will help family members of people who use substances manage negative reactions such as blaming the substance user or feeling anger toward them.
Addiction is a process, and this process can develop rapidly depending on the potency of the addictive substance being used.
The early stage of addiction, referred to as the early period, is described as the psychological process.
In the late stage of addiction, however, substance use causes certain changes in the individual's brain systems, and individuals engage in substance-using behavior in order to eliminate the uncomfortable symptoms that arise from the absence of the substance. This process is also referred to as addiction's physiological process.
As a result of all these processes, individuals develop an addiction to the substance they use. Since addiction is an illness, provided that medical support remains the priority, it is important to also seek psychotherapy support so that the process can be managed holistically.
