Drug Addiction and Factors Influencing Addiction

Abstract

Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine are also considered drugs.

Addiction is a lot like other diseases, such as heart disease. Both disrupt the normal, healthy functioning of an organ in the body, both have serious, harmful effects, and both are, in many cases, preventable and treatable. If left untreated, they can last a lifetime and may lead to death.